College basketball power rankings: How good is the Pac-12?

AMES, IA – DECEMBER 9: George Conditt IV #4 of the Iowa State Cyclones reacts as the Iowa State Cyclones won 73-53 over the Iowa Hawkeyes at Hilton Coliseum on December 9, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. There Iowa State Cyclones won 73-53 over the Iowa Hawkeyes. (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images)

A trio of Pac-12 schools, including a pair of undefeated teams, find themselves inside the Top 10 of this week’s college basketball rankings.

The strength of power conferences has always been a frequent discussion point during the college basketball regular season. While everyone is obsessing about whether the ACC is down or how great the SEC can be, there is little discourse about the state of the Pac-12.

The conference has three elite programs right now, including a pair of unbeaten programs in Arizona and USC, which can join UCLA as legitimate national title contenders. The Pac-12 was outstanding in last year’s NCAA Tournament, sending the Bruins to the Final Four and two other programs into the Elite Eight, but struggles outside the league’s top three have put a damper on the conference’s optimism.

While Oregon and others still have time to make an impression on the selection committee, it is worth celebrating the league’s superpowers, who make up three spots inside my Top 10 power rankings. Read on to see exactly where they fall in the rankings, but first, we’ll start with this week’s honorable mentions.

College basketball rankings: Honorable Mentions

Michigan State, Iowa State, LSU, Ohio State, Houston

There isn’t much to add with the two Big Ten teams since the Spartans had a scheduled week off while the Buckeyes had to cancel their participation in the CBS Sports Classic due to a COVID pause. Houston had a scare against Oklahoma State but found a way to win, showcasing the fact that they are still a quality team.

The two undefeated teams in this area are Iowa State and LSU, which have some good wins on their resumes but not enough to crack the Top 10 just yet. Tests will be coming for both programs given the strength of the Big 12 and SEC respectively.