Pac-12 women’s basketball power rankings: Utah tops UCLA, USC as Colorado shows its mettle

Let the cannibalization begin.

After a fairly chalk first few weeks of Pac-12 play, chaos broke loose last week, with just a handful of teams in the conference escaping without a loss.

Each of the top-5 teams in the Pac-12 has a loss, and most are to different teams.

On to our latest Pac-12 women's basketball power rankings.

1. UCLA

Last week: 3

What to know: The Bruins got a huge win over Colorado on the road, handing the Buffs their first loss, before falling in overtime to Utah. Despite the loss, the Bruins came away with a road split against a pair of top-16 foes, and look like one of the best teams in the country. Even those teams aren't safe in the Pac-12 gauntlet.

2. Colorado

Last week: 1

What to know: The Buffaloes responded from a tight battle at home to UCLA with a nail-biting win against USC on Sunday and came out of a stretch against then top-8 teams 2-1. For anyone that might still doubt if Colorado has what it takes to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, look no further than the Buffs last three games.

3. Stanford

Last week: 4

What to know: After a loss to Colorado Jan. 14, the Cardinal weren’t going to wait around any longer to get their head coach the all-time NCAA wins record for a basketball coach. After an unbeaten weekend against the Oregon squads, Tara VanDerveer now stands alone as the winningest coach in college hoops history, and Stanford did it without star Cameron Brink, who was injured early against Oregon on Friday.

4. Utah

Last week: 6

What to know: The Utes came away with the huge weekend they needed, sweeping the Los Angeles schools to move over .500 in Pac-12 play. The preseason conference favorites got hot from deep and were able to hand the No. 2 Bruins their second loss of the season.

5. USC

Last week: 2

What to know: The Trojans lost back-to-back games for the first time all season and lost by double-digits for the first time to then No. 20 Utah on Friday on the road. Still, with all three of USC’s losses this year coming against top-25 foes, early losses to good teams won’t knock the Trojans down too far.

6. Oregon State

Last week: 5

What to know: The Beavers came back from down 14 to defeat Cal on the road, and then fell in a tight contest to Stanford at Maples Pavilion. Though Oregon State is still looking for its first ranked win, it hung around with the best of the conference in each of its three losses to UCLA, USC, and Stanford. The Beavers cracked this week's AP poll at No. 25.

7. Washington State

Last week: 7

What to know: The Cougars have righted the ship after a tough start to conference play with three straight wins, including over rival Washington and a recent sweep of the Arizona schools, each by double digits.

8. Cal

Last week: 10

What to know: The Golden Bears let a lead slip away to Oregon State but picked up a crucial win against Oregon in come-from-behind fashion to stay near the center of the Pac-12 standings. There is a huge difference between starting conference play 3-4 versus 2-5.

9. Oregon

Last week: 8

What to know: Though a loss against Stanford was expected, the Ducks hoped to perform better against the Golden Bears after leading through three quarters. Desperate to steal a Pac-12 win on the road, Oregon instead fell to 2-5 in conference play with a looming homestand against No. 3 Colorado and No. 16 Utah.

10. Washington

Last week: 11

What to know: The Huskies had a puzzling weekend. A close win over Arizona appeared to get UW back on track after four straight losses, before a perplexing defeat to previously winless-in-conference ASU on Sunday in a game they trailed throughout. In a conference as frontloaded as the Pac-12, the Huskies desperately need wins against teams they are supposed to beat.

11. Arizona

Last week: 9

What to know: My, how the Wildcats have fallen. As high as No. 5 in these rankings two weeks ago after a big win over Utah, the Wildcats have struggled with health and have lost four straight – all on the road – since that upset win. Arizona will return to the McKale Center this weekend against the Bay Area schools.

12. Arizona State

Last week: 12

What to know: The Sun Devils picked up their first win in Pac-12 play this season against the Huskies, leading throughout most of the contest, but sit at the bottom of the conference standings and are the only Pac-12 program with a losing record.

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Pac-12 women’s basketball power rankings: Utah Utes defeat UCLA, USC