Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Ducks Picked as Pac-12 Preseason Favorite
10/21/16 | Men's Basketball
SAN FRANCISCO – For the first time in the 28-year history of the conference preseason poll, Oregon has been chosen the favorite to win the 2016-17 Pac-12 men's basketball title in a vote of 27 media members who cover the league.
The Ducks, who return four starters from last year's Pac-12 regular-season and tournament championship team, received 23 first-place votes and 320 points to sit atop the preseason poll. Arizona collected the remaining four first-place votes and 298 points as the predicted runner-up.
"They've picked us wrong for the last six years, so I don't know how much stock I'd put into (the No. 1 ranking), but hopefully they've got it right this year," mused Oregon coach Dana Altman.
UCLA, which also returns four starters and adds three Top 100 freshmen including McDonald's All-Americans Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf, was picked to finish third.
California, anchored by All-American candidate Ivan Rabb, was chosen fourth.
Colorado, one of four Pac-12 teams set to return four starters, was narrowly edged by Cal and picked fifth. Washington and national freshman of the year candidate
Markelle Fultz rounded out the top half of the preseason poll.
USC, Utah, Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona State and Washington State completed the predicted order of finish.
Media have correctly picked the Conference winner 14 times in 24 tries, while the winner has been accurately chosen in 16 of the 27 all-time preseason votes.
Coming off a historic 2015-16 season in which a league record seven teams earned NCAA Tournament bids and nine teams finished in the RPI Top 100, the Pac-12 enters the 2016-17 season with three teams (No. 5 Oregon, No. 11 Arizona, No. 20 UCLA) in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Top 25, as well as a total of eight teams receiving votes in the poll.
2016-17 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
TEAM (first-place votes) POINTS
1. Oregon (23) 320 points
2. Arizona (4) 298
3. UCLA 259
4. California 209
5. Colorado 199
6. Washington 167
7. USC 163
8. Utah 142
9. Oregon State 122
10. Stanford 119
11. Arizona State 78
12. Washington State 30
- www.pac-12.com -
The Ducks, who return four starters from last year's Pac-12 regular-season and tournament championship team, received 23 first-place votes and 320 points to sit atop the preseason poll. Arizona collected the remaining four first-place votes and 298 points as the predicted runner-up.
"They've picked us wrong for the last six years, so I don't know how much stock I'd put into (the No. 1 ranking), but hopefully they've got it right this year," mused Oregon coach Dana Altman.
UCLA, which also returns four starters and adds three Top 100 freshmen including McDonald's All-Americans Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf, was picked to finish third.
California, anchored by All-American candidate Ivan Rabb, was chosen fourth.
Colorado, one of four Pac-12 teams set to return four starters, was narrowly edged by Cal and picked fifth. Washington and national freshman of the year candidate
Markelle Fultz rounded out the top half of the preseason poll.
USC, Utah, Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona State and Washington State completed the predicted order of finish.
Media have correctly picked the Conference winner 14 times in 24 tries, while the winner has been accurately chosen in 16 of the 27 all-time preseason votes.
Coming off a historic 2015-16 season in which a league record seven teams earned NCAA Tournament bids and nine teams finished in the RPI Top 100, the Pac-12 enters the 2016-17 season with three teams (No. 5 Oregon, No. 11 Arizona, No. 20 UCLA) in the USA Today Coaches Preseason Top 25, as well as a total of eight teams receiving votes in the poll.
2016-17 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
TEAM (first-place votes) POINTS
1. Oregon (23) 320 points
2. Arizona (4) 298
3. UCLA 259
4. California 209
5. Colorado 199
6. Washington 167
7. USC 163
8. Utah 142
9. Oregon State 122
10. Stanford 119
11. Arizona State 78
12. Washington State 30
- www.pac-12.com -
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