Player of the Week
Cody Williams, Colorado
Currently projected as a top 7 pick, Williams has put up three straight excellent performances with 17 and then back to back 21 point games. He has been red hot from three, knocking down all four of his shots from behind the arch in those games. Williams has been criticized by some scouts for his lack of intensity and aggressiveness, but if he continues to put up these types of performances on a consistent basis, he will continue to rise on draft boards as the season progresses. Williams has raised his scoring to 12.8 ppg on 60% shooting from the floor and 50% shooting from beyond the arch. He is averaging 2.0 assists to 2.0 turnovers, a number he can improve upon. Williams displays one of the more intriguing skill sets among the incoming freshman class, and has begun to showcase the talent he possesses.
Who’s Hot
KJ Simpson (Colorado)
In a 85-68 win against the Iona Gaels, he had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He displayed his ability to get to the line in this game, shooting eight total free throws and making seven. He was the team’s second leading scorer behind Tristan da Silva and leader in assists. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes dropped their second game of the week against rival Colorado State, 88-83. Simpson exploded for 30 points and 4 assists, shooting 9/13 from the field, 3/4 from deep and 9/9 from the line. This has been Simpson’s best season in college and it’s not close. He’s averaging 20 points per game on admirable efficiency.
Myles Rice (Washington State)
The freshman guard has been quietly having a great season for the Cougars this year. He’s averaging 17 points per game on 53.5% shooting from the field and 45.5% from deep. In a win against the Eastern Washington Eagles, Rice had 28 points in 31 minutes. He shot 9/15 from the field and 6/8 from the three-point line. Efficiency is usually a problem with young guards but Rice has put together an impressive first six games.
Washington State Cougars
The Cougars haven’t played the toughest competition yet but they’re 5-1 and should be glad that they’re winning the games they need to. Freshman Myles Rice has been getting buckets, ranking 9th in the entire conference in points per game. They also have Isaac Jones and Andrej Jakimovski who both rank top 25 in the Pac-12 for scoring. Their only loss came to #21 Mississippi State who’s currently undefeated. If you’re a Cougar fan, optimism should be on your mind.
Who’s Not
California Golden Bears
The Golden Bears haven’t had a winning season since 2016 and it looks like they’re nowhere close to one. They’ve dropped the last four games after starting the season 2-1 and with some tougher opponents coming up like Butler and Ole Miss, they might not get another win for a long time. They do deserve some credit because over this four game skid, they’ve kept every game close but with nothing to show for it, everyone should be out on California.
Top 5 Upcoming Pac-12 Games
#2 Arizona v. #1 Purdue, 12/16
Purdue just lost to Northwestern and by the time this comes out, the rankings honestly could be flipped but either way this game is a must watch. Two of the best big men in the country, Oumar Ballo and Zach Edey, will go at it on the big stage but watch out for guys like Caleb Love and Pelle Larsson on Arizona if stuff gets clogged in the paint. The winner of this game will most likely be the #1 team in the country.
UCLA v. #18 Villanova, 12/9
UCLA is nowhere near what they were last year but the respect for this program still runs deep. They played both #3 Marquette and #11 Gonzaga very tough, losing by a combined 6 points in those matchups. Villanova has come out looking good this year, starting 6-2 through their first eight games. They beat Maryland by 17 points and UNC by two. This is definitely a game to mark on the calendar.
#2 Arizona v. #23 Alabama, 12/20
The Wildcats don’t get much of a break after playing Purdue as they go right back into a ranked matchup with the Crimson Tide. After losing a star player in Brandon Miller, veteran Jahvon Quinerly and Noah Clowney, Alabama has had a great start to the season. It’ll be interesting to see how they matchup with Arizona’s wide array of offensive weapons.
#2 Arizona v. #13 Florida Atlantic, 6/23
Arizona might have the hardest schedule in the NCAA. After playing #1 Purdue and #23 Alabama, they have to play #13 Florida Atlantic. The Owls are coming off of a miracle year for the program, making it all the way to the Final Four in last year’s bracket and missing the championship by one point. After returning their players, many see them as a true contender to repeat last year’s success. If the Wildcats find a way to come out of this death week undefeated, they should be the clear #1 team in the country.
Colorado v. #8 Miami, 6/10
Colorado fell out of the rankings as of late but still, they have some of the best players in the NCAA on their team. KJ Simpson is having an insane year in every aspect and Tristan da Silva has always been an efficient piece for this Buffaloes squad. Miami is coming off of a Final Four year where everything seemed to click come tournament time. They’re currently 6-1 and have five guys averaging double-digit points. They are led by Wooga Poplar, a junior guard who scores 18 points a night efficiently.