5Jan/094:54 PM

Pac-10 Hoops: One weekend in the books

By Vince Marotta

Photo: Ben Margot/AP

The new year is here, and we’re underway with the 18-game marathon that is Pac-10 basketball. There were no real surprises in week one…wait, check that–Oregon State won a game! UCLA didn’t look overpowering, but won both, Cal raised some eyebrows, as did Washington, and a lot of optimism is gone in Tucson.

Here’s a closer look at the Pac-10…

Arizona (9-5 overall, 0-2 conference) - The Bay Area was not kind to the Wildcats. Friday, the ‘Cats got smacked around by Cal, and Sunday, Stanford gave them the business, giving Arizona their first 0-2 Pac-10 start since the 1995-96 season. Jordan Hill was good, Chase Budinger was not. Hill averaged 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds on the trip, while Budinger threw up bricks to the tune of 8 for 27 from the field. In fact, Arizona shot just 3 for 21 (14.3%) from three-point range in the two games. Arizona has a good chance to get healthy against the Oregon schools starting Thursday in Tucson.

Arizona State (12-2 overall, 1-1 conference) - The Sun Devils exorcised their Maples Pavilion demons by routing Stanford 90-60 on Friday night. Jeff Pendergraph dominated the paint, scoring 31 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking 3 shots, while James Harden dished out a career-high 10 assists. But the Devils couldn’t keep up with free-wheeling Cal, dropping an 81-71 decision to the Bears on Sunday. Harden had 26 in the loss. Despite losing in Berkeley, Arizona State didn’t drop too far in either poll, coming in at #20 in the AP rankings, and #17 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

California (13-2 overall, 2-0 conference) - Jerome Randle doesn’t have a shooting range. He’ll fire (and make) from anywhere on the court, and that marksmanship was on display at Haas Pavilion this past weekend. Randle, the junior from Chicago went 6 for 11 from behind the arc in back-to-back wins against the Arizona schools, while Patrick Christopher chipped in by averaging 21.5 points per game. Even Harper Kamp, a local product from Mountain View High School in Mesa, damaged the in-state opposition, averaging 5.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, handing out 5 assists, and posting 2 rejections.

Oregon (6-8 overall, 0-2 conference) - The Ducks had won their final two non-conference games to climb back to .500, but dropped consecutive games to USC and UCLA in Eugene. Defense was a problem for Ernie Kent’s team, as the Bruins and Trojans shot a combined 51% from the field, and both teams posted 83 points. It’s the second straight year that Oregon has dropped their Pac-10 opener, as they lost to ASU in Tempe 62-54 a year ago.

Oregon State (6-6 overall, 1-1 conference) - Holy Cow! The Beavers won a conference game! Gone is a 21-game Pac-10 losing streak, as OSU knocked off a talented but unfocused USC team 62-58. Roeland Schaftenaar scored 18 points and Calvin Haynes came off the bench to add 16 in the Beavs first conference win since late in the 2006-07 season. The win over USC also erased the pain inflicted on them by UCLA two nights earlier, 69-46. Haynes was the only Oregon State player in double figures in the loss to the Bruins, with 16.

Stanford (11-1, 1-1 conference) - The Cardinal had a bit of a schizophrenic weekend, getting blown out by Arizona State by 30 on Friday, and beating Arizona by 16 on Sunday. The ASU loss, the first of the year for Stanford, magnified their lack of true size down low, as Jeff Pendergraph had 31. In the Arizona game, Jordan Hill was tough on the blocks, but Stanford’s perimeter defense was much better, holding the ‘Cats to an 0 for 8 shooting night from behind the arc. Landry Fields was Mr. Everything against ‘Zona, scoring 19 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and adding 3 steals.

UCLA (12-2 overall, 2-0 conference) - They don’t look as dominating as they have the last three seasons, all which ended with trips to the Final Four, but the Bruins of Ben Howland just keep on winning. Darren Collison averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists in the two wins, and the Bruins went hog wild from behind the arc, going 22 of 46 (48% from deep).

USC (10-4 overall, 1-1 conference) - The weekend got off to a nice start for the Trojans, as they pasted Oregon at Mac Court on Friday, 83-62. Dwight Lewis had 26, while DeMar DeRozan had 14 points and 12 boards. On Sunday, USC became the answer to the trivia question “what team lost to Oregon State, allowing them to snap a 21-game conference losing streak?” Taj Gibson had 15 points in the loss to the Beavers.

Washington (10-3 overall, 1-0 conference) - Lorenzo Romar’s Huskies are flying high after winning their 8th straight in easy fashion over arch-rival Washington State, 68-48. Isaiah Thomas (no, not the bad head coach) had 19 points, and Justin Dentmon added 17 for UW. They outrebounded the Cougars 31-18. Sweet revenge for the Apple Cup!

Washington State (8-5 overall, 0-1 conference) - The Cougs trailed Washington by only 2 at the half, but were outscored by 18 in the second half in their first loss to the Huskies since 2004-05. Not much offense to speak of for Wazoo, but Taylor Rochestie had 12 points and Aron Baynes 11 for the Cougars.