Fansided

Ranking the power five conference tournaments by level of excitement

By FanSided Staff

Mar 20, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; General view of the NCAA logo at BMO Harris Bradley Center before the 2014 NCAA Tournament second round game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the American University Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; General view of the NCAA logo at BMO Harris Bradley Center before the 2014 NCAA Tournament second round game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the American University Eagles. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 12, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Detail view of the Pac-12 Wilson basketball on top of the Pac-12 logo court decal during the first half between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars in the first round of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Cardinal defeated the Cougars 74-63. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Detail view of the Pac-12 Wilson basketball on top of the Pac-12 logo court decal during the first half between the Stanford Cardinal and the Washington State Cougars in the first round of the Pac-12 Conference Tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Cardinal defeated the Cougars 74-63. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

3. PAC 12

The PAC 12 has been crazy this year to begin with. Arizona has shown up as one of the best teams in the NCAA, while USC has won as many games in conference play as Arizona has lost (3). UCLA is hoping to end the year with a little fire while Utah is eyeing its first chance at an NCAA championship since Andrew Bogut called himself a Ute.

Then when you consider what this tournament has meant in years past for teams in the PAC 12, it should build up the suspense just a bit more. Since the tournament’s reconstruction in 2002, the PAC 12 has not had a champion come out of the conference. But with Arizona playing great team basketball and potentially facing off against conference rival UCLA in the third round, who can really say they aren’t looking forward to a little basketball this weekend?

But the thing that is the best about the PAC 12 is that there isn’t one or two teams that are consistently dominant like in the ACC. While UCLA and Arizona do hold the most PAC 12 tournament championships, seven different teams have come out on top in the history of the PAC 12. So each year you get a taste of something a little different rather than the same teams consistently dominating the conference.

Additionally, the top seed coming into the tournament only wins about 35% of the time. And the 6th seed has even won the tournament twice. This is what people love about college basketball so much. The unpredictability in college basketball is evidenced by the PAC 12 tournament every year, which is what makes it so exciting to see every March.

So as Washington State battles California to open the tournament on Wednesday, college basketball fans everywhere will be tuning in to some of the most exciting basketball in the NCAA played at the MGM Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas.

Next: 2. Big Ten

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