Pac-10 Basketball: Will the West Be Best?

This past season was a great year for college basketball in the Pac-10. Some will dispute that overall the best conference in the country was the Pac-10. There's no question that top to bottom, it was a banner year out west.

So what does the future hold?

In the coming days, we'll run down the prospects for the upcoming Pac-10 basketball season. As great as this past year was, there are going to be plenty of question marks to address before hoops crank up again in the fall.

Let's look at Pac-10 schools in alphabetical order.

Arizona

Though the Wildcats made it to the NCAA Tourney, fans were disappointed by the record of a team that had plenty of talent. What happened? Will things change for the better next season?

Kevin O'Neill took over the reins for the elder statesman of the conference, Lute Olson, last year. Olsen needed time off and O'Neill was thought to be the heir apparent.

It shouldn't have been much more than the media getting used to referring to the Wildcat head man as Coach O'Neill, but it turned out to be much more than that.

Gone was the "run 'em off the floor" style under Coach Olson. Was that an experiment? If so, it sure didn't work out to the satisfaction of Wildcat Nation.

Coach Olson will be back and this time around, Coach O'Neill is the odd man out. O'Neill is no longer welcome along the 'Cat sidelines.

Jerryd Bayless had a phenomenal season, arguably the top freshman in the Pac-10. Well, no surprise here. Bayless is gone, making himself eligible for the NBA draft, where he'll likely be a lottery pick.

Chase Budinger had another great season for Arizona. Will he be back? Not likely. Though he has yet to declare himself available for the NBA draft, odds are that's what will be the case.

Losing both Bayless and Budinger will be significant. They are ideal players for the wide-open style of game Coach Olson loves. However, new recruits will bolster a pretty fine roster.

Wildcat Nation can relax about the departure of Bayless. Incoming freshman Brandon Jennings has the tools to run their offense. Jennings is terrific on defense and is considered one of the top players coming out of high school this year.

If Jennings doesn't pick things up right away, Nic Wise is a tough competitor with loads of talent and is familiar with Pac-10 play. When Wise was out with injury, the 'Cats were in trouble. With Nic on the floor, they were dangerous at either end of the court.

Though there's been plenty of rumors flying around that Jordan Hill might leave for the NBA, it's likely he'll be back for his junior season. Another year of maturing will go a long way to making him into a better player.

Granted, he's a darn good player that really was the heart and soul of the success Arizona did enjoy this past season. Another year of seasoning would improves his chances for a career in the NBA. When Hill got off to a good start, the 'Cats picked up a win.

If incoming freshman Jeff Withey can put some beef on his 6-11 frame, he could free Hill up to play along the baseline freely. Hill is such an athletic player, the 'Cats counted on him to defend the paint last year. Without bulking up from the lean 215 pounds Withey played at in high school, he'll have trouble playing inside next year.

It doesn't take much courage to project Arizona, under Coach Olson, as one of the top three teams battling for another Pac-10 title next year.

Arizona State

This past season was solid for the Arizona State Sun Devils under the leadership of Coach Herb Sendek. There's no question that ASU was the most improved team in the conference last year. That said, Sun Devil fans have plenty of reason to believe there will be even more improvement next year.

Unfortunately for the rest of the Pac-10, James Harden will be back for his sophomore season. Harden is the complete player. On top of that, he is an outstanding leader on the floor. He is a solid All Pac-10 selection.

It doesn't stop with Harden for ASU. They have one of the best frontline players in senior Jeff Pendergraph. He's a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the court.

Toward the end of the season, Eric Boateng began to come on strong. Boateng has the potential to be a special player given the combination of his physical size and athletic talent.

Coach Sendek will have plenty of firepower in the backcourt to compliment the skills of Harden. Both Jerren Shipp and Ty Abbott can light it up.

Last year, Arizona State got off to an outstanding start and then faded toward the end of the season, missing out on a trip to the Big Dance. They accepted an invitation to the NIT where the were sent packing in the semifinal round by Florida.

It's not likely that ASU will be missing the NCAA Tourney next year. They have a tremendous upside given the experience gained by the five freshman who will return with a year of valuable PT under their belts.

Coach Sendek loves a deliberate style of play, something that has been working into the Pac-10 by ASU, UCLA and WSU. His Sun Devils will certainly be one of the top four teams in the conference. If things go their way, a Pac-10 isn't out of the question and wouldn't surprise anyone.

In Part 2, Cal and Oregon will in our cross-hairs.