Arizona Wildcats

2002 Record: 19-9 (12-6 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: No. 15 AP, No. 14 ESPN/USA Today Head Coach: Lute Olson (19th season) Starting Lineup: F Luke Walton (15.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.4 apg) F Rick Anderson (13.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, .496 fg%) C Isaiah Fox (4.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .494 fg%) G Salim Stoudamire (12.9 ppg, .441 3pt%, .933 ft%) G Jason Gardner (20.6 pgg, 4.7 apg, .397 3pt%)

Notes: Gardner and Walton may form one of the best 1-2 combos in the Pac-10. Gardner finished second in scoring behind Stanford's Casey Jacobsen, and Walton finished first in assists, 12th in scoring, seventh in rebounding and sixth in steals· Stoudamire stepped up big for Arizona in his freshman year, not only leading the nation in free-throw percentage, but also providing a deft touch from the perimeter · While Fox is listed as starter at the pivot, fellow frosh Channing Frye will likely see plenty of action down low. Frye started 20 games for the Wildcats this season and averaged 9.6 ppg and 6.3 rpg, and was fifth in the Pac-10 with 1.39 bpg.

Doyle's take: The key to this team is Walton, and he will have to put together three straight strong performances for the Wildcats to make a run. When he has bad games, the team loses. When he plays well, they win · Gardner's scoring dropped off slightly in conference play, but he's shown more diversity in his game of late, getting to the hole more often and drawing fouls · Stoudamire's free throw shooting has been a revelation for the Wildcats. While most freshmen suffer from poor shooting from the line, Damon's cousin seems to be unfazed, even when the game is on the line · The Wildcats will make a run at the championship game if they can rebound. However, ASU will test its resolve on the boards early, and a first-round exit could very easily happen.

Pac-10 Game Scheudle No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 7 Arizona State Today 7:42 p.m. MST Fox Sports Net No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Washington Today 2:17 p.m. MST Fox Sports Net No. 3 California vs. No. 6 UCLA Today, approx. 10:00 p.m. MST Fox Sports Net No. 4 USC vs. No. 5 Stanford Today, approx. 4:30 p.m. MST Fox Sports Net

Arizona State Sun Devils

2002 Record: 14-13 (7-11 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: N/R Head Coach: Rob Evans (4th season) Starting Lineup: F Awvee Storey (6.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .443 fg%) F Tommy Smith (12.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .480 fg%) C Chad Prewitt (17.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .429 3pt%) G Curtis Millage (13.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.4 apg) G Jason Braxton (5.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.2 apg)

Notes: On paper, ASU doesn't appear to have much of a chance in the tournament, but its conference record doesn't indicate how well the Devils have played. ASU has beaten four of the other seven teams in the conference, including upsets of UCLA, Oregon and Arizona · Millage is one of the best penetrators in the league. His lightning-quick first step and ability to finish has given teams fits all season, and he's a good enough shooter to keep defenders from falling back · Prewitt is one of the most versatile big men in the league, making the second-most 3-pointers on the team and shooting at a good percentage. He also forces the other team's center to come out to the perimeter in man defense, which opens up the lane for the Sun Devil slashers.

Doyle's take: While ASU is the seventh seed and won't make the NCAA Tournament without getting the Pac-10 Championship, no one really wants to play this team, especially Arizona in the first round. Prewitt is an almost impossible matchup for most centers with his ability to shoot. Millage is one of the most exciting players in the conference to watch, and his play against Arizona (46 points in two games) probably has him licking his chops. But free throw shooting is the Achilles heel of this team, and it will be magnified in the tournament. ASU likely is out in the first round to Arizona · barely.

Oregon Ducks

2002 Record: 22-7 (14-4 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: No. 9 AP, No. 9 ESPN/USA Today Head Coach: Ernie Kent (5th year) Starting Lineup: F Robert Johnson (7.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, .538 fg%) F Luke Jackson (15.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg) C Chris Christoffersen (8.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .529 fg%) G Luke Ridnour (15.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.0 apg) G Freddie Jones (18.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 apg)

Notes: Ducks earned the Pac-10 regular-season title for the first time since 1938-39, when they won the first-ever NCAA Championship · Oregon ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak, capped with a pair of wins against UCLA and USC in Los Angeles · The Ducks' offense revolves around the explosive Jones, who can get to the hoop at will or stroke a mid-range jumper · Oregon, the Pac-10's highest-scoring team at 86.2 ppg, thrives on the fast break. They also were fourth in the Pac in scoring defense, allowing 71.1 ppg, and first in scoring margin with a +15.1 differential · Ridnour has established himself as one of the Pac-10's premier point guards in only his second season.

Doyle's take: The Ducks' offense this season has revolved around pushing the ball up the court and finishing with the athletic Jones going to the rack or one of their many shooters pulling up. However, Jones has been a different player on the road this year than he is at home, and Oregon won't be seeing Mac Court for the rest of the season · There are two ways to beat Oregon: leave three players in the backcourt at all times or hit your shots, preventing them from making outlet passes. The smart money's on a team doing the latter, and Oregon might be seeing a second-round exit after beating up on Washington.

Washington Huskies

2002 Record: 11-17 (5-13 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: N/R Head Coach: Bob Bender (9th year) Starting Lineup: F Doug Wrenn (19.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .438 fg%) F Grant Leep (7.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .503 fg%) C David Dixon (8.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.28 bpg) G C.J. Massingale (5.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, .358 fg%) G Will Conroy (2.5 ppg, 1.6 apg, .344 fg%)

Notes: Washington is the one team in the tournament not expected to make much noise. They have trouble scoring (with the exception of the explosive Wrenn) and haven't set a consistent starting lineup all season. The current combination is their ninth of the season · Wrenn is a force, but no one else on the team has stepped up to take the pressure off him, resulting in forced shots by the forward · If Washington does one thing well, it's blocking shots. The team averages 4.82 a game, good for first in the conference · Washington did beat Oregon in Seattle, 97-92, and played them close in Eugene, 84-90.

Doyle's take: Blocking shots is about all that Washington has done well this season, but it's not going to get them anywhere in the tournament. Bender's team doesn't have a real identity on the court, and while Wrenn has been spectacular at times, he's the only player who can be counted on to score. This one might be close, considering the previous two games between these teams, but Oregon's just too good to lose this one.

California Golden Bears

2002 Record: 21-7 (12-6 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: No. 25 AP, No. 25 ESPN/USA Today Head Coach: Ben Braun (6th year) Starting Lineup: F Jamal Sampson (7.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.71 bpg) F Joe Shipp (14.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .478 fg%) C Solomon Hughes (8.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .589 fg%) G Shantay Legans (7.7 ppg, 3.9 apg, .313 3pt%) G Brian Wethers (9.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .454 fg%)

Notes: Cal is fresh off a 46-point loss to Arizona, shooting a season-low .328 percent from the field · Cal has made its living on defense this season. It led the Pac-10 in scoring defense (65.8 ppg allowed), field-goal percentage defense (41.1 percent) and was second in turnover margin (+4.64) and steals (8.18 spg) · Cal has one of the best benches in the Pac-10, with three players averaging more than 6 ppg off the pine · Shipp is the Golden Bears' top scoring threat, but it's Legans who anchors the offense. If he shoots well from the perimeter, he can draw attention from defenders and open up passing lanes for his teammates.

Doyle's take: Too much needs to go right for Cal to make a run at the title. If it can beat UCLA, it will likely have to face off against an Arizona team that embarrassed the team less than a week earlier, and swept it in the regular season. The only way that Cal doesn't get sent packing by Friday is if it can beat UCLA and ASU pulls out a victory over the Wildcats.

UCLA Bruins

2002 Record: 19-10 (11-7 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: Not ranked in either poll Head Coach: Steve Lavin (6th season) Starting Lineup: F Matt Barnes (13.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, .444 3pt%) F Jason Kapono (16.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, .471 3pt%) C Dan Gadzuric (11.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg) G Billy Knight (14.1 ppg, 3.3. rpg, .409 3pt%) G Cedric Bozeman (3.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg)

Notes: The Bruins' one mainstay for the past three seasons has been the shooting of Kapono, who is quickly becoming one of the most prolific long-distance snipers in the history of the conference. He already holds program records for 3-point percentage, attempts and makes · Gadzuric is one of the best pure centers in the league, but his fouls (four or more fouls in a game eight times this season) have at times kept him out of the game · there have been times this season when the Bruins' frontcourt has been dominating, but Barnes has dissapeared at times as well. He's a huge part of the offensive system, as his combination of outside shooting and his ability to get to the hoop make him one of the toughest matchups in the league.

Doyle's take: As usual, UCLA did both the spectacular (beating Kansas) and the pitiful (losing to UC Santa Barbara) over the course of the regular season. Bruins' coach Steve Lavin has once again put together one of the most talented teams in the conference, yet it has failed to meet expectations, so Lavin's job might be on the line again. And if past history is any indication, this means the Bruins could go deep into the Pac-10 and NCAA tournaments. The key for this team is keeping center Dan Gadzuric out of foul trouble. If the Bruins manage to do that, they should be playing Saturday. If they don't, Lavin might be on a bread line quicker than you can say "Pyramids of Success."

Southern California Trojans

2002 Record: 20-8 (12-6 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: No. 22 AP, No. 20 ESPN/USA Today Head Coach: Henry Bibby (6th year) Starting Lineup: F Sam Clancy (19.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, .496 fg%) F David Bluthenthal (11.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, .402 3pt%) F Gregg Guenther (0.0 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 7 games played) G Errick Craven (12.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.29 spg) G Brandon Granville (12.0 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.64 spg)

Notes: USC led the Pac-10 for a good part of the season and might be the most well-rounded team in the conference · Clancy can be a one-man wrecking ball. He's fourth in the league in scoring, second in rebounding, third in steals and fifth in blocked shots. He's also shooting 100 percent from the 3-point line (1-1 on the season) · Granville's probably the smartest point guard with the ball in the league. He's first in the Pac-10 in assist-to-turnover ratio while being second in total assists. He's also improved his perimeter shot to the point where teams must stay honest.

Doyle's take: Sam Clancy is without a doubt the best big man in the conference, with Stanford's Curtis Borchardt coming in a close second. But USC has failed to have a consistent No. 2 scorer, so it's been a game of "who will show up tonight?" all season. Clancy will get his 20 and 10, but it's up to players like Bluthenthal or Craven to add another 20 to the mix. That may not happen, however, because their first-round game against Stanford pits them against the team that may match up the best defensively against them. Look for the Trojans to make an early exit against an underrated Stanford team.

Stanford Cardinal

2002 Record: 19-8 (12-6 Pac-10) Regular Season Rankings: No. 16 AP, No. 18 ESPN/USA Today Head Coach: Mike Montgomery (16th season) Starting Lineup: F Teyo Johnson (5.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, .430 fg%) C Curtis Borchardt (17.0 ppg, 11.3 rpg, .581 fg%) G Casey Jacobsen (22.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 38% 3pt%) G Julius Barnes (11.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, .344 3pt%) G Tony Giovacchini (3.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, .355 3pt%)

Notes: The Cardinal field two of the most dominating players in the conference in Jacobsen, who leads the Pac-10 in scoring, and Borchardt, who leads it in rebounds and is seventh in scoring · Jacobsen has been dazzling at times, scoring 49 points against ASU and 41 against Oregon. But he can also disappear, like he did against Arizona last week, scoring only six points. His challenge this season has been other defenses targeting him, but the emergence of Borchardt has eased the pressure slightly · The mainstay of this Cardinal team is defense. Stanford plays man-to-man almost exclusively, and it's one of the best teams in the conference in forcing other teams to take bad shots (41.5 percent field-goal defense).

Doyle's take: For the first time in a while, the Cardinal aren't a known commodity. Some nights they look like a legit contender for the national championship, other times they look lost. Obviously, this team revolves around the second-team All-American guard Jacobsen, but the real linchpin to this team is fellow guard Julius Barnes. If Barnes is hot from the outside, it opens up not only his ability to get to the hole, but also keeps defenses honest, freeing up Jacobsen. If Barnes isn't hot, the team's offense has little flow and must rely on Borchardt, who is foul-prone, to take the heat off Jacobsen. That being said, the Cardinal are the most experienced team in the conference right now, and will likely be playing Saturday.