The Pac-12 Tournament will look a little different this year.
The tournament will start a day earlier — Wednesday, March 3 — and include an open day on Saturday.
Arizona coach Adia Barnes said the change should benefit all Pac-12 teams.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to give us a day of rest before the finals — I think most conferences do this,” Barnes said. “For other teams it’s a great way to make up games that may enable them to make the NCAAs. As a conference, we want as many teams as possible to make the tournament.”
Four Pac-12 teams have seemingly secured a spot in the NCAAs — No. 6 Stanford, No. 8 UCLA, 10th-ranked Arizona and 13th-ranked Oregon. The latest bracketology projection from ESPN’s Charlie Creme also has Washington State in as a No. 9 seed, even though the Cougars have dropped their last four games. USC is one of Creme’s first four out.
That’s a possibility of six teams in the tournament — seven if you count Oregon State.
The Beavers have played only 13 games, but they’ll finish the regular season with games against UCLA and Oregon. Oregon State’s NET ranking is currently 41.
ASU is a longshot at this point, as their NET ranking dropped to 83 after Friday night’s 80-41 loss at Stanford.
That’s why make-up games are so important. For bubble teams, a few more contests — and wins — could get them in the tournament. Those teams that are assured a spot can improve their seedings.
However, Arizona — which has missed five games due to COVID-19 issues — will not be one of them.
Barnes asked Washington to stay an extra day in Tucson after playing last weekend, but was turned down. She tried to get Colorado to fill Friday’s open date, but it was a no-go.
At this point, it doesn’t benefit Arizona — which appears locked into a No. 2 or No. 3 seed — to risk injury or worse.
“There are health and safety concerns, but we are still playing basketball and I am confident with the Pac-12’s protocols,” Barnes said. “We just have to be smart and stay in our bubble. It’s like a practice for the NCAAs, which will be even more strict.
“The more time you spend there (in Las Vegas) means you are winning. We can play more basketball leading up to the NCAAs and that’s good. As a conference I am happy we are still play the tournament and anyone can win it.”
The good and the bad
The Wildcats found a way to win Friday at Cal.
Aari McDonald carried the load finishing, with 28 points the Wildcats’ 59-50 victory over the still-winless Golden Bears.
Trinity Baptiste chipped in 11, and was the other Wildcat in double figures. Arizona led 53-50 with under two minutes left in the game when McDonald missed a jumper. As the ball bounced off the rim headed out of bounds, Baptiste leapt to meet it. She grabbed the ball and passed it back to McDonald in one smooth motion. McDonald made good on a layup to extend the lead to five points.
The Wildcats’ defense shined in the fourth quarter, holding the Golden Bears to 2 of 11 shooting. Cal hit just one field goal in the last 9:42 of the game.
Despite all of this, Barnes said she was “not satisfied” by the performance.
“It’s not about winning to me. If we want to do something special, it’s about the way we play and the way we perform,” Barnes said. “I think the disappointing thing about today is it’s not about the X’s and O’s, because we had a game plan. We did not execute the game plan, which is uncharacteristic for us.
“They usually do a really good job of doing what we set out to do, but the things that concern me are the 50-50 balls, the passion plays, the getting out-hustled for rebounds, the boxing out. It does not take athleticism to box out. It does not take tremendous amount of skill, it takes effort, focus and mentality. We didn’t have that mentality. We were very soft, and that’s not who we are.”
Barnes said her team will need to make the adjustments in time for Monday night’s matchup against No. 6 Stanford.
“We control how we play and our effort and that wasn’t there today,” Barnes said. “I’m not satisfied with that. But those are all controllable things that we will change — we will not do that on Monday.”
Limited fans in San Antonio
The NCAA will allow a limited number of spectators — 17% of arena capacity — from the Sweet Sixteen through the Final Four.
In the first few rounds, teams will be limited to six guests. Each team can travel with 34 people to the tournament.
Arizona has traveled with 28 people this season.
To those in Texas ...
The winter storm that attacked hit close to home for Wildcats Cate Reese and McDonald.
Reese, the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week, hails from Houston. She said her family is safe.
McDonald also has two sisters in Houston, along with nieces and nephews. They faced living without power for days.
Barnes was especially shaken after hearing about what her players’ families, friends and others are continuing to face.
“My thoughts go out to Cate’s and Aari’s families and all the families who are struggling in Texas right now,” Barnes said. “It’s unfathomable that this could happen in our country. The stories I am hearing from friends and reading in the news are devastating … I just can’t imagine not having heat or clean drinking water for days and days.
“As a mother of two young children, it breaks my heart to hear how people are suffering.”
