Each Pac-12 Team's Path to the Final Four

The Pac-12 has three teams in the NCAA Tournament. Here's how each can reach the Final Four.

Author:
Donnie Druin
Publish date:
Mar 17, 2022 11:20 AM EDT

The time for March Madness is finally here.

The near 70-team field to ultimately determine a winner for college basketball is among the greatest tournaments in sports, as a flurry of upsets and chaos makes for must-see television on an annual basis.

Story lines are aplenty as the NCAA Tournament gets underway. Can Duke send Coach K out with a proper send off by cutting the nets? Will Gonzaga's veteran team prove to be too crucial in crunch time down the stretch? Do SEC schools such as Kentucky, Arkansas and Auburn have what it takes to piece together a magical run and continue dancing past expectations?

In due time, all questions will be answered.

Each team undergoes heavy examination prior to the first round of play, and the three tournament teams from the Pac-12 are no different.

The No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats are heavily favored to make their first Final Four since the 2001 NCAA Tournament thanks to a deep roster and ability to not only score but also dominate at any spot on the floor.

UCLA also has potential to make serious noise thanks to a handful of NBA-ready players, although the Bruins were perhaps seeded too low at No. 4. Fellow Los Angeles program USC isn't as highly regarded as the other two Pac-12 schools but the Trojans have displayed the ability to hang with anybody when all cylinders are firing.

Here's the path each Pac-12 team must take in order to reach the Final Four:

How Each Pac-12 Team Can Reach the Final Four

Arizona Wildcats (No. 1 Seed, South Region)

First Round: No. 16 Wright State (98% chance of advancing)

Second Round: Likely No. 8 Seton Hall (82% chance of advancing)

Sweet Sixteen: Likely No. 5 Houston (57% chance of advancing)

Elite Eight: Likely No. 2 Villanova (80% chance of advancing)

Analysis: The Wildcats are one of the best teams in the country, and their strength over nearly every team in the bracket proves that. Arizona should be able to handle nearly every team in their region, although Houston is a popular pick when talking about potential upsets. Should Arizona get past their Sweet Sixteen matchup, the Wildcats are heavy favorites against anybody to represent the South in the Final Four.

UCLA Bruins (No. 4 Seed, East Region)

First Round: No. 13 Akron (91% chance to advance)

Second Round: Likely No. 5 Saint Mary's (59% chance to advance)

Sweet Sixteen: Likely No. 1 Baylor (38% chance to advance)

Elite Eight: Likely No. 2 Kentucky (42% chance to advance)

Analysis: UCLA is unquestionably a talented team, but realistically how far will they be able to go? Things get murky with their second round matchup against either Saint Mary's or popular upset pick Indiana in that spot. From there, the odds are stacked against the Bruins against top seeds Baylor and Kentucky. We know UCLA is talented enough to play and beat anybody, it's all about which Bruins team arrives off the bus that night.

USC Trojans (No. 7 Seed, Midwest Region)

First Round: No. 10 Miami (68% chance to advance)

Second Round: Likely No. 2 Auburn (40% chance to advance)

Sweet Sixteen: Likely No. 3 Wisconsin (53% chance to advance)

Elite Eight: Likely No. 1 Kansas (34% chance to advance)

Analysis: The prospects of USC even escaping out of the first round are shaky, as Miami provides a popular upset take over the Trojans. Things don't get any easier with a likely meeting with Auburn in the second round of play. Oddly enough, should USC advance past the second round, they would be favored in matchups against either likely opponent Wisconsin or LSU. The Trojans could potentially put on quite the run for the rest of the country to see during the tournament, although their magic is favored to run out sooner rather than later.