THE PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE THREAD

No. 18 Arizona routs Stanford 91-52

Arizona coach Sean Miller delivered an obvious reminder to his team before its game Sunday against Stanford.

"Coach told us ahead of time don't forget we have the size advantage," said 6-foot-11 sophomore backup Chance Comanche. "It started to wear and tear on them and eventually it overpowered them."

The No. 18 Wildcats (13-2, 2-0 Pac-12) were simply too big for the Cardinal, winning 91-52 to complete a weekend road sweep to open Pac-12 Conference play.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915603

 

Boucher leads No. 15 Oregon over Washington State 85-66

Dylan Ennis acknowledged that it was a little shocking for No. 15 Oregon to lose its leading scorer just six minutes into the game against Washington State.

Dillon Brooks was ejected with 13:20 left in the first half for kicking Washington State's Josh Hawkinson during a scramble for a rebound.

"You don't normally have your best player go out so early in a game," Ennis said. "But we are a deep team."

Chris Boucher scored a career-high 29 points off the bench as Oregon beat Washington State 85-66 on Saturday for its 13th straight victory.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915614

 

Markkanen scores 22 as No. 17 Arizona beats Colorado 82-73

On offense and defense, Arizona's Kadeem Allen was the difference in the No. 17 Wildcats' 82-73 victory over Colorado on Saturday night.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915615

 

No. 16 Arizona rolls to 91-75 win over Arizona State

Dusan Ristic dropped in a jump hook on the game's first shot and scored nine points in Arizona's opening blitz. Just when Arizona State started to push back, Lauri Markkanen made three straight 3-pointers.

Two 7-footers with diverse skills for the Wildcats, one big match-up nightmare for their opponents.

Markkanen scored a career-high 30 points, Ristic finished with 16 and No. 16 Arizona used a dominating first half to beat rival Arizona State 91-75 on Thursday night.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915620

 

Alford erupts for 37, No. 4 UCLA beats Colorado 104-89

Bryce Alford's teammates were setting picks to spring him late in a game that was long over.

No offense intended. They were just trying to help him to reach that double-digit 3-point plateau. Alford fell one short -- about all he didn't accomplish on this magical shooting night.

Alford scored a career-high 37 points, hitting nine of UCLA's school-record 19 3-pointers, and the fourth-ranked Bruins beat Colorado 104-89 on Thursday.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915622

 

Hot-shooting Utah upsets No. 25 USC 86-64

Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak didn't like the look on his players' faces early Thursday night, but he declined to berate the team after being forced to take a quick timeout against No. 25 USC.

That patience paid off.

Devon Daniels scored 17 points and the Utes earned their first win against a ranked team this season with an 86-64 victory over the Trojans.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915619

 

Metu scores 24, No. 25 USC holds off Colorado 71-68

The last-minute play was drawn up something like this: Get the ball down low to lanky big man Chimezie Metu and let him do his thing.

His team showed confidence in him. So he showed confidence in himself.

Metu scored a career-high 24 points , including a go-ahead hook shot with 29 seconds remaining, and No. 25 Southern California held off slumping Colorado 71-68 on Sunday night.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915627

 

Colorado beats No. 10 Oregon 74-65, ends Ducks' streak at 17

An early barrage of 3-pointers caught No. 10 Oregon by surprise. What really rattled the Ducks was Colorado's steady, stifling defense.

"We haven't played with that kind of passion and energy and effort on defense for 40 minutes all year," Colorado coach Tad Boyle said after the Buffaloes' 74-65 Saturday night stunner that snapped the Oregon's 17-game winning streak.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915646

 

No. 3 UCLA muzzles Huskies 98-66 to go 15-1 at home

UCLA coach Steve Alford kidded TJ Leaf that his two points, one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal in 5 minutes was pretty impressive.

That's all the time Leaf got because the freshman sprained his left ankle. His absence didn't bother the third-ranked Bruins who went on to rout Washington 98-66 on Wednesday night for their eighth straight win.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400915695

 

No. 5 Oregon beats Arizona State 80-57 in Pac-12 quarters

Oregon had a hard time stopping Torian Graham in the first half, allowing Arizona State to keep it close. The Ducks still didn't have an answer for Graham in the second, but they shut down everyone else to earn a spot in the Pac-12 semifinals.

Dillon Brooks scored 22 points, Tyler Dorsey added 21 and No. 5 Oregon pulled away in the second half to beat Arizona State 80-57 Thursday in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400945804

 

No. 3 UCLA holds off USC 76-74 to advance to Pac-12 semis

Lonzo Ball had a turnover and two fouls before his first postseason game was 3 minutes old.

Nothing came easy for the star guard Thursday night, but No. 3 UCLA did just enough to advance in the Pac-12 Tournament.

Isaac Hamilton scored 22 points, and the Bruins held off rival Southern California 76-74 in the quarterfinals.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400945806

 

No. 7 Arizona beats Colorado 92-78 at Pac-12 Tournament

Arizona allowed Colorado to hang around for a half. Once the Wildcats got rolling, there was no stopping them on the way to the Pac-12 semifinals.

Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points, Allonzo Trier added 19 and No. 7 Arizona pulled away in the second half for a 92-78 victory over Colorado on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the conference tourney.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400945807

 

Southern Cal rallies to beat Providence in First Four

Beaten by Providence by one point in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last year, Southern Cal exacted revenge in a rematch Wednesday night.

Bennie Boatwright scored a career-high 24 points as the Trojans rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to beat Providence 75-71 in a First Four game.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400946443

 

Michigan get last shot but fall short to Elite 8-bound Oregon

Tyler Dorsey's teammates call him "Mr. March."

Yeah, that fits.

Dorsey scored 20 points and made the go-ahead layup with 1:08 left, and third-seeded Oregon held on to end No. 7 Michigan's dramatic postseason run with a 69-68 victory in a Midwest Regional semifinal on Thursday night.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400947325

 

Kansas routs Purdue to reach Elite Eight

It took about 10 minutes for Kansas guards Frank Mason III and Devonte Graham to slow down, gain their composure and get everything under control in their Midwest Regional semifinal.

When that happened, everything promptly sped up for Purdue.

The pace of the game turning in their favor, the high-flying Jayhawks proceeded to wear down the bigger, stronger Boilermakers on Thursday night. And by the time Mason and Graham finished pouring in 26 points apiece, No. 1 seed Kansas had coasted to a 98-66 victory and a spot in the Elite Eight.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400947321

 

Cal removes interim tag from Wyking Jones

Wyking Jones has been promoted to head coach at Cal and agreed to a five-year deal, sources told ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Jones joined the Golden Bears staff in April 2015. He previously served as an assistant coach at Louisville, New Mexico, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount.

"Wyking is a hard worker and recruiter, and he is more than ready to be a head coach," Rick Pitino said about his former assistant with the Cardinals. "All three from my [2013] championship team were awesome -- Kevin Keatts [NC State], Wyking Jones and Kareem Richardson [UMKC]."

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...yking-jones-named-cal-golden-bears-head-coach

 

Oklahoma State assistant Mike Boynton Jr. replaces Brad Underwood as next head coach

Oklahoma State assistant Mike Boynton Jr. has been promoted and will replace Brad Underwood as the Cowboys head coach.

The school made an official announcement on Friday afternoon.

Boynton came to Stillwater with Underwood a year ago, after spending three seasons with him at Stephen F. Austin. Oklahoma State went to the NCAA tourney this past season and the Lumberjacks went to the tourney all three years that Boynton was an assistant.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...a-state-hires-mike-boynton-jr-next-head-coach

 

Oregon romps Kansas, punch 1st Final Four ticket in nearly 80 years

Oregon lost one of its best players to an injury just before the NCAA Tournament, had to survive two nail-biters to reach the Midwest Regional finals, and then faced a top-seeded Kansas team that had romped to the brink of the Final Four.

Of course, the Ducks would rise to the occasion.

With swagger and verve and downright prolific shooting, the plucky team that everybody wanted to count out rolled to a 74-60 victory over the Jayhawks on Saturday night, earning the Ducks their first trip to the national semifinals in nearly 80 years.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400948650

 

Elijah Brown transferring from New Mexico to Oregon



New Mexico graduate transfer Elijah Brown, arguably the nation's best available transfer, announced he has committed to Oregon.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...wn-transferring-new-mexico-lobos-oregon-ducks

 

Oregon State's Cheikh N'diaye, Tres Tinkle given extra year of eligibility

Oregon State center Cheikh N'diaye and forward Tres Tinkle have been granted medical hardships by the Pac-12 Conference.

N'diaye played the first nine games before a left shoulder injury sidelined him the rest of the season. He averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds.

Tinkle, the son of coach Wayne Tinkle, broke his right wrist in the sixth game of the season. He was averaging 20.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

N'diaye will be a redshirt senior and Tinkle will be a redshirt sophomore next season.

Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...inkle-cheikh-ndiaye-granted-medical-hardships