NCAA Basketball: Why the Pac-12 Will Prove It Is an Elite Conference

Right now, the Missouri Valley and the West Coast Conferences have more teams in the top 25 than the Pac-12.

Right now, most people expect the regular-season conference champion to be a No. 9 or No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament.

But once the Dance comes, you'll be seeing a lot of the Pac-12.

California, Arizona and Washington are the the teams from the Pac-12 that people expect to break into March Madness, with Oregon on the bubble. By beating Colorado, Utah, Stanford and Oregon State in their past four games, the Ducks have put themselves squarely on the bubble.

The Pac-12 tourney will be Oregon's opportunity to show what it has, because it has played outstanding basketball. The only team to sweep the Ducks was Cal, which barely escaped Oregon's wrath during a three-point home victory.

Washington had won 10 of 11 games (the loss was to Oregon) before UCLA bested the Huskies in the last game of the regular season. Still, most expect Washington to make the tournament, unless it loses its first game in the conference tournament.

California stands in the same position as the Huskies, as the Bears are a pretty safe bet to make the tournament. With a first-round victory in the conference tournament, the Bears should be a lock for March Madness.

Arizona swept the L.A. schools and currently stands in position to make the tourney, but a loss in the conference tourney or a loss to Arizona State could sink the Cats down to the bubble.

With the Pac-12 unlikely to have a team as a No. 7 seed or lower, you might ask why I'm trying to convince you about the Pac-12 teams coming through in March.

The Golden Bears have a proven coach in Mike Montgomery and a solid core of players in Allen Crabbe, Jorge Gutierrez and Harper Kamp. Cal beat Washington on the road and should face a team with an equal record in an 8-9 or 7-10 game.

Two years ago, the last time California faced this situation, the Bears stomped Rick Pitino and Louisville in the first round. But the Bears faltered in the second round against Duke, the eventual champion.

That Cal team had a solid core of players as well, but this Cal team has the potential to do something special. Cal dominated the Pac-12 this season and beat tournament-worthy teams with superb shooters, passers and rebounders; expect Cal to do damage.

The same goes for Washington, which has won a tournament game for the past three years. Tony Wroten and Terrence Ross both average over 15 points per game, and Lorenzo Romar is a proven coach.

Last year, Washington was very close to beating North Carolina and advancing to the Sweet 16, but the Huskies fell short. This Huskies team has proven what it can do, and Abdul Gaddy, Ross and Wroten are ready to lead the Huskies far.

With Arizona (which made the Elite 8 in 2010-11), Washington and Cal looking poised to make the tournament, and with the Ducks on the bubble, the Pac-12 will have more teams than usual in the tournament. And with the talent it has laid on the table this season, don't be surprised if one (or more) of these teams makes a big run.

Because the Pac-12 is more than people think it is.