Jason Kapono UCLA guard

No. 20 UCLA Bruins
Location: Los Angeles
Home court: Pauley Pavilion (12,819)
Last season's record: 23-9 (14-4 Pac-10)
This season's record: 3-2
Head coach: Steve Lavin (sixth season)
Top returning starter: junior guard Jason Kapono (17.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 46% 3pt)

The Bruins are somewhat of an enigma so far this season. The Pac-10 coaches' preseason choice to win the conference, UCLA was already upset twice - first by Ball State in the Maui Invitational, then by Pepperdine last week. Things may only get worse for the Bruins, who found out last week that their starting point guard, freshman Cedric Bozeman, is out 4-6 weeks with a torn meniscus. The team may have to turn to freshman swingman Dijon Thompson to man the point. However, UCLA has been nothing if not resilient during Lavin's tenure. The Bruins often struggle early in the season, only to make a late-season run in conference play and the NCAA Tournament, making it to or past the Sweet 16 four of the last five seasons.

The Bruins enter this season with four returning starters from last season's squad. The offense relies on the outside shooting of Kapono and the inside presence of senior center Dan Gadzuric (11.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg last season).

However, the team is loaded with a glut of mid-sized athletes, including 6-foot-7 Matt Barnes, 6-foot-5 Billy Knight, 6-foot-4 Rico Hines and 6-foot-9 T.J. Cummings.

Casey Jacobsen Stanford forward

No. 14 Stanford Cardinal
Location: Stanford, Calif.
Home court: Maples Pavilion (7,800)
Last season's record: 31-3 (16-2 Pac-10)
This year's record: 3-1
Top returning starter: Junior guard Casey Jacobsen (18.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 47% 3pt)

Despite losing four starters from last year's squad, the Cardinal were still picked in the preseason to finish second in the Pac-10. All-American Casey Jacobsen is one of the premier shooters in the country, and will not only be the focal point of the offense - something not asked of him the past two seasons - but also the leader of a talented, young team.

Stanford will rely on senior guard Tony Giovacchini to run the point, and junior Julius Barnes is expected to compete for minutes as the floor general as well. The Collins twins (Jarron and Jason ), who presented one of the most imposing inside games in the country, are gone. Their absence leaves a void. Seven-foot junior center Curtis Borchardt will be asked to fill the Collins' shoes. He's been a shot-blocking machine (61 blocks in 37 career games) when playing, but battled foot injuries for most of his collegiate career.

Big things will also be expected of freshman forward Josh Childress. The 6-foot-8 freshman netted 24 points per game last year as a high school senior. If Borchardt can remain healthy and Childress can live up to the hype, Stanford's inside-outside game could be one of the best in the Pac-10. If he's not, the defensive pressure on Jacobsen could force him into more poor performances like his game against Texas, when he shot an anemic 3-for-19 from the field against constant double-coverage.

USC Trojans
Location: Los Angeles
Home court: Los Angeles Sports Arena (16,161)
Last season's record: 24-10 (11-7 Pac-10)
This season's record: 3-1
Head coach: Henry Bibby (sixth season)
Top returning starter: Senior forward Sam Clancy (17.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.2 bpg)

The Trojans peaked at the right time last season and made a run at the Elite Eight - the deepest the program has ever been in the NCAA Tournament - before falling to eventual champion Duke. While Jeff Trepagnier and Brian Scalabrine, key players on last season's squad, have moved on, a solid foundation remains. Point guard Brandon Granville is as good a distributor as any in the conference, but his inconsistent outside shooting and generally passive offensive mind must improve if the team wants to repeat last season's success.

Sam Clancy USC forward

The coaching staff hopes the addition of twin freshman Errick and Derrick Craven will help fill the void left by the high-flying Trepagnier. USC will also count on junior-college transfer Jerry Dupree to bring more size to the Trojan backcourt. Unlike some other Pac-10 teams, Southern Cal is thankful Clancy, its best player, bypassed the NBA Draft to play his senior season. The All-Pac-10 performer averaged close to a double-double last season and was one of the main reasons USC extended its postseason. He'll have to step it up even more if USC wants to get over the hump and break into the Final Four.

California Golden Bears
Location: Berkeley, Calif.
Home court: Haas Pavilion (12,000)
Last season's record: 20-11 (11-7 Pac-10)
This season's record: 4-1
Head coach: Ben Braun (sixth season)
Top returning starter: Junior guard Shantay Legans (9.5 ppg, 4.8 apg, 39% 3pts)

With four returning starters, Cal hopes to reach the postseason for the fourth consecutive year for the first time since 1957-1960. The loss of Pac-10 Player of the Year Sean Lampley will certainly affect the Golden Bears' potency. However, Cal might actually benefit from the lack of star power. This year's product promises to be more balanced, and Braun hopes it will be harder for opposing teams to key on one player and stall the Cal offense, as was sometimes the case when Lampley starred.

The experienced Legans leads 11 returning lettermen from last year's team and will be asked to step up as the team's anchor. Legans led last season's team with 47 three pointers and 43 steals.

The veterans are joined by an impressive recruiting class, anchored by 6-foot-11 center Jamal Sampson. Sampson was a top-30 high school prospect and averaged 15.5 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading his team to the California Interscholastic Federation state championship.

Frederick Jones Oregon forward

Oregon Ducks
City: Eugene, Ore.
Home court: McArthur Court, a.k.a "The Pit" (9,087)
Last year's record: 14-14 (5-13 Pac-10)
This season's record: 3-2
Head coach: Ernie Kent (fifth year)
Top returning starter: senior guard Frederick Jones (14.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.4 apg)

Following a 22-8 campaign in 2000, last season's team failed to meet high expectations, despite fielding a squad loaded with talent and potential. The Ducks struggled through the conference season and finished just 5-13 against Pac- 10 foes, 14-14 overall. However, Oregon was often close against the top teams in the conference, including a 69-62 loss to No. 1 Stanford, and an overtime loss to USC. With another year of experience, 2001 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Luke Ridnour is expected to emerge as one of the top guards in the conference. One of his favorite targets last season, Bryan Bracey, was lost to graduation. Bracey's absence will be filled by another sophomore, 6-foot-7 guard/forward and 2001 Pac-10 All-Freshman selection Luke Jackson. At center, the Ducks will rely on 7-foot-2 Chris Christoffersen, a 300-pound senior from Denmark who was named the conference's most improved player last season and presents a problem for teams with no true center. MacArthur court is one of the most difficult places to play in the Pac-10, and Kent and the Ducks will expected to improve on last season's 3-6 record at "The Pit."

Arizona State Sun Devils
Location: Tempe
Home court: Wells Fargo Arena (14,198)
Last season's record: 13-16 (5-13 Pac-10)
This season's record: 3-2 Head coach: Rob Evans (fourth season)
Top returning starter: senior forward Awvee Storey (13.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 50% fg)

Rob Evans' tenure at ASU has been far from easy thus far. Asked to rebuild a program that had not been in the NCAA Tournament since the 1994-95 season, Evans has had little success recruiting or keeping players healthy. Last season, the team lost two players (sophomore forward Justin Allen and sophomore guard Tanner Shell) for most of the season and senior center Chad Prewitt for four games during conference play. The team finished tied for sixth in the Pac-10 and didn't even receive a berth in the National Invitational Tournament.

The Sun Devils came into this season with hopes that a healthy lineup would bring with it a respectable showing in conference play. If their early-season play is any indication, this season may prove difficult for Evans again.

Already the coach had to speak with Storey, who underachieved in upset losses to Portland State and Brigham Young, and told Shell to leave the team for an unspecified amount of time. If the Sun Devils want to make any waves in the conference this year, Evans will have to find a way to get his team to recover from a slow start and the loss of one of the team's leaders.

Oregon State Beavers
Location: Corvallis
Home court: Gill Coliseum (10,400)
Last season's record: 10-20 (4-14 Pac-10)
This season's record: 4-2
Head coach: Ritchie McKay (second year)
Top returning starter: senior guard Adam Masten (8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)

Like its rival Oregon, OSU suffered through a tough conference season in 2001. Plagued by injuries, the depleted Beavers managed just four wins after the month of December. Junior forward Philip Ricci redshirted last season after arthroscopic knee surgery. His return this season will give OSU's frontcourt needed depth and experience. Oregon State's recruiting class should bring a little more offensive power to a team that finished last in the Pac-10 in scoring (61.9 ppg).

Brian Jackson OSU forward

On eight occasions, the Beavers failed to score 55 points. Last January, the Beavers scored a season-low 40 points in a loss at UCLA and a week later netted 41 against No. 7 Arizona. Though OSU failed to put a lot of points on the board, they did not give up many either. The Pac-10's leading defense could not counter their poor offense last season, but will be a building point for the 2001-2002 campaign.

Washington State Cougars
Location: Pullman
Home court: Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum (12, 058)
Last season's record: 12-16 (5-13 Pac-10)
This season's record: 2-2
Head coach: Paul Graham (third season)
Top returning starter: Senior guard Mike Bush (5.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 40% fg)

Considered a Pac-10 team on the rise, the Cougars enter the 2001-02 campaign with a 12-win season - twice as many as the year before - behind them. However, the team's best player, Bush, may be a better at football than he is on the hardwood. The 6-foot-6 guard starts at wide receiver for the Cougars' football team and hauled in 45 passes for 913 yards and eight touchdowns during the season. While Bush played in all four of the Cougars' basketball games this season, the football team is going to a bowl game after a 9-2 campaign, likely meaning that Bush will miss at least a couple of games in late December.

There's hope that Washington State can continue improving, as they return all five starters from last year's team that finished tied for sixth in the Pac-10. Among those is last season's Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year, senior center J. Locklier, who averaged 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season.

Washington Huskies
Location: Seattle
Home court: Bank of America Arena at Edmundson Pavilion (10,000)
Last season's record: 10-20 (4-14 Pac-10)
This season's record: 5-1
Head coach: Bob Bender (ninth season)
Top returning starter: Sophomore guard Curtis Allen (7 ppg, 2.2 apg, 39% fg)

The Huskies are in trouble - big trouble - if the team can't find a reliable scoring option. The three top scorers from last year's squad - Will Perkins, Thalo Green and Michael Johnson - all graduated. Allen is the team's top returning scorer. Washington is experiencing a changing of the guard. The team will field nine players who have never played at the Division I level, seven of those freshmen. Not to say that the old guard will be missed greatly - UW hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since the 1999-00 season. In fact, Bender said this will be the most athletic team he's coached since he arrived in Seattle, something he believes will play out better in the Pac-10, where athleticism is usually at a premium.

The team will count heavily on the contributions from freshman guard/forward Erroll Knight, last year's Mr. Basketball in Washington state, and top-100 recruit Mike Jensen, a forward, to fill the scoring void left by last year's seniors. Expect Bender's team to experience growing pains this season, but it could be a real threat in the Pac-10 in future years.