Commentary on Pac-12 developments on and off the court docket …
Rising: Washington State basketball
The Cougars have misplaced a slew of key gamers to the NBA Draft or switch portal this spring, with a shell of a roster left of their wake.
However excellent news lastly appeared on the scene within the Palouse — two items, the truth is.
First, ahead Mouhamed Gueye on Tuesday reversed course and returned to WSU after spending one month within the portal. The 6-foot-11 sophomore is a bit uncooked however probably the most bodily gifted younger large males within the convention.
Given customary year-over-year improvement, he must be an influence participant subsequent season on each ends.
Additionally on Tuesday, the Cougars bolstered their backcourt with the addition of Tennessee switch Justin Powell, a rotation-level participant whose profession started two seasons in the past at Auburn, the place he shot 44 p.c from 3-point vary earlier than a season-ending damage.
(As a result of the transfer to WSU is his second switch, Powell’s eligibility in 2022-23 just isn't assured. He should apply for a waiver from the NCAA.)
In our view, Gueye’s return solidifies the Cougars as a mid-level finisher within the convention race subsequent season, together with the likes of Colorado and Stanford however behind the 4 favorites: UCLA, USC, Oregon and Arizona.
Whereas the frontline appears strong, WSU seemingly lacks the backcourt talent and depth to push for a top-tier spot — not less than proper now.
Coach Kyle Smith probably isn’t completed tinkering together with his perimeter unit after dropping high scorers Michael Flowers, Tyrell Roberts and Noah Williams.
Impartial: Oregon State’s administration
The Beavers have a brand new president, and the Pac-12 has a brand new board member.
The college’s Board of Trustees this week named Jayathi Murthy as the brand new boss on campus following a year-long search.
Murthy appears properly certified on the tutorial aspect, however the Hotline, as all the time, is way extra desirous about how the rent may influence Pac-12 soccer.
In spite of everything, the Beavers aren’t bringing 40,000 folks onto campus six instances every fall to look at an engineering lecture.
It’s too quickly to attract conclusions on Murthy’s curiosity in, and willingness to commit sources to, soccer. However our preliminary response is decidedly combined based mostly on her profession trajectory.
Murthy spent the earlier six years because the dean of engineering at UCLA, the place she labored for an administration that has confirmed itself deeply detached to main school soccer.
(Had been the Hotline to rank the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors based mostly on soccer indifference, UCLA’s Gene Block could be the simple choose for No. 1.)
Alternatively, Murthy spent a decade within the Huge Ten (Purdue) and a number of other years within the Huge 12 (Texas) — an encouraging signal for OSU followers.
The Pac-12 has skilled important turnover on the presidential stage for the reason that mid-2010s and, with that, an uptick within the ivory tower dedication to soccer.
In truth, Washington State president Kirk Schulz addressed the dynamic with the Hotline a number of years in the past.
“As new folks come into the league which have been elsewhere,” Schulz stated, “they are saying this (soccer) is one thing we should be speaking about.”
Over the approaching months, we’ll study simply how deeply Murthy cares about soccer discuss.
Falling: USC’s administration
There’s nothing inconclusive a couple of front-office improvement with the Trojans.
Athletic director Mike Bohn is dropping his chief of workers, Brandon Sosna, who reportedly accepted a high-level place with the Detroit Lions this week.
Sosna performed an important position particularly within the Lincoln Riley rent however typically in overhauling USC’s athletic division.
After years of administrative incompetence that appeared to succeed in new lows frequently, the Trojans have been a smooth-running operation with Bohn in cost and Sosna dealing with day-to-day issues.
The turnaround unfolded at a great time for the Pac-12, which wants the Trojans to steer in a lot the identical approach, for instance, that the Huge Ten wants Ohio State to repeatedly assist clear a path ahead competitively, administratively and strategically.
Because the Pac-12 enters a pivotal stretch, with the media rights negotiations upcoming and a lot change unfolding throughout the NCAA panorama, the Trojans are properly positioned so as to add worth to the collective, not drag it down.
Credit score for that begins with Bohn, then strikes on to Sosna, who ran the teaching search that landed Riley.
The Pac-12 can't afford for USC to lose its momentum.
Rising: Washington basketball
The Huskies snared one of many high transfers available on the market this week with a dedication from Keion Brooks.
A former five-star recruit who spent two seasons at Kentucky, Brooks would possibly emerge as Terrell Brown Jr. 2.0.
(Or would that make him Terrell Brown Jr. Jr.?)
When you’ll recall, Brown saved Washington’s season — and maybe coach Mike Hopkins’ job — when he produced 22 factors per sport in 2021-22 after arriving from Arizona.
Brooks may have an analogous influence, elevating an in any other case flawed roster to a good stage and prolonging the Hopkins period.
The 6-foot-7 ahead was a double-digit scorer for Kentucky and led the Wildcats with 27 factors of their midseason blowout of eventual nationwide champion Kansas.
Mix Brooks’ arrival with these of middle Franck Kepnang (from Oregon) and wing Noah Williams (from WSU), and the Huskies have rebuilt their entrance line via the portal.
If the backcourt play is merely common — and that’s hardly assured given the present roster — Washington ought to maintain its floor in the course of the convention.
Escaping that purgatory will likely be a next-level problem, nonetheless.
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