Doug Haller's Pac-12 mens basketball preseason ballot

11. Arizona State. The talent upgrade under second-year coach Bobby Hurley is underway. Transfer guard Shannon Evans will team with junior Tra Holder to give the Sun Devils a solid, yet undersized back court. Wing Sam Cunliffe should be among the conference's top freshmen.

10. Oregon State. One year soon, maybe next year, Oregon State's core of Tres Tinkle, Stephen Thompson Jr., and Drew Eubanks will lift the Beavers to the Pac-12's upper half, but it's hard to see that this year.

9. Washington. Coach Lorenzo Romar's task: Getting freshman Markelle Fultz to play for more than draft positioning – and help get the Huskies back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011.

8. Utah. Slotting a Larry Krystkowiak-coached team this low is just plain dumb. At the same time, the Utes lost key parts in Pac-12 Player of the Year Jakob Poeltl and defensive dynamo Brandon Taylor. At this point, the supporting cast in Salt Lake City is a mystery.

7. Stanford. There's always a transition with new coaches, but keep an eye on the Cardinal. Jerod Haase inherits most of last season's roster, including four starters from a team that won eight Pac-12 games. Wing Dorian Pickens (12.3) is in line for a breakout season.

6. Cal. The Golden Bears might have the Pac-12's top big man in Ivan Rabb, but this isn't anything new. The 6-11 Rabb was one of the conference's top big men last year; he just was underused for most of the season.

5. Colorado. Tad Boyle, who has taken the Buffaloes to the NCAA Tournament four of five years, might be the Pac-12's best all-around coach. Without All-Pac-12 center Josh Scott, this year's team will be experienced as four starters return.

4. USC. Yes, the Trojans lost a lot with Nikola Jovanovic (pro), Julian Jacobs (pro) and Katin Reinhardt (transfer) all leaving before their eligibility expired, but Andy Enfield still has nice pieces.

3. UCLA. After a 10th-place Pac-12 showing (even today, that still doesn't look right on the screen), coach Steve Alford is under fire in Westwood. His response: Pairing a top-five recruiting class with four returning starters, which includes the Pac-12's most underrated player, guard Isaac Hamilton.

2. Arizona. This is a good place for Sean Miller's crew. Let Oregon carry the conference's Final Four burden for a while. Even so, don't discount the Wildcats' postseason hopes. While Miller lost his top scorers, this team may better fit his tough, defensive-minded mindset.