Greg Hansen's guide to the 2014-15 college basketball season

Top three seasons by an Arizona point guard

1. Damon Stoudamire, 1994-95.

He averaged 22.8 points, which is more than any Sean Elliott season, dished out the third-most assists in school history (220) and shot 82.6 percent from the foul line. Stoudamire’s 112 three-pointers was then second in school history and is now No. 3. His 45-point night at Stanford remains No. 2 in Arizona records.

Top three seasons by an Arizona point guard

2. Steve Kerr, 1987-88.

College basketball doesn’t have a statistic for “intangibles,” which put Kerr’s dream season, 35-3, and a run to the 1988 Final Four, over the top. He averaged 12.6 points, shot 82.4 percent from the foul line. His NCAA-record 57.3-percent mark from three-point range (114 for 199) has since been eclipsed, but one record that is likely to stand for the long haul: In 18 Pac-10 games, he committed just 17 turnovers.

Top three seasons by an Arizona point guard

3. Jason Terry, 1998-99.

The Pac-10’s 1999 Player of the Year, Terry averaged 21.9 points and had 80 steals, a total topped by only one point guard, Mike Bibby, in UA history. Terry was Mr. Clutch in the final minutes, including a game-winning shot against Stanford.

Two things you don't know about Pac-12 basketball, 2014-15

1. Relatively obscure Stanford senior guard Chasson Randle is about to become the 15th player in league history to score 2,000 points. This is no misprint. Randle has scored 1,651 through three seasons. If he avoids injury and a major slump, he is apt to pass league headliners such as Eddie House (2,044); Harold Miner (2,048) and even Reggie Miller (2,095).

Two things you don't know about Pac-12 basketball, 2014-15

2. Washington State coach Ernie Kent is returning to the league, Act II, at 59. Those who came back didn’t fare anywhere near as well as their original run.

Stanford’s Mike Montgomery won 70.2 percent of his games on The Farm. When he returned from a brief NBA stint, 59 years old, coaching at Cal, he won 64.0 percent of his games.

USC’s George Raveling had a productive career at Washington State, winning 55.1 percent of his games in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He then coached at Iowa and returned to coach at USC, at age 51. He won 49.4 percent of his USC games.

Kent won just 46.6 percent of his league games in 13 seasons at Oregon. If he gets anywhere near 50 percent at WSU, he’ll be a miracle worker.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

1. Arizona. Every seat is filled, every game.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

2. Colorado. The Buffs’ old-style fieldhouse setting and superior fight song gets the blood pumping.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

3. Utah. Except for UCLA, no Pac-12 school has a longer tradition of basketball excellence and home cookin’.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

4. Washington. When it was called Hec Ed Pavilion, playing the Huskies was second only in dread to McKale Center.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

5. Oregon. The Ducks lost their charm (and some intimidation) when they vacated Mac Court, but the new Matthew Knight Arena, while promising, is still in its break-in years.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

6. Cal. Front-running fans don’t always show when the Bears are playing a bad team, but the Straw Hat Band and old-time acoustics keep Haas Pavilion hopping.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

7. Stanford. During the glory years of Todd Lichti, Adam Keefe and the Collins/Lopez twins, Maples Pavilion and its Sixth Man Club was the most intimidating 7,000-seat arena in the league.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

8. Oregon State. Younger fans would find it hard to believe Gill Coliseum was the league’s House of Horrors from 1980-90. It’s just waiting for a spark to re-ignite.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

9. Washington State. Friel Court is Gill Coliseum-lite, but on the occasions the Cougars have been good, it has been a daunting road pit.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

10. Arizona State. Did you realize the Sun Devils haven’t sold out a home game against anyone other than Arizona and UCLA dating to the 1980 NCAA tournament regionals?

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

11. UCLA. Unless it’s a game of ranked teams, Pauley Pavilion is too often about empty seats, late-arriving fans and apathy.

My ranking of typical Pac-12 game-day environments

12. USC. At least the new Galen Center is clean and safe, unlike the dreadful old Sports Arena.

America's 5 leading returning point guards, 2014-15

1. Fred VanVleet, Wichita State. Seems like he’s been a Shocker forever. With a 5-1 assist/turnover ratio, he’s the heartbeat of a team that has won 65 games the last two seasons.

America's 5 leading returning point guards, 2014-15

2. Josh Gasser, Wisconsin. He can play both guard spots, a 6-4, fifth-year senior who is Glue with a capital G for the Badgers.

America's 5 leading returning point guards, 2014-15

3. Shannon Scott, Ohio State. Another G guy, but his G stands for “Glove,” perhaps the top defensive point guard in the country.

America's 5 leading returning point guards, 2014-15

4. T.J. McConnell, Arizona. He’s a double-G point guard: Glue and Glove.

America's 5 leading returning point guards, 2014-15

5. Quinn Cook, Duke. Even though he averaged 11.6 for the Dookies last season, Cook may share time with heralded freshman Tyus Jones, who some insist will be The Best Point Guard in College Basketball, period.

Pac-12's four most fan-unfriendly ideas 

1. Auburn at Colorado, Monday, Nov. 17, 11 p.m. (Tucson time), ESPN2.

Pac-12's four most fan-unfriendly ideas 

2. Montana State at UCLA, Friday, Nov. 14, 10 p.m., Pac-12 Networks.

Pac-12's four most fan-unfriendly ideas 

3. Arizona State at Stanford, Saturday, Jan. 24, 10 p.m., ESPNU.

Pac-12's four most fan-unfriendly ideas 

4. Pac-12 Championship Game, Saturday, March 14, 9 p.m, ESPN.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Nov. 14, Mount St. Mary’s: Leading scorer Rashad Whack and two other double-figure scorers graduated from a 16-17 team that ranked 298th in rebounding.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Nov. 16, Cal State Northridge: After 17-18 finish, the Matadors open with road suicide, San Diego State and Arizona in a three-day trip.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Nov. 19, UC Irvine: The Anteaters’ 7-foot 6-inch Mamadou Ndiaye blocked 106 shots for last year’s 23-win club. That’s 26 blocks fewer than ASU’s Jordan Bachynski had.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Dec. 2, Gardner-Webb: It won’t be culture shock for the ‘Webb, which went 18-15 last year including an 85-66 loss at Duke.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Dec. 9, Utah Valley: Last year’s surprise WAC champ, 20-12, could be 7-0 when it arrives in Tucson, thanks to some crafty scheduling.

Update on the UA's six "Little Sisters of the Poor" opponents

Dec. 16, Oakland: No wonder the Golden Grizzlies went 13-20 last year; their nonconference schedule was the most difficult in the country, with roadies to North Carolina, UCLA, Cal, Gonzaga, Michigan State and Indiana.

UA's three most feared Pac-12 matchups

1. Utah’s Delon Wright. At 6-5, Wright plays point guard on many occasions as his 5.3 assist average from last season indicates. He’s a defensive presence — his 80 steals were second in the league — and he grabbed 6.8 rebounds, tops for all Pac-12 guards. He’s also a deadeye shooter, hitting 56.1 percent from the field in an era when 45 percent is good for a guard.

UA's three most feared Pac-12 matchups

2. Joseph Young, Oregon. In the final three games of his season, the 6-2 Young scored 29 against UCLA in the Pac-12 tournament, 19 against BYU in the NCAA tournament and 29 against Wisconsin in an elimination game. Young is apt to lead the league in scoring, given the Ducks’ lack of depth.

UA's three most feared Pac-12 matchups

3. Josh Scott, Colorado. His numbers improved significantly from freshman to sophomore year: points up from 10.2 to 14.1, and rebounds up from 5.7 to 8.4 He’s a legit 6-10 and you don’t want to foul him. He made 81 percent of his free throws.

Four sleeper teams to avoid in March 

1. Wichita State. Sleeper? Well, after a 35-1 season and the loss of three top players, who expects the Shockers to go deep into March again? But point guard Fred VanVleet, shooting guard Ron Baker and potential first-round draftee Tekele Cotton will grow early in games against Utah, Memphis and Alabama.

Four sleeper teams to avoid in March 

2. Iowa State. Texas is the trendy pick to end Kansas’ long reign atop the Big 12, but the Cyclones won 28 games last year, have three starters plus UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones and formidable sophomore big man Georges Niang back.

Four sleeper teams to avoid in March 

3. Dayton. Archie Miller, brother of UA’s Sean Miller, put his name on the map with a run to the Elite Eight, defeating Syracuse, Ohio State and Stanford. The Flyers have top players Jordan Sibert and Dyshawn Pierre back, and could battle favored VCU for the Atlantic 10 crown.

Four sleeper teams to avoid in March 

4. Villanova. Seven of Jay Wright‘s eight leading scorers from a 29-win team return. Center Daniel Ochefu is as feared as any big man on the East Coast.

Why you won't be seeing much of ASU (if you have DirecTV)

The Sun Devils have all but invited their few basketball fans to stay away from Wells Fargo Arena by cobbling together the following nine-game home nonconference schedule:

Chicago State; Bethune-Cookman; Loyola Marymount; Colgate; UNLV; Pepperdine; Lehigh; Detroit; Harvard.

Really?

Once the league schedule begins, the Sun Devils have been relegated to the oft-unavailable Pac-12 Networks for nine games, tied with WSU for most in the league.

ASU has just three games scheduled as part of the ESPN family; Arizona, by comparison, has seven.

If you want a ticket to the UA-ASU game, Feb. 7 at Wells Fargo Arena, you’ll have to wait. ASU won’t put those tickets on sale until Jan. 8. All other games are available Dec. 18.

The Pac-12 All-Name Team

Valentine Izundu, 6-10, Washington State. He played high school ball for the All-Name Team coach, Luke Lucky in Lamar, Texas, before playing two seasons for Houston.

The Pac-12 All-Name Team

Brekkott Chapman, 6-8, Utah. If he’s as good as he was in his Roy, Utah, high school days, lots of kids on playgrounds in Salt Lake City will say, “I get to be Brekkott today.”

The Pac-12 All-Name Team

Gyorgy Golomon, 6-10, UCLA. The Bruins found him in Hungary and few have a scouting report so far, although he led a Florida prep school to the state title.

The Pac-12 All-Name Team

Wanaah Bail, 6-9, UCLA. He’s another of coach Luke Lucky’s boys from Lamar, Texas with the aforementioned Valentine Izundu.

The Pac-12 All-Name Team

Schuyler Rimmer, 6-10, Stanford. A bit player a year ago for the Cardinal, Rimmer is challenging ex-Cal center Bak Bak for the All-Bay Area Name Team big man.

Pac-12's five leading NBA draft prospects

1. Stanley Johnson, small forward, Arizona. Might as well call the freshman Lotto instead of Stan the Man.

Pac-12's five leading NBA draft prospects

2. Norman Powell, guard, UCLA. Most preseason draft lists put Powell in the lottery. Now that the Wear twins, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams are gone, Powell will get the ball.

Pac-12's five leading NBA draft prospects

3. Kevin Looney, power forward, UCLA. If the draft gurus are correct, Looney will be a one-and-done big man of impact for the Bruins.

Pac-12's five leading NBA draft prospects

4. Delon Wright, guard, Utah. He’s Nick Johnson with more size (6-5).

Pac-12's five leading NBA draft prospects

5. Kaleb Tarczewski, center, Arizona. Many of the mock drafts rank as many as eight big men ahead of Zeus, including Illinois’ Nnanna Egwu. I say na-na-na no way.

Six sizzling super shooters

1. Tyler Haws, BYU. The West Coast Conference player of the year averaged 23.2 points per game and can score from almost anywhere inside the mid-court line.

Six sizzling super shooters

2. Michael Frazier II, Florida. He leads all returning players with 118 three-pointers a year ago.

Six sizzling super shooters

3. Yogi Ferrell, Indiana. He made 88 treys a year ago and averaged 17.3 for the Hoosiers.

Six sizzling super shooters

4. Jermaine Marshall, Arizona State. After Washington’s departed C.J. Willcox, Marshall was tops in the Pac-12 in three-point attempts/makes and averaged 15.1.

Six sizzling super shooters

5. Phil Forte III, Oklahoma State. He is already fifth in OSU history in three-pointers made.

Six sizzling super shooters

6. Buddy Hield, Oklahoma. Much of his 16.5 average last year came from three-point distance; he made 90 of them.

How Sean Miller ranks with the greats

After five seasons at Arizona, Miller is 129-48 for a 72.9 percent winning ratio. That’s awfully close to his five-year run at Xavier (120-47), or 71.9 percent. So, no, this isn’t a fluke.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Lute Olson, Arizona, 118-51.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke: 85-65.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Tom Izzo, Michigan State: 120-48.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

John Calipari, Memphis: 115-55.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Roy Williams, North Carolina: 142-33.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Bill Self, Kansas: 142-32.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Billy Donovan, Florida: 102-56.

Here’s how Miller’s five Arizona seasons rank with the first five seasons for some of the games top coaching names:

Jim Boeheim, Syracuse: 122-30.

After five seasons at those schools, Olson, Izzo, Calipari, Williams, Self and Donovan had been to the Final Four.

My Final Four

Kentucky. If the Wildcats don’t make it, there should be an investigation.

My Final Four

Wisconsin. The Badgers are so good that anything short of a visit to Indianapolis will be shocking.

My Final Four

Arizona. How long has it been? Fourteen long years.

My Final Four

Texas. Longhorns have quietly returned to the top.