This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As the second half of the Pac-12 men's basketball schedule begins Wednesday, the standings reflect the potential for a crazy week in Las Vegas next month. Utah's status as the No. 10 seed, if the tournament started today, is a perfect illustration. The Utes are 3-6 in conference play, with two overtime defeats and four other competitive losses. The five-way tie for fourth place (5-4) among Colorado, Arizona State, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington is another example of the league's balance. Arizona (8-1) holds a two-game lead over UCLA and California and the Wildcats will be awfully tough to catch. But the competition will be heated for a top-four seed and a bye into the quarterfinals, and there's every possibility that a bottom-tier team will make a run to the semifinals, as Utah did last March.