Pac-12 Power Ratings: Stanford slides back into top spot; Arizona ascends to No. 3

It required two hard-fought wins, but Stanford is back atop the Hotline’s women’s basketball Power Ratings after a two-week absence.

The third-ranked Cardinal swept the L.A. schools by a combined eight points, which was enough to reclaim our top spot ahead of Utah, which split its trip to Arizona.

That’s far from the only change in the Hotline ratings entering the final week of the regular season, with teams playing on Thursday and Saturday to accommodate the Pac-12 Tournament starting next Wednesday.

Ten of the 12 teams are in a new position, most notably Arizona, which is up two places to third.

ESPN is projecting seven teams to make the NCAA Tournament.

To the power ratings …

(NET rankings through Monday)

1. Stanford (26-3, 14-2 Pac-12)

Last week: 2

Results: beat USC 50-47 and UCLA 71-66

Next up: at Colorado (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 5

Comment: “Every game is a shot to win the championship,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer preached last week, and the same is true this week, except the opportunities come on the road against No. 21 Colorado and No. 8 Utah. The Cardinal won by 12 (over Utah) and 13 (Colorado) in January, but clinching a 26th Pac-12 title might require surviving closer games.

2. Utah (23-3, 13-3)

Last week: 1

Results: lost to Arizona 82-72, beat Arizona State 74-69

Next up: vs. Cal (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 8

Comment: The Utes obviously need star forward Alissa Pili against Stanford on Saturday, which could necessitate holding her out Thursday to give her sprained ankle more time to heal. And Cal, which is coming off an upset over USC, cannot be taken for granted. “Hopefully she can play, but it is one of those hope-for-the-best, prepare-for-the-worst deals,” Utah coach Lynne Roberts said (per the Deseret News).

3. Arizona (21-6, 11-5)

Last week: 5

Results: beat Utah 82-72 and Colorado 61-42

Next up: at Oregon (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 22

Comment: With five wins in their last six games — the loss was to Stanford — and a legitimate chance for two more wins this week, the Wildcats are in position for a bye in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament and, potentially, to host an NCAA Tournament sub-regional with at least one win in Las Vegas.

4. UCLA (21-7, 10-6)

Last week: 4

Results: beat Cal 67-54, lost to Stanford 71-66

Next up: vs. Washington State (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 24

Comment: The Bruins were on the verge of upsetting Stanford, leading by a point with 2:13 remaining before a 7-1 Cardinal closing run. They are currently projected as an NCAA sub-regional host (and No. 4 seed) by ESPN but need help this week to move into the top four of the standings and avoid playing on the first day of the tournament.

5. Colorado (21-6, 12-4)

Last week: 3

Results: beat ASU 70-62, lost to Arizona 61-42

Next up: vs. Stanford (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 21

Comment: The Buffs shot just 28.3% overall and went 1 of 12 from 3-point range against Arizona while scoring a season-low 42 points. They take a two-place drop in the Hotline Power Ratings but remain No. 21 in the AP poll. Jaylyn Sherrod scored a combined 10 points last week after a career-high 27 on Feb. 10.

6. Washington State (18-9, 8-8)

Last week: 7

Results: beat Oregon 64-57 and OSU 67-57

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Next up: at UCLA (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 42

Comment: The win over Oregon, with its lofty NET ranking, was important for the Cougars, who are still projected as a No. 10 NCAA seed by ESPN while the Ducks dropped onto the bubble. WSU is 5-3 since Charlisse Leger-Walker’s second return from New Zealand and, at minimum, is competitive in every game with her in the lineup.

7. USC (19-8, 9-7)

Last week: 6

Results: lost to Stanford 50-47 and Cal 81-78 (OT)

Next up: vs. Washington (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 28

Comment: It was a one-week stay in the AP poll for the Trojans, who again had Stanford on the ropes on Friday, then failed to earn a needed split against Cal (even with Rayah Marshall back). USC went 2-0 against the Washington schools in January, but both games were close and one (against UW) went into overtime.

8. Washington (15-11, 7-9)

Last week: 9

Results: beat OSU 64-59 and Oregon 68-60

Next up: at USC (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 71

Comment: The Huskies surprisingly popped up in ESPN’s Bracketology — as one of eight teams on the outside looking in — after sweeping the Oregon schools to draw within sight of .500 in conference play. Coach Tina Langley deserves votes for Pac-12 Coach of the Year, although Utah’s Roberts seems a likely winner.

9. Oregon (14-13, 5-11)

Last week: 8

Results: lost to WSU 64-57 and Washington 68-60

Next up: vs. Arizona (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 25

Comment: Would wins over the Arizona schools and in the Pac-12 Tournament be enough to vault the Ducks back into NCAA Tournament contention? Given the injury suffered by Grace VanSlooten against Washington State, it seems unlikely that Oregon can make that happen to even warrant consideration.

10. Cal (13-14, 4-12)

Last week: 11

Results: lost to UCLA 67-54, beat USC 81-78 (OT)

Next up: at Utah (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 78

Comment: Last season’s Pac-12 scoring leader, Jayda Curry, has been on a tear of late and is averaging 19.5 points over her last four games, including a season-high 27 against USC. If that continues, the Bears have enough around her to pull a surprise this week against one of the Mountain schools.

11. Oregon State (11-16, 3-13)

Last week: 10

Results: lost to Washington 64-59 and WSU 67-57

Next up: vs. ASU (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 54

Comment: Raegan Beers continues to solidify her Pac-12 Freshman of the Year credentials. But nothing else is going right for the Beavers, who are now on their longest losing streak (eight games) since 2012-13.

12. Arizona State (7-18, 0-16)

Last week: 12

Results: lost to Colorado 70-62 and Utah 74-69

Next up: at Oregon State (Thursday)

NET ranking: No. 113

Comment: ASU is arguably playing better going into this week than either Oregon school and, even on the road, could pick up its first conference win. Xavier is the only other team in the Power Six leagues without a conference victory. TCU is close to winless, with a 1-13 mark in the Big 12.