The Pac-10 tips off conference play tonight, and I’ve got a pair of plays available with full analysis. The league looks as deep and competitive as advertised. Nine teams enter conference action having achieved at least nine wins in non-conference play. That’s the most ever for the conference, as previously the most Pac-10 teams to post nine non-conference wins in the same season was six in 2000 and 2007. In 1991 and 2001, it took additional postseason wins for that to occur. Pac-10 teams combined to finish 95-25 (79%) in early season non-conference play, the most regular season non-conference wins ever by the Pac-10.

The league is also filled with young talent, as four freshman are in the top eight in scoring thus far with USC’s O.J. Mayo, Arizona’s Jerryd Bayless, Arizona State’s James Harden and UCLA’s Kevin Love all averaging between 16 and 20 ppg. In fact, nine of the top 12 scorers in the league are either freshman or sophomores. Hopefully for college basketball, the league can retain these players for at least a couple seasons, as last year six of the top 33 picks in the NBA draft were players from Pac-10 teams. Last season, the Pac-10 also tied a conference record with six teams securing an NCAA Tournament berth, with UCLA, USC and Oregon all making the ‘Sweet Sixteen’. Don’t be surprised to see at least six Pac-10 teams receive NCAA Tournament bids again when the conference tournament concludes at the Staples Center in March. UCLA is rightfully the favorite again this season, but just like the highly regarded USC football team this past season, the Bruins will have to battle tooth and nail to come out on top in conference play with plenty of solid teams ready to take their shot. UCLA looks very impressive again in non-conference play, but Washington State (12-0) is still the only unbeaten team entering conference play, and the Cougars have an experienced team with four returning starters from a 26-win club along with the National Coach-of-the-Year in Tony Bennett.

There’s more talent in the conference this season than there has been in decades - every team has a future NBA draft pick - and many of the marquee players form the most impressive collection of big men in the country. Besides Love at UCLA, the Bruins have 6-10 senior Lorenzo Mata-Real, a starter last year and defensive stalwart along with 6-8 Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. Stanford has the 7-foot Lopez twins Brook and Robin, Cal features 6-11 DeVon Hardin and 6-10 Ryan Anderson, who is currently the leagues top scorer at over 22 ppg. USC has 6-9 center Taj Gibson, who could use some big body help inside with all the banging he’s going to get nearly every contest. Washington features 6-9 power forward Jon Brockman, whose 11 rebounds per game leads the conference. The Washington State pair of 6-10, 270-pound junior center Aron Baynes and 6-10 senior forward Robbie Cowgill are not as gifted athletically, but form a powerful pair that help lead the Cougars nation-best scoring defense (49.7 ppg). Oregon senior forward Maarty Leunen is more slightly built on his 6-9 frame, but still pulls down over 10 rpg. Arizona State’s 6-9 sophomore Jeff Pendergraph and 6-10 center Eric Boateng will lead the Sun Devils resurgence up front, while Arizona’s 6-10 sophomore Jordan Hill and Oregon State’s 6-11 junior C.J. Giles, a Kansas transfer, are also very capable big men that join a lengthy list of power up front in the Pac-10. Courtesy of Fairway Jay

CLICK HERE FOR MORE EXPERT PAC-10 CONFERENCE COLLEGE BASKETBALL PICKS