LAS VEGAS – For most conferences, having the top four seeds eliminated before the final of the league tournament would be a disaster.
For the Pac-12, it’s perceived as almost a badge of honor — validating, at least internally, that conference depth is at an all-time high and that there is nothing alarming about two teams projected as No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds losing in a quarterfinal (Utah) and semifinal (Stanford).
Stanford failed to make the final for the first time in seven years, losing 69-65 to UCLA on Friday, its fourth loss to a different Pac-12 opponent for the first time since 2017-18.
“We didn’t get the nets