Pac-12 Tournament 2012: Who Has the Best Chance to Win?

The Pac-12 Tournament kicks off from Staples Center on Wednesday and is set to run through Saturday where one team will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

With the conference's poor performance as a whole this season, no team is safe on Selection Sunday, which means all 12 teams will be vying for their berth in the Dance.

Let's take a look at each team's chances to hoist the trophy on Saturday...

Arizona: 5/1

Arizona is on a hot streak, winning seven of its last nine to end the
season. Look for the Wildcats to carry this momentum into Los Angeles
this week.

Arizona is led by a trio of experienced upperclassmen: senior Kyle
Fogg, junior Solomon Hill, and senior Jesse Perry.

All three of these players have experience playing in the Pac-12
Tournament and will not be fazed by the big lights of the Staples
Center.

With the conference as poor as it's been in recent memory, the odds
for a talented, experienced Arizona team to win the tournament are
solid at 5:1.

Arizona State Sun Devils: 20/1

The Arizona State Sun Devils had a disappointing regular season, finishing just 10-20.
Unfortunately, it won't get any easier for Arizona State in the Pac-12
Tournament.

By virtue of finishing tenth in the conference, the Sun Devils draw
number seven seed, the Stanford Cardinal, in the first round.

No team has ever won the Pac-12 Tournament by winning four games in a
row, but that's exactly what Arizona State will have to do if they
have any hopes of reaching the Big Dance.

Trent Lockett and Kaela King are a formidable backcourt duo, but they
will be extremely hard pressed to lead Arizona State past the quarter
finals.

California Golden Bears: 3/1

The California Golden Bears are one of the favorites to win the tournament and
carry the torch for the conference heading into the Big Dance.

Mike Montgomery's squad is deep and talented, and the long time coach
will have his team ready to go.

The three-headed monster of Allen Crabbe, Harper Kamp, and Jorge
Gutierrez lead the charge for California. All three have experience in
this tournament, which will certainly come into play in the later rounds.

Cal is poised for a deep run, and anything less than an appearance in
Sunday's title game will be considered a major disappointment.

Keep in mind that Cal is 3-0 against the other top teams in the Pac-12, Oregon and Washington. The Bears could very well see both of these teams again in the tournament, and its clear Cal has both the Ducks and Huskies' number.

Colorado Buffaloes: 15/1

The Colorado Buffaloes are making their first appearance in the Pac-12 Tournament
after switching over from the Big 12 Conference.

Colorado will take on fellow conference newcomer, Utah, in Wednesday's
opening round.

As previously mentioned, it is very difficult for any team to win four
games in a row in the Pac-12 Tournament let alone a team that is
making its first appearance.

Look for Colorado to remain competitive, but don't expect anything more
than a semifinal appearance.

Oregon Ducks: 5/1

the Oregon Ducks will enter the tournament riding a four-game winning streak.
The Ducks have also won six of their past seven, including a beat down
 of top seeded Washington, 82-57.

Senior Devoe Joseph is one of the conference's top players and has
the ability to lead his team deep in the tournament.

The Ducks did well enough to earn the all-important first round bye,
so only two wins separate them from the title game.

Over the years, Oregon has fared extremely well in the Pac-12
Tournament, having won it twice.

Despite a 22-8 record, the Ducks will likely still need a tournament
championship to secure a bid to the Big Dance. This scenario will
provide extra motivation for Oregon and will likely carry them into
the semifinals and possibly beyond.

Oregon State Beavers: 18/1

The Beavers finished strong with a home sweep of conference newcomers
Utah and Colorado after dropping five in a row.

Jared Cunningham is one of the Pac-12's best players, but even he won't
be enough to carry Oregon State beyond the quarterfinal round.

The Beavers first round opponent, the Washington State Cougars, swept them in the
regular season, which doesn't bode well for Oregon State heading into
Wednesday.

Craig Robinson's team could sneak by the Cougars, but a potential
quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Washington would pose many
problems.

Oregon State has a high-powered offense (9th in the NCAA in points per
game, 79.6 points) but don't expect the Beavers to get any further
than the quarterfinals.

Stanford: 10/1

the Stanford Cardinal followed up a stellar pre-conference performance with a solid but unspectacular 10-8 showing in Pac-12 play.

The Cardinal has 20 wins on the year, but like most teams in the conference, a Pac-12 tournament title will be necessary to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Diaper dandy Chasson Randle leads the way for Stanford, but this week will be the young guard's first appearance in the postseason.

Stanford won their lone meeting with first-round opponent Arizona State in the regular season, and should the Cardinal get past the Devils, a quarterfinal matchup with rival California looms.

Stanford will certainly have its worked cut out for itself, needing to win four games in four days. This task may prove too tough for the Cardinal, but a run to the semifinals is not out of the question for Johnny Dawkins' squad.

UCLA Bruins: 10/1

The UCLA Bruins' number five seed would have been good enough to earn a first-round bye in the old tournament format, but due to the addition of Utah and Colorado, the Bruins will be forced to play on day one.

UCLA shouldn't have much trouble with crosstown rival USC, as they have handled the Trojans with ease twice this season. A win over USC would set up a quarterfinal matchup with Arizona, a team with whom they split during Pac-12 play.

The Bruins are widely considered a disappointment in 2012 after being picked to win the conference in the preseason media poll.

UCLA will have an opportunity to avenge a so-so regular season with a deep run in the Pac-12 tournament. Ben Howland's squad will have to win four straight if they hope to dance, but this tournament is played in nearby Staples Center, which could give the Bruins a hometown edge.

USC Trojans: 22/1

Kevin O'Neill's squad recorded one of the worst regular seasons in program history, notching just six wins on the year and just one in conference play.

The USC Trojans fell victim to countless injuries over the course of the season, including season-ending injuries to three starters, Aaron Fuller, Dewayne Dedmon, and Jio Fontan.

USC has played uninspired basketball all year and that is unlikely to change now that the Pac-12 tournament is upon us.

However, it is worth noting that Staples Center is a stone's throw away from USC's campus, which could potentially benefit the Trojans.

Nonetheless, the Men of Troy are not equipped for a deep run in this tournament, and anything beyond a quarterfinal appearance would be remarkable.

Utah Utes: 28/1

The Utah Utes are the biggest underdog in this year's Pac-12 Tournament. Utah has dropped 14 of its last 16, including two losses against first-round opponent Colorado.

Utah hasn't been the same since its best player Josh Watkins was dismissed from the team midway through the regular season.

The Utes lack the leadership and experience to thrive in an unfamiliar environment such as the Staples Center. Additionally, they lack the depth to endure a deep run.

The Utes may not lose by 40 to Colorado like they did on December 31st in Boulder, but don't expect Utah to come away with a win in its Pac-12 Tournament debut.

Washington Huskies: 2/1

Washington arguably has the best shot at receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament by virtue of its regular season Pac-12 title.

Still, a win or two in this week's tournament would go a long way in offsetting the Huskies' lackluster out-of-conference schedule, improving their NCAA résumé in the process.

Lorenzo Romar's bunch will take on either Oregon State or Washington State in the quarterfinals. The Huskies have a combined 4-0 record against these two teams in the regular season.

Potential Pac-12 Player of the Year Tony Wroten leads a deep and talented Washington team into Los Angeles, and he has the Huskies poised for a championship run.

Washington proved during the regular season that they are the class of the Pac-12, and the Dawgs are the clear favorite to take home the title on Sunday.

Washington State Cougars: 18/1

The Washington State Cougars are young and talented, but they are still at least a year or two away from making noise at the top of the Pac-12.

Australian native Brock Motum is Washington State's best player, and the Cougars will go as far as the 6'10", 230 lbs forward will take them.

Washington State beat its first-round opponent Oregon State twice in the regular season, but didn't fare nearly as well against its potential second round opponent Washington, who swept the Cougars away in conference play.

The Cougars could escape Wednesday's opening round with a win, but anything on top of that would be a stretch for second-year coach Ken Bone and his team.