How do we assess the overall year for the Pac-12, given the way it finished?

Miller: You have to consider injuries when you look at UCLA’s finish, somewhat similar to Arizona, though I think Arizona’s First-Round loss to Princeton was, frankly, terrible.

Omar Ballo had a broken hand, and Kerr Kriisa was dealing with a shoulder issue, but a 2-seed should never lose to a 15-seed and it’s just a really disappointing end to the season for Arizona.

For UCLA, when Jaylen Clark went down with his injury I think that the ceiling of the Bruins lowered.

And then when you had the injury to Adem Bona as well, it was just hard to overcome against a team like Gonzaga that runs that type of pace, has depth, and really just wore them down in the second half.

Overall, UCLA’s Sweet 16 is about what I expected, considering the injuries, but Arizona’s loss was borderline unacceptable.

Outside of those two teams, should we demand more of a team like USC and not just a whimpering out in the Round of 64?

Miller: The expectations for the middle of the Pac-12 certainly need to be higher than what they were this season.

You look at USC, and Boogie Ellis just sort of disappeared in that First Round game against Michigan State. He went 3-for-12 with six points and that’s just not going to get it done.

I think the roster composition that USC had was probably a Second-Round quality, but matchups are what they are and Michigan State was a good three-point shooting team and didn’t turn the ball over.

Arizona State I think probably exceeded expectations a little bit. You’ve got to credit the Sun Devils and what Bobby Hurley did this season.

I think at the beginning of the year they were expected to be somewhere in the middle of the Pac-12.

A lot of people didn’t expect them to make the NCAA Tournament, but they got there and destroyed Nevada and brought TCU down to the last minute or so.

Is NIL something that West Coast and Pac-12 teams need to be doing? Is it something that everyone is doing?

Miller: I think everybody needs to be doing it. But I think you still have to look at your roster composition.

You can get great players with NIL, but if they don’t jell together and you don’t have the system and coach behind it to make it all work, they’re not going to get the wins that you need.

I’m a big proponent of the NIL and the transfer portal and I think that these guys should get as much money as they can for playing college basketball.

Listen to the full interview:

Dane Miller on Pac-12 Radio with Sean O’Connell & Ryan Leaf