Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings: Despite early March Madness exits, both L.A. schools have much to look forward to

March Madness is coming to a close and unfortunately, no Pac-12 teams remain.

Arizona was a No. 1 seed and had a lot of hype with plenty of experts picking them to go all the way, but they fell to Houston in the Sweet 16.

UCLA also lost in the Sweet 16 to UNC. UCLA led for most of the game, but freshman guard Caleb Love got hot down the stretch and UNC pulled away.

USC’s tournament ended earlier with a heartbreaking loss in the first round to Miami. The same issues that haunted the Trojans all year — turnovers, poor shooting, stagnant offense, slow start — were big problems in this game.

We have a long wait until we see more Pac-12 basketball. That doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead and get excited for what’s to come.

There are plenty of new names and faces to get familiar with. Let’s start this week with the two schools with the best recruiting classes in the Pac-12: USC and UCLA.

According to 247 Sports, USC’s 2022 recruiting class is ranked sixth nationally and UCLA’s is ranked ninth.

The Trojans have four commits: one five-star, one four-star, and two three-stars. All four are at least 6-foot-5, which is very on-brand for USC.

The highest-rated recruit for USC is 7-foot center Vince Iwuchukwu. Iwuchukwu is a beast on both ends of the floor. If you need proof, here is exhibit A:

In 23 seconds, you see him put multiple people on posters and pin some poor kid’s dunk attempt (ignore the foul call).

Iwuchukwu may remind USC fans of former Trojan Evan Mobley. I don’t think Iwuchukwu is as fluid or smooth as Mobley nor does he seem to have the stellar timing and feel Mobley does on the defensive end. Comparisons to Evan Mobley may be setting the bar too high, but regardless, Iwuchukwu looks like he’ll be a force for Trojans next season.

Next for the Trojans is 6-foot-9 power forward Kijani Wright. Wright is a physically gifted player and uses his strength and size very well.

His shot mechanics aren’t what I’d call perfect, but it’s not too bad and leaves room for improvement. You can be the judge for yourself. Here are some quick highlights from a few years ago.

The other two recruits for the Trojans are 6-foot-6 small forward Tre White and 6-foot-5 shooting guard Oziyah Sellers. White is an athletic slasher but shoots the ball pretty well. He has a nice handle and is a solid passer with room for improvement as a playmaker. Honestly, I like his game a lot, and I think he’s the type of player that will make his teammates better.

This highlight reel shows off his versatility very well:

Sellers is more adept on the offensive side of the floor than he is on defense. He has a smooth, consistent jumper and can get to his spots with very few dribbles. His handles and thin frame may be a bit of an issue at the next level but nothing that can’t be fixed. He reminds me of Elijah Stewart or Kyle Guy types: great shooters with a quick release and good off-the-dribble shooting but not really a playmaker.

Now, let’s move on to the Bruins. UCLA has 6-foot-5 guard Amari Bailey who is the No. 2 recruit in the nation and has all the tools of a high-level basketball player.

Bailey is great off the dribble and is a playmaker that has caused matchup problems all throughout high school because of his size. His jump shot could use improvement, but he is already a creative finisher at the rim.

Bailey is quick, athletic, smart and stronger than you may think. Check out some of his highlights here:

Next up for UCLA is 6-foot-9 center Adem Bona. Bona is still a bit raw but is exceptionally strong and athletic. He can protect the rim and catch lobs but hasn’t shown he can do much else consistently.

Last but not least is 6-foot-3 point guard Dylan Andrews. He has a shifty handle and is a quality shooter and finisher. He doesn’t have incredible bounce or athleticism but is quick enough to overcome any athletic deficiency. Here is a highlight reel of Andrews where he showcases his abilities:

I hate to break it to him, but the defense he is playing against is a far cry from what he will see in the Pac-12.

Both L.A. schools have a lot of incoming talent, and next season is shaping up to be a fun and exciting one for the Pac-12.