An Epochal Shift in the Making – Sky Bulletin
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — As the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament approaches, Tara VanDerveer, having surpassed Mike Krzyzewski’s all-time wins record earlier this season, is committed to concentrating on the present rather than dwelling on the impending conclusion of an era.
For the Hall of Fame Stanford coach, and many others associated with the conference, the thought of a significant reorganization after the end of the season is almost unbearable.
“I just can’t even wrap my head around that,” VanDerveer remarked, her team reaching No. 2 in the AP Top 25 rankings recently.
As the esteemed Conference of Champions hosts its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments this month, a poignant farewell to its storied history is underway, with VanDerveer as a leading figure and advocate for the conference.
The Pac-12 boasts a storied legacy, including UCLA’s 10 national championships within 12 years during the John Wooden era with icons like Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, as well as USC’s Cheryl Miller winning the Naismith Player of the Year thrice, catapulting women’s basketball into the national limelight.
While recent conference history may lack such luster, it still includes memorable moments like the Stanford women’s narrow victory over Arizona in the all-Pac-12 national title game just last year, and the UCLA men’s dramatic journey to the Final Four where they fell to Gonzaga on a buzzer-beater.
This year, with high-ranked teams on both the men’s and women’s sides, hopes are high for another noteworthy conclusion.
With its conference tournament slated for March 13-16, No. 5 Arizona leads the men’s bracket, while the women’s tournament showcases six ranked teams, indicating rigorous competition ahead. “This conference is one of the most competitive in the country,” asserts Stanford graduate Hannah Jump, highlighting the toughness of upcoming games.
Upon the conclusion of these tournaments, the landscape will shift dramatically with 10 schools exiting the Pac-12; four each joining the Big Ten and Big 12, while Stanford and California join the Atlantic Coast Conference. Oregon State and Washington State will stay put, albeit aligning with the West Coast Conference for basketball purposes.
“I’m really sad that our conference won’t exist because I think it’s the best conference in college athletics,” laments California women’s coach Charmin Smith, taking solace in the continued rivalry with Stanford in the ACC.
With the imminent change, reflections on the end of this era are emerging first among the women’s teams, and soon to follow for the men’s as they approach the Pac-12 swansong.
Arizona men’s coach Tommy Lloyd and Washington State’s coach Kyle Smith, whose team is unexpectedly ranked and will remain in the Pac-12, share a businesslike focus on upcoming competitions, with the inevitable reality waiting in the wings.
There’s a bittersweetness surrounding the transitions, and a strange thrill in future cross-conference battles like Oregon taking on Ohio State within the same league.
UCLA women’s coach Cori Close recalls a pivotal meeting in 2012 when the coaches united to uplift the conference’s basketball profile. Close, proud of the transformation since then, is contemplative about the impending changes.
As the tournaments kick off, both men’s and women’s teams have one final opportunity to honor their conference’s legacy.
After these events, it’s a new chapter for all.
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With contributions from AP Sports Writers Tim Booth, John Marshall, and Janie McCauley.
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FAQ Section
Q: Why is the Pac-12 Conference experiencing major changes?
A: The conference is undergoing a reorganization with 10 schools leaving to join other conferences such as the Big Ten, Big 12, and the Atlantic Coast Conference, effectively changing the dynamics and membership of the Pac-12.
Q: Which teams will remain a part of the Pac-12?
A: Oregon State and Washington State are the two teams that will continue to compete under the Pac-12 banner, although they will align with the West Coast Conference for basketball.
Q: What makes the current tournaments particularly significant?
A: These tournaments represent the last major conference events before the scheduled changes take place, marking the end of an era for the Pac-12.
Q: How have Pac-12 coaches reacted to the upcoming changes?
A: Reactions have been mixed, with many expressing sadness over the disbanding of the conference as they know it, while others focus on the excitement and challenges of new opportunities.
Conclusion
The Pac-12 Conference basketball tournaments this year carry more weight than merely crowning a champion; they symbolize the closing of a significant chapter in collegiate sports history. As storied institutions prepare to vie for one last title under the banner of the Conference of Champions, feelings of nostalgia are palpable. However, there remains a shared understanding of the necessity to move forward and embrace the new horizons that await beyond the final buzzer of this season’s tournaments.
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