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Dane Miller’s Week 15 Best-in-West Hoops Power Rankings

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  By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports


The battle to make the NCAA Tournament is in full swing.

Several teams from the Mountain West, Big Ten, and WCC are directly on the Bubble.

At this point, only four programs from the West can realistically be considered locks.

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The rest are one bad loss away from being out of the projected field or out of contention entirely.

Here’s how I view the Top 10 College Basketball Teams in the West with four weeks to go until Selection Sunday.

Arizona football logo

1. Arizona (23-2, 10-2)

It may sound like a broken record, but the only thing that matters is what happens in March.

Nobody is going to remember a two-game losing streak in February if the Wildcats make the Final Four.

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Even so, the current form of this Arizona team generates concern. The Cats can’t make threes, aren’t rebounding as well, and have multiple players in slumps.

Gonzaga logo

2. Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1)

Gonzaga took care of business against Santa Clara.

The road win over the Broncos re-emphasized that the Zags run the WCC. But under the microscope, the Bulldogs are questionable.

The nonconference resume appears strong, and the metrics are there. Yet, GU was blown out by the only elite team they have played.

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BYU Cougars logo

3. BYU (19-6, 7-5)

The season-ending injury to Richie Saunders changes BYU’s season outlook.

Fortunately, there’s a month remaining before the NCAA Tournament begins. That should give Kevin Young some time to adjust his rotations and allow other players to step up.

The Cougars still have the talent to make a run, even if the ceiling is now more like a Sweet 16 appearance.

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4. Utah State (22-3, 12-2)

Margins of victory matter. Perceptions matter. Who cares how Penny Hardaway and the Memphis players feel?

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Run it up, that’s what you’re supposed to do. Crushing the Tigers sent a message to the NCAA Selection Committee.

There’s no way this Utah State is anywhere near an 8-seed or 9-seed. If anything, a 5-seed might be about right.

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5. Saint Mary’s (23-4, 12-2)

It was a relatively quiet week for Saint Mary’s in the WCC.

The Gaels beat Pepperdine and Pacific, advancing to 12-2 in the Conference and 23-4 overall. Remaining on the right side of the Bubble, the old adage rings true: “No news is good news.”

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With two road games this week, Saint Mary’s can’t afford any missteps.

UCLA Bruins logo

6. UCLA (17-8, 9-5)

Mick Cronin’s team is dangerously close to missing the NCAA Tournament. Joe Lunardi’s latest projection has UCLA as one of the Last Four In.

The 30-point loss to Michigan shows just how far off this Bruins team is. Facing

Michigan State and Illinois this week, it’s possible that UCLA falls out of the projected field.

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usc logo

7. USC (18-7, 7-7)

The Trojans lost by seven to Ohio State on the road. The defeat doesn’t end USC’s at-large hopes, but it increases the pressure.

This Wednesday’s game against Illinois is a massive opportunity. If the Trojans can beat the Illini at the Galen Center, a bid to the Big Dance becomes more likely.

A blowout loss, on the other hand, could knock SC out of the projected field.

San Diego State Aztecs logo

8. San Diego State (18-6, 12-2)

Directly on the Bubble, San Diego State stayed in contention with a double-digit win over Nevada.

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But, frankly, the victory has already been forgotten and the focus has shifted to GCU on Tuesday. A loss at home to the Lopes would damage SDSU’s at-large chances.

A convincing win, however, might be enough to boost the Aztecs into the projected field.

new mexico espn

9. New Mexico (19-6, 10-4)

Beating GCU on their home floor was noteworthy. The victory keeps New Mexico in contention for an at-large bid.

But there’s still plenty of work left to do. The MWC is not getting any respect this year and deservedly so.

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To make the NCAA Tournament, the Lobos might need to either win the conference tournament or make it to the championship game.

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10. Santa Clara (22-6, 13-2)

The home loss to Gonzaga was a missed opportunity.

The WCC rarely gets more than one at-large bid, and the Selection Committee is looking for reasons to pack the field with major conference teams.

Even so, Santa Clara is No. 39 in KenPom and No. 42 in the NET. That puts the Broncos right in the mix of at-large contention, although probably on the wrong side of the Bubble.

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“Only Guardiola ranks higher” – Jamie Carragher tells Manchester United to appoint ex-Arsenal coach to replace Carrick and revive club

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has urged Manchester United to appoint Unai Emery as the next manager at the club. He believes that the Aston Villa coach is the ideal candidate to replace Michael Carrick in the summer.

Writing in his The Telegraph column, Carragher hailed Emery as an underrated manager, adding that he might not even make the list at Manchester United. He added that the Spaniard not making the list at Old Trafford is good news for Aston Villa and said:

“Unai Emery should be heading to Old Trafford this weekend as the frontrunner to become the next Manchester United manager. I suspect he does not rank high among the candidates. That is good news for Aston Villa, but it must be frustrating for one of the best, and still most underrated, coaches in Europe.”

Ranking Emery as the second-best manager in the league, Carragher said the former Arsenal coach can win trophies and comes with a clear vision for the club and his squad.

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“For Emery not to be under serious consideration says plenty about modern football. By any metric, he would be the perfect coach to revive United. For me, only Pep Guardiola ranks higher of those currently managing in England. Here is a manager who wins trophies, has a clear football vision, a track record of revitalising clubs in need of a mini-revolution to break into the Champions League, and who demands respect while leading with authority.”

Carragher went on to add that Emery now has enough Premier League experience under his belt and wrote:

“Add the fact he is now proven in the Premier League, and such coaches are in short supply. Emery is not part of the conversation but he should be. The puzzling question is why? Sadly for Emery, and happily for Villa, the Spaniard is painted as an overachiever at clubs trying to challenge the elite, and an underachiever at those who consider themselves already part of it.”

Unai Emery has a contract with Aston Villa until 2029, having signed an extension in 2024.

Michael Carrick has a short-term deal at Manchester United

Michael Carrick was appointed at Manchester United in January, soon after the sacking of Ruben Amorim. The Englishman has done well at the club, winning six and losing one in the Premier League.

However, club legend Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville are against the idea of Carrick getting the job permanently this summer. They want a more experienced manager to take over at Old Trafford.

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Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Julian Nagelsmann have been linked with the Manchester United job.