Pac-12 Hoops Tournament To Have Different Format/Bracket This Year
With two weeks left in the regular season, the 2021 Pac-12 men's basketball tournament is coming quickly.
That means that 11 teams will be vying for the title of conference champion and the only surefire way to get a ticket to March Madness.
But with Arizona not participating due to self-imposed infractions, that means this years tournament will not only have a different feel, but a different format.
Rather than having four teams securing first round byes, the top five teams in the conference will receive that honor with the other six squads opening up the competition on Wednesday, March 10.
Tip-off times have been changed as well in order to comply with CDC guidelines and Pac-12 conference protocols. There will be a sanitization process in between games, allowing the teams to compete in a manner as safe as possible.
PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (All times MST)
Wednesday, March 10
*Game 1: No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed — 2 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 2: No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed — 5 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 3: No. 6 seed vs. No. 11 seed — 8 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
Thursday, March 11
*Game 4: No. 1 seed vs. Game 1 winner — 12:30 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 5: No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed — 3:30 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 6: No. 2 seed vs. Game 2 winner — 6:30 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 7: No. 3 seed vs. Game 3 winner — 9:30 p.m. / ESPN
Friday, March 12
*Game 8: Semifinal 1 — Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner — 6:30 p.m. / Pac-12 Network
*Game 9: Semifinal 2 — Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner — 9:30 p.m. / ESPN
Saturday, March 13
*Game 10: Pac-12 Championship — Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner — 8:30 p.m. / ESPN
Feb 13, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Utah Utes forward Timmy Allen (1) dribbles during the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Current Pac-12 Conference Standings (As of Monday, Feb. 22)
1.) USC / 18-4, 12-3 Pac-12
2.) UCLA / 16-5, 12-3 Pac-12
3.) Oregon / 14-4, 9-3 Pac-12
4.) Colorado / 17-7, 11-6 Pac-12
5.) Stanford / 14-9, 10-7 Pac-126.) Arizona / 15-8, 9-8 Pac-12 (Ineligible)
7.) Oregon State / 11-11, 7-9 Pac-12
8.) Washington State / 14-10, 7-10 Pac-12)
9.) Utah / 9-10, 6-9 Pac-12
10.) Arizona State / 7-11, 4-8 Pac-12
11.) Washington / 5-17, 4-13 Pac-12
12.) Cal / 8-17, 3-15 Pac-12
The top five seeds are pretty much set in stone with jockeying for those positions still up for grabs. But only five games separate Oregon State and last-place Cal, with Utah smack-dab in the middle.
Utah has three games left to play — vs. UCLA, vs. USC and vs. Oregon State — and could finish anywhere from No. 6 to No. 12 in the conference standings.
Dec 3, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard Alfonso Plummer (25) shoots in the second half against the Washington Huskies at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Utah has their toughest two-game stretch of the season when they host UCLA and USC on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
Tipoff with the Bruins is set for 6 p.m. and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network
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