Former Pac-12 teams enter the unfamiliar

Four conferences have absorbed former Pac-12 teams. Travel schedules will be different. Opponents’ scouts won’t be quite as well-tuned. The vibes in the gym while playing a team they have virtually no history against remains to be seen.

But until all settles out in early March, we already know this: some of the teams that made up the former (and hopefully future) Conference of Champions have fared better in this transition period than others.

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Better off

UCLA and USC

Both UCLA and USC have so far benefited from the events of the last 18 months, in large part because of the transfers they were able to gain from teams in less-ideal circumstances.

The Bruins (13-0, 2-0) were able to lure Charlisse Leger-Walker from Washington State and Timea Gardiner from Oregon State to fill out an already strong roster. While Leger-Walker won’t play until next year, her veteran presence in the backcourt and her scoring ability will benefit the Bruins into next season. Gardiner, meanwhile, was the top-rated recruit ever to commit to Oregon State, so was clear she would be a key contributor. She has been particularly important from beyond the 3-point arc, where she leads the team in made 3-pointers, to keeps things open inside for Lauren Betts to operate.

Meanwhile, the Trojans (12-1, 2-0) landed the biggest transfer of last season with Kiki Iriafen returning home to southern California after earning her Stanford degree in three years. The Trojans also nabbed Oregon State’s Talia von Oelhoffen out of the portal to serve as an experienced guard playing alongside JuJu Watkins.

Cal

The Bears (13-1, 1-0) are having their best season under head coach Charmin Smith and already look poised to finish better than the 14th place that was predicted for them in their first ACC season. Cal has an experienced roster with five graduate seniors, two academic seniors and a bevy of scorers, including senior Ioanna Krimili and freshman Lulu Twidale, who two of the top 3-point shooters in the country. Krimili is ranked 6th in the country in made 3s and Twidale 8th, the only duo in the Top 20. 

A decisive win over rival Stanford — the biggest win over the Cardinal in more than 42 years — got Cal, which ranks No. 30 in the NCAA Net, off to a good start in their new conference. The Bears open at Clemson on Jan. 2.

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Utah

The Utes (11-2, 2-0) absorbed the early-season departure of head coach Lynne Roberts, who became the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks, and quickly found a way to thrive under new head coach Gavin Peterson. Heading into Big 12 play, the Utes will likely find themselves at the top of the standings in a conference that simply is not as strong as the one they came from.

The Utes have been one of the country’s top offensive teams for several years, but are now playing well on the defensive end, forcing 20 turnovers a game and holding opponents to just over 60 points a game. The veteran quartet of Gianna Kneepkens (back from a back injury), Kennady McQueen, Inés Vieira and Jenna Johnson are core to Utah’s ability to compete for a conference title.

The Utes have won six straight and are ranked No. 26 in the NCAA Net rankings, the best ranking of any former Pac-12 team, save for UCLA and USC.

Holding steady

Arizona

The Wildcats (10-5, 1-1) are coming off last seasons’ seventh place finish in the Pac-12, and look like they may occupy that same middle-of-the-pack position in the Big 12. Picked to finish seventh, Arizona opened conference play in dramatic fashion, defeating BYU 57-53, before falling at home to a familiar foe in Utah. Sophomore forward Breya Cunningham has been a standout, finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds in the BYU game.

Colorado

The Buffaloes (10-2, 1-0) absorbed the graduation of Jaylyn Sherrod and the transfer of Aaronette Vonleh (to Baylor) and have built a strong record heading into the the Big 12 season, Colorado’s first since the 2010-11 season. Colorado scheduled for success in the non-conference, their most notable result a 79-71 home loss to Louisville, but a win over 14th-ranked West Virginia to open the Big 12 schedule is a sign of good things to come for J.R. Payne’s program.

Oregon

The Ducks (10-4, 1-2) are very much a remade team this season with seven transfers among their nine newcomers, and it has been a success so far for Kelly Graves’ program, which ranks No. 38 in the NCAA Net and whose non-conference resume includes a win over Baylor as well as Auburn. Oregon is built on balance and depth so far, with six different players leading the team in scoring through the first 13 games. The Oregon bench is averaging 30.8 points a game, the reserves outsourcing opponents 401-199. The Ducks picked up their first Big Ten win on Tuesday against Northwestern.

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Washington

The Huskies (11-4, 2-1) are holding their own to start Big Ten play, with back to back road wins over Northwestern and Illinois. Tina Langley’s team returned four starters from last year’s team, including leading scorers Ellie Ladine and Dalayah Daniels. Ladine put up 40 points against Northwestern on Saturday. On Tuesday against Illinois, Daniels put up season highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds. Washington moved up 10 spots in the NCAA Net to 66 after the win over Northwestern and will bump again after defeating Illinois.

Paying a price

Arizona State

The Sun Devils (6-7, 0-1) were a struggling team in the Pac-12 and at least so far, not much has changed as they move to the Big 12. Head coach Natasha Adair’s team snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday with a non-conference win over Penn heading into their first Big 12 home game Wednesday against Texas Tech. Picked to finish 15th out of 16 teams in their new conference, ASU needs senior Tyi Skinner, who has five 20-point games this season to lead the Sun Devils to some surprise wins.

Oregon State

The Beavers (6-8, 2-1) have been impacted by the transition as much as any team in the former Pac-12, with the loss of eight players following last season’s Elite Eight run. A tough non-conference schedule that included games against Minnesota, Illinois, UConn and Miami has left OSU with a sub-.500 record and a 152 ranking in the NCAA Net.

But the pieces may be coming together for the Beavers. A thrilling overtime win against preseason No. 1 WCC pick Gonzaga, followed by a road win against previously unbeaten Portland on Monday, may be just the sign that Scott Rueck’s team is on a better course heading into the teeth of the WCC schedule. Australian center Kelsey Rees, one of two starters back from last year’s team, is averaging 18.5 points over her last four games.

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Stanford

The Cardinal’s transition to the post-Pac-12 era went seismic when Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement at the end of last season, and Stanford looks like a program still trying to find its footing under Kate Paye. The Cardinal (8-4, 0-1) have yet to win a game away from Maples Pavilion and don’t yet have a signature win. The hot 3-point shooting that defined the early days of the season has cooled and the Cardinal’s lack of size inside has made it easier for opponents to shut down shooters. Stanford is uncharacteristically unranked and a little undefined as it heads into ACC play for the first time. If the Cardinal struggle against ACC foes, it will be time for a previously unthinkable conversation: whether Stanford will miss the NCAA Tournament.

Washington State

With Bella Murekatete graduated and Charlisse Leger-Walker transferred to UCLA, Kamie Ethridge had a big job to keep her program in a winning position heading into their transition season in the WCC. Veterans Tara Wallack and Eleonora Villa are setting the pace for a team with three straight wins, averaging 13.5 points each. The Cougars (8-6, 3-0) have opened their WCC schedule with a 3-0 record, but have some work to do if they want to be NCAA eligible for the fourth time in the last five seasons.