Pac-12 Men’s Basketball 2021 Season Preview

Story posted November 8, 2021 in CommRadio, Sports by Ethan Ellis

The 2021-2022 NCAA men’s basketball season kicks off this Tuesday with a plethora of games.

One of the big questions of the season will be about the No. 2 UCLA Bruins and how they and the rest of the Pac-12 will fare. Currently the Pac-12 has two teams ranked in the AP’s preseason poll, those being No. 2 UCLA and No. 13 Oregon.

Of course, everyone knows the Cinderella-like run that UCLA had last year after barely making the tournament and turning a first four spot into a final four spot. The Bruins will see their top scorer per game, Johnny Juzang, who averaged 16 points per game, return for the season as well as Jaime Jaquez Jr.

UCLA will have a mix of both underclassmen and upperclassmen on their roster which is sure to have its growing pains but should ultimately provide stability for them in the coming years. This team did not lose a ton of players due to the transfer portal or graduation, so they will have that going for them.

The second ranked team will instantly have a huge test of their team as their second game is at home against No. 4 Villanova. A win in this game could definitely give them the confidence they need to be successful in this first part of the season. The Bruins kick off their season on Tuesday as they host CSU Bakersfield.

Another bright spot in the Pac-12 is the No. 13 ranked Oregon Ducks. The Ducks will look to improve on their last postseason run which saw them advance all the way to the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by Pac-12 rival USC. The two top scorers per game on this roster from last season, Eugene Omoruyi and Chris Duarte, who were both drafted.

The Ducks will need some players on the roster step up and fill the scoring gap left by those who were drafted if they want to improve on last season. Look for senior Will Richardson to take an increased role in the team this year as he was one of the top players for the Ducks last season who did not leave. Oregon’s season will start on Tuesday as they host Texas Southern.

If there’s one team that could be a sleeper pick in the Pac-12, it’s USC. The Trojans made it to the elite 8 in last season’s tournament and will certainly have the momentum going into this season even though they are not currently ranked.

The Pac-12 will kick off their basketball season on Tuesday when all teams will play. The game to watch that week will undoubtedly be No. 4 Villanova at No. 2 UCLA. This game could very well set the tone for the Pac-12 for the season.
 

Ethan Ellis is a first-year studying Broadcast Journalism. To contact him, email him at ece5133@psu.edu.