The Best of the West offers fans a candid assessment of the top teams in the western third of the country — a collection that includes the Mountain West and the former Pac-12 schools now scattered across the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and West Coast Conference. The rankings will be published on the Hotline weekly throughout the regular season.
Results through Monday
1. UCLA (27-1, 17-0 Big Ten)
Last week: 1 Results: beat Washington 82-67 and Wisconsin 76-60 NET ranking: No. 2 Up next: at USC (Sunday) Comment: Second-ranked UCLA clinched its first outright conference title in the NCAA era while stretching its winning streak to 21 games. (The Bruins were co-champions of the Pac-10 back in 1999.) Five of six seniors scored in double figures in both games, including Lauren Betts with 23 against Washington.
2. USC (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten)
Last week: 2 Results: beat Wisconsin 66-59, lost at Ohio State 88-83 NET ranking: No. 21 Up next: at Penn State (Wednesday) Comment: USC’s six-game winning streak ended with a narrow loss to No. 13 Ohio State. But most importantly, freshman star Jazzy Davidson did not suffer a serious injury against Wisconsin — she left in the fourth quarter due to cramping — and returned to score 32 points in 40 minutes in the loss. The Trojans get a second chance against UCLA on Sunday after losing the first matchup 80-46 on Jan. 3.
3. Colorado (20-8, 11-5 Big 12)
Last week: 5 Results: won at Arizona 78-70, beat Texas Tech 75-68 NET ranking: No. 43 Up next: vs. Utah (Tuesday) Comment: Colorado keeps rolling: five consecutive wins; eight victories in the past nine games; and a fifth consecutive 20-win season. Beating No. 20 Texas Tech was especially important in boosting the Buffaloes’ resume for March Madness (and seeding for the Big 12 tournament). They are the first team outside the Top 25 in the latest AP poll.
4. Oregon (19-10, 7-9 Big Ten)
Last week: 4 Results: beat Nebraska 80-76, lost at Indiana 72-65 NET ranking: No. 24 Up next: at Purdue (Wednesday) Comment: Oregon rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to win at home against Nebraska but couldn’t fully overcome a 15-point early deficit in Bloomington. Ehis Etute had a career-high 27 points and 17 rebounds in the loss to Indiana. The Ducks are 1-3 in their last four games and have a rematch with Washington on Sunday.
5. Washington (19-9, 9-8 Big Ten)
Last week: 3 Results: lost at UCLA 82-67 and to Nebraska 66-65 NET ranking: No. 29 Up next: at Oregon (Sunday) Comment: Washington missed three shots in the final seven seconds of a gut-wrenching defeat to the Cornhuskers for a 0-2 week and the third loss in its past four games. The Huskies have a week to prepare for Oregon. (They won the first meeting 51-43 on Feb. 15.) Both teams are projected by ESPN in the No. 7-8 seed range for the NCAA Tournament.
6. Arizona State (22-7, 9-7 Big 12)
Last week: 6 Results: lost at Iowa State 90-64, beat Houston 81-56 NET ranking: No. 52 Up next: vs. BYU (Wednesday) Comment: Iowa State put away Arizona State with a 19-2 blitz in the third quarter, but the Sun Devils responded with a 49-point first half to beat Houston for their third win in the last four games. They have 22 victories for the first time since 2018-19 after just 21 combined wins in the previous two seasons.
7. San Diego State (22-4, 16-1 Mountain West)
Last week: 10 Results: beat UNLV 80-62 and Fresno State 68-59 NET ranking: No. 69 Up next: at Boise State (Wednesday) Comment: San Diego State clinched at least a share of the Mountain West title with its fifth consecutive victory and 18th in the last 19 games. The Aztecs are three games ahead of Boise State and UNLV with three to play. They convincingly beat the Rebels for a season sweep with all five starters scoring in double figures.
8. Gonzaga (21-8, 13-3 WCC)
Last week: 9 Results: beat Washington State 75-50, won at Pacific 85-70 NET ranking: No. 62 Up next: vs. Saint Mary’s (Thursday) Comment: Gonzaga is tied for the WCC lead with LMU entering the final week of the regular season. (They split the season series.) On paper, the Zags have the easier finish, but the Lions have only lost once since Jan. 8. Gonzaga freshman Lauren Whittaker has 15 double-doubles.
9. Utah (17-11, 8-8 Big 12)
Last week: 7 Results: lost to BYU 86-74 NET ranking: No. 57 Up next: at Colorado (Tuesday) Comment: Utah couldn’t overcome a 15-point deficit after the third quarter, losing to rival BYU for a second time and suffering its fourth loss in the last five games. The Utes are out of the NCAA Tournament in the latest ESPN bracketology with time running out to escape the bubble.
10. Cal (17-12, 8-8 ACC)
Last week: 8 Results: won at Florida State 75-62, lost at Miami 69-60 NET ranking: No. 55 Up next: vs. Clemson (Thursday) Comment: Cal split a trip to Florida during a crucial stretch when sweeps are needed to make the NCAA Tournament. Against Miami, the Bears trailed by eight points going into the fourth quarter and could not get closer than five. Home games against Clemson and SMU are must-win situations ahead of the ACC Tournament.
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Last week: 11 Results: lost to Cincinnati 76-67, won at Utah 86-74 NET ranking: No. 60 Up next: at Arizona State (Wednesday) Comment: BYU completed a season sweep over rival Utah for the first time since 2011, led by Delaney Gibb’s career-high 37 points (18 in the fourth quarter). That took some of the sting away from a home loss to Cincinnati. Olivia Hamlin is the Big 12 co-Freshman of the Week.
12. Montana State (20-6, 13-2 Big Sky)
Last week: 12 Results: beat Weber State 81-36 and Idaho State 67-61 NET ranking: No. 64 Up next: at Portland State (Thursday) Comment: Montana State remains a game behind Idaho in the Big Sky but with significantly better metrics than the Vandals. The Bobcats avenged a 19-point loss to Idaho State behind freshman Jamison Philip’s 21 points.
13. Stanford (17-12, 6-10 ACC)
Last week: 13 Results: lost at Miami 66-51, won at Florida State 77-61 NET ranking: No. 46 Up next: vs. SMU (Thursday) Comment: Nunu Agara and Courtney Ogden combined for 43 points as Stanford broke a four-game losing streak against Florida State. Agara also had 14 rebounds for her sixth double-double. The Cardinal are 13th in the 18-team ACC and still on the NCAA Tournament bubble because of their NET ranking.
14. LMU (19-8, 13-3 WCC)
Last week: 14 Results: won at Seattle 78-54, beat San Diego 74-61 NET ranking: No. 115 Up next: at San Francisco (Thursday) Comment: LMU’s conference record already matches the 2018-19 team for the best in school history. The WCC co-leading Lions close the regular season on the road against USF — they lost the first meeting in overtime — and Oregon State.
15. Idaho (23-5, 14-1 Big Sky)
Last week: 15 Results: beat Portland State 86-66 and Sacramento State 75-60 NET ranking: No. 106 Up next: at Northern Arizona (Thursday) Comment: Idaho’s winning streak is up to 12 games, the program’s longest since winning 13 in a row in 1984-85. Two of the Vandals’ three remaining games are at home, giving them a reasonable chance of holding onto their Big Sky lead. Their only regular-season title to date was in 2018-19.
Also considered: UC Irvine, Boise State, Colorado State
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