Men's Pac-10 preview


Arizona Daily Wildcat
Thursday, November 17, 2005

The Arizona men's basketball team was picked to win the Pacific 10 Conference for the fourth straight season, according to a preseason poll of media members.

What follows is a breakdown of each Pac-10 team (listed in order of predicted finish):

1) Arizona

2005 Record (Pac-10): 30-7 (15-3)

Conference Finish: First

Head Coach: Lute Olson, 23rd season

Returning Players: 11

Key Losses: Channing Frye (C): 15.8 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 55.4 percent field-goal shooting last season; Salim Stoudamire (G): 18.4 points per game, 50.4 percent field-goal shooting, 50.4 percent 3-point shooting

Key Returns: Hassan Adams (F): 12.7 points per game, 6 rebounds, 2.8 assists

Key Additions: Marcus Williams (F): Averaged 28.6 points per game, 13 rebounds and 4 assists as senior at Roosevelt High School in Seattle.

2) Stanford

2005 Record: 18-13 (11-7)

Conference Finish: Third (tie)

Head Coach: Trent Johnson, second season

Returning Players: Seven

Key Losses: Rob Little (C): 9.0 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 51.7 percent field-goal shooting last season

Key Returns: Dan Grunfeld (G): 17.9 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, 50 percent field-goal shooting; Chris Hernandez (G): 15.2 points per game, 2.1 rebounds, 4 assists; Matt Haryasz (F): 12.5 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks

Key Additions: Lawrence Hill (F): Averaged 16 points per game, 12

rebounds, 3 blocks as a senior at Deer Valley High School in Glendale, Ariz.

3) UCLA

2005 Record: 18-11 (11-7)

Conference Finish: Third (tie)

Head Coach: Ben Howard, third season

Returning Players: 10

Key Losses: Dijon Thompson (F): 18.4 points per game, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists last season

Key Returns: Jordan Farmar (G): 13.2 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists; Aaron Afflalo (G): 10.8 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Key Additions: Michael Roll (G): Averaged 24.8 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists as a senior at Aliso Niguel (Calif.) High School; Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (F): 18.4 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, 3 assists as senior at Montverde Florida Academy.

4) Washington

2005 Record: 29-6 (14-4)

Conference Finish: Second

Head Coach: Lorenzo Romar, fourth season

Returning Players: Eight

Key Losses: Nate Robinson (G): 16.4 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists last season; Tre Simmons (G): 16 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists

Key Returns: Brandon Roy (G): 12.8 points per game, 5 rebounds, 56.6 percent field-goal shooting; Bobby Jones (F): 11.2 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Key Additions: Jon Brockman (F): Averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds as a senior at Snohomish (Wash.) High School

5) California

2005 Record: 13-16 (6-12)

Conference Finish: Eighth (tie)

Head Coach: Ben Braun, 10th season

Returning Players: Eight

Key Losses: Marquise Kately (G): 9.3 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists last season

Key Returns: Leon Powe (F): 15.1 points per game, 9.5 rebounds in 2004 (missed last season with knee injury); Rod Benson (F): 13.3 points per game, 6.3 rebounds, 54.3 percent field-goal shooting

Key Additions: Theo Robertson (G): Averaged 17.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds as a senior at De La Salle High School in Pittsburg, Calif.

6) Oregon

2005 Record: 14-13 (6-12)

Conference Finish: Eighth (tie)

Head Coach: Ernie Kent, ninth season

Returning Players: 12

Key Losses: None

Key Returns: Aaron Brooks (G): Averaged 14.7 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists; Malik Hairston (G): 13.1 points per game, 5 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Key Additions: None

7) Oregon State

2005 Record: 17-15 (8-10)

Conference Finish: Fifth

Head Coach: Jay John, fourth season

Returning Players: 10

Key Losses: David Lucas (F): 18.5 points per game, 7 rebounds, 54.3 percent field-goal shooting last season

Key Returns: Nick DeWitz (F): 14 points per game, 5.8 rebounds, 50 percent 3-point shooting

Key Additions: Wesley Washington (G): Averaged 15.5 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 2 assists as a freshman at Compton (Calif.) Community College

8) USC

2005 Record: 12-17 (5-13)

Conference Finish: 10th

Head Coach: Tim Floyd, first season

Returning Players: Four

Key Losses: Jeff McMillan (F): 9.6 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists last season; Rory O'Neil (C): 9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1 assist

Key Returns: Gabe Pruitt (G): 12.3 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists; Lodrick Stewart (G): 12.1 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Key Additions: Jeremy Barr (F): Averaged 19 points per game, 9 rebounds as a senior at Westbury Christian High School in Houston; RouSean Cromwell (F): 17 points per game, 11 rebounds as a senior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

9) Washington State

2005 Record: 12-16 (7-11)

Conference Finish: Sixth (tie)

Head Coach: Dick Bennett, third season

Returning Players: Eight

Key Losses: Thomas Kelati (G): 14.3 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists last season; Jeff Varem (G): 10.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Key Returns: Derrick Low (G): 7 points per game, 1.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists;

Robbie Cowgill (C): 6 points per game, 3.4 rebounds, 0.9 blocks

Key Additions: Caleb Forrest (C): Averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds as a senior at Pagosa Springs (Colo.) High School

10) ASU

2005 Record: 18-14 (7-11)

Conference Finish: Sixth (tie)

Head Coach: Rob Evans, eighth season

Returning Players: Six

Key Losses: Ike Diogu (F): 22.6 points per game, 9.8 rebounds, 57.5 percent field-goal shooting last season

Key Returns: Kevin Kruger (G): 11 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists

Key Additions: Antwi Atuahene (G): Averaged 17.4 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, 10 assists last season at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas

- Tom Knauer