The Best of the West offers fans a candid assessment of the top teams in the western third of the country, encompassing the Mountain West and the former Pac-12 schools scattered across the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and West Coast Conference. Published weekly, these rankings provide insight and analysis as the regular season progresses.
1. UCLA (11-3/2-1 Big Ten)
Last week: 1
Results: lost at Nebraska 66-58
NET ranking: 18
Next up: vs. Michigan (Tuesday)
Comment: The Bruins have excelled at winning ugly, often seen under Mick Cronin's leadership, and they must hone their skills to thrive on the road within the Big Ten.
2. Gonzaga (12-4/3-0 West Coast Conference)
Last week: 2
Results: beat Portland 81-50, won at LMU 96-68
NET ranking: 6
Next up: vs. San Diego (Wednesday)
Comment: Gonzaga's resume is bolstered by the outstanding performances of Washington State and Oregon State, enhancing their strength of schedule.
3. Utah State (14-1/4-0 Mountain West)
Last week: 3
Results: won at Nevada 69-64, beat Fresno State 89-83
NET ranking: 29
Next up: at San Jose State (Tuesday)
Comment: If Utah State keeps up this momentum, they may be heading toward another coaching search come March.
4. San Diego State (9-3/2-1 Mountain West)
Last week: 4
Results: won at Boise State 76-68
NET ranking: 35
Next up: vs. Air Force (Wednesday)
Comment: After overcoming major travel issues, SDSU proved their mettle by securing victories over notable teams.
5. Arizona State (10-3/1-1 Big 12)
Last week: 5
Results: lost at Brigham Young 76-56, beat Colorado 81-61
NET ranking: 52
Next up: at Kansas (Wednesday)
Comment: Remember the impressive sweep of KU from 2018-19? This history might motivate the Sun Devils this week.
6. Oregon (13-2/2-2 Big Ten)
Last week: 6
Results: lost to Illinois 109-77, beat Maryland 83-79
NET ranking: 20
Next up: at Ohio State (Thursday)
Comment: Allowing 109 points at home isn't even close to the worst headline for Oregon this week.
7. Arizona (8-5/2-0 Big 12)
Last week: 9
Results: won at Cincinnati 72-67
NET ranking: 16
Next up: at West Virginia (Tuesday)
Comment: Their NET ranking closely aligns with predictions from the Pomeroy Ratings, assessing both ends of the court and efficiency.
8. Saint Mary’s (13-3/3-0 West Coast Conference)
Last week: 7
Results: beat Pepperdine 71-41, won at Portland 81-58
NET ranking: 49
Next up: vs. LMU (Tuesday)
Comment: Midway through the season, only four opponents have even come close, surpassing the 70-point mark against the Gaels.
9. New Mexico (12-3/4-0 Mountain West)
Last week: 11
Results: won at Fresno State 103-89, beat Nevada 82-81 (OT)
NET ranking: 68
Next up: at Wyoming (Tuesday)
Comment: Remarkably, the Lobos won their 1,000th game at The Pit. What memorable finishes have we witnessed here!
10. Washington State (13-3/3-0 West Coast Conference)
Last week: 10
Results: beat San Francisco 91-82
NET ranking: 65
Next up: vs. Pacific (Thursday)
Comment: It remains early, but the Cougars' new hire seems promising. Time will tell if it was the right call.
11. Brigham Young (10-3/1-1 Big 12)
Last week: 13
Results: beat Arizona State 76-56, lost at Houston 86-55
NET ranking: 47
Next up: vs. Texas Tech (Tuesday)
Comment: A dramatic 51-point swing reflects the challenges teams face when competing on the road within the Big 12.
12. Colorado (9-4/0-2 Big 12)
Last week: 8
Results: lost at Arizona State 81-61
NET ranking: 85
Next up: at UCF (Wednesday)
Comment: The Buffaloes are running out of time to secure their first win after struggling against high-caliber rivals.
13. Boise State (11-4/3-1 Mountain West)
Last week: 12
Results: won at Wyoming 67-58, lost to San Diego State 76-68
NET ranking: 57
Next up: vs. UNLV (Tuesday)
Comment: Surprisingly, the Broncos remained competitive even with off-nights from their key players.
14. UC San Diego (13-2/3-0 Big West)
Last week: 14
Results: beat Cal State Fullerton 90-51
NET ranking: 46
Next up: vs. Cal Poly (Thursday)
Comment: With promising victories, the Tritons need to maintain their momentum for NCAA selection.
15. Grand Canyon (11-4/1-0 WAC)
Last week: Not ranked
Results: beat Southern Utah 82-71
NET ranking: 107
Next up: at Utah Valley (Thursday)
Comment: The Lopes are making waves by improving among the rankings, marking the end of this week's assessment.