View 32 more
Arizona's Nick Johnson, right, tries to drive around Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr. during the first half of a West Regional semifinal in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. Mark J. Terrill, ASSOCIATED PRESS
View 32 more
BYU's Tyler Haws lines up a free-throw as BYU and Washington play Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in the first round of the NIT in the Marriott Center at BYU. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
View 32 more
Utah's Jordan Loveridge head for the hoop around Boise's Anthony Drmic as Utah and Boise State play Wednesday, Dec., 5, 2012, in the Huntsman Center. Utah won 76-55. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
View 32 more
Utah State guard Preston Medlin (13) makes a dunk against Hawaii during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012, in Logan, Utah. Utah State won 77-72. Jim Urquhart, AP
View 32 more
UNLV head coach Dave Rice watches the second half of a second-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament against California in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, March 21, 2013. California won 64-61. Jeff Chiu, AP
View 32 more
New Mexico's Kendall Williams celebrates after defeating UNLV in the Mountain West Conference tournament championship NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 16, 2013, in Las Vegas. New Mexico defeated UNLV. Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
UCLA men's basketball coach Steve Alford speaks during a news conference at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Alford was hired as UCLA basketball coach on Saturday, spurning New Mexico days after he agreed to a new 10-year deal wit Damian Dovarganes, ASSOCIATED PRESS
View 32 more
Gonzaga's Kevin Pangos (4), of Canada, defends against Loyola Marymount during the second half of a West Coast Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Las Vegas. Gonzaga switched to a zone defense during the secon Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
Colorado's Spencer Dinwiddie, left, during practice for a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Austin, Texas. Colorado is scheduled to play Illinois on Friday. Eric Gay, AP
View 32 more
Stanford's Dwight Powell (33) passes away from Utah's Jason Washburn (42) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2013, in Stanford, Calif. Ben Margot, AP
View 32 more
Portland's Kevin Bailey (00) maintains control of the ball against Loyola Marymount's Alex Osborne (15) in the first half of a West Coast Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, in Las Vegas. Julie Jacobson, AP
View 32 more
Nevada's Deonte Burton, left, drives to the basket against UNLV's Kendall Wallace in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, in Las Vegas. Julie Jacobson, AP
View 32 more
Pacific's Trevin Harris (1) grabs a rebound in front of Miami's Tonye Jekiri (23) nduring the first half of a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 22, 2013, in Austin, Texas. David J. Phillip, AP
View 32 more
From left to right, Washington State's Dexter Kernich-Drew, DaVonte Lacy, Will DiIorio, Brock Motum and Royce Woolridge walk on the court in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Washington, Sunday, March 3, 2013, in Seattle. Washingt Ted S. Warren, AP
View 32 more
Washington guard C.J. Wilcox (23) drives as UCLA guard Norman Powell (4) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. Wilcox had a team-high 15 points as UCLA won 59-57. Reed Saxon, AP
View 32 more
San Diego's Christopher Anderson leaps to block an inbound pass during the second half of a West Coast Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game against BYU on Friday, March 8, 2013, in Las Vegas. San Diego defeated BYU 72-69. Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
Santa Clara students cheer during the second half of Santa Clara's NCAA college basketball game against Gonzaga on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, in Santa Clara, Calif. Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating wanted to do everything he could to ensure a full house at th Ben Margot, AP
View 32 more
New Mexico State forward Tyrone Watson (45) drives past Fresno State guard Tyler Johnson (1) during an NCAA college basketball game in the Western Athletic Conference tournament Thursday, March 8, 2012, at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Eric Jamison, AP
View 32 more
Air Force head coach Dave Pilipovich, right, talks to player Max Yon who was called for a technical foul against Colorado State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday,Mar. 3, 2012 at the Air Force Academy, Colo. Colorado State Bryan Oller, AP
View 32 more
Wyoming's Larry Nance Jr. drives past New Mexico's Cameron Bairstow during the second half of a Mountain West Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Las Vegas. New Mexico defeated Wyoming 59-46. Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
Oregon State's Devon Collier, center, looks to pass during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Washington at the Pac-12 conference championship in Los Angeles, Thursday, March 8, 2012. Oregon State won 86-84. Jae C. Hong, AP
View 32 more
Gonzaga's Kevin Pangos, of Canada, center, shoots while covered by Loyola Marymount's Nick Stover, left, and Alex Osborne, right, during the second half of a West Coast Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Las Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
Colorado State's Daniel Bejarano gestures after sinking a 3-point basket during the second half of a Mountain West Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game against UNLV on Friday, March 15, 2013, in Las Vegas. UNLV defeated Colorado State 75-65. Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
UTSA's Jeromie Hill (12) passes the ball with San Jose State's David Andoh (22), Chris Cunningham (15) and Aalim Moor (4) guarding during the first half of a Western Athletic Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, March 12, 2013 in L David Becker, AP
View 32 more
Arizona State's Jahii Carson goes for a lay up during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Creighton at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational tournament on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Las Vegas. Creighton won 87-73. David Becker, ASSOCIATED PRESS
View 32 more
San Francisco head coach Rex Walters instructs his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Saint Mary's (Calif.) at the West Coast Conference tournament on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Las Vegas. Isaac Brekken, AP
View 32 more
Boise State's Anthony Drmic (3) celebrates a basket in the second-half against Utah during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011, in Boise, Idaho. Joe Jaszewski, AP
View 32 more
Oregon's Damyean Dotson (21) drives around Washington's C.J. Wilcox (23) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Seattle. Ted S. Warren, AP
View 32 more
California guard Justin Cobbs, right, is fouled as he drives the lane by Colorado forward Josh Scott in the second half of Colorado's 81-71 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Boulder, Colo., on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. David Zalubowski, AP
View 32 more
San Diego's Mike Davis (2) goes up for a shot against Pepperdine's Austin Mills (31) and Stacy Davis (5) in the first half of a West Coast Conference tournament NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 7, 2013 in Las Vegas. Julie Jacobson, AP
View 32 more
San Diego State forward Winston Shepard sails above the San Diego competition while laying in a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game won by San Diego State 72-56, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012. Lenny Ignelzi, ASSOCIATED PRESS
View 32 more
Saint Mary's guard Stephen Holt (14) steals the ball away from Drexel guard Frantz Massenat (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the DirecTV Classic in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. Alex Gallardo, ASSOCIATED PRESS
View 32 more
USC's J.T. Terrell (20) and Utah's Glen Dean dive for a loose ball in the closing seconds of the game during a Pac-12 tournament NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, in Las Vegas. Utah won 69-66. Julie Jacobson, AP
Brandon Judd
Landon Hemsley
By Brandon Judd, Landon Hemsley

College basketball is on the horizon, and with the top three teams in the state belonging to different conferences, the question was recently asked of members of the DeseretNews.com sports staff:

How would the teams in the Pac-12, Mountain West Conference and West Coast Conference stack up against each other?

With local colleges BYU, Utah and Utah State already beginning practice for the upcoming season, we take our best stab at answering that question.

Special Collector's Issue: "1984: The Year BYU was Second to None"
Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football's 1984 National Championship season.
Buy Now

Here's our best guess at ranking the teams from their three conferences, from 1 to 33, to see what the Cougars, Utes and Aggies will face this season.

Disagree with how the ranking shook out? Let us know your thoughts.

View Comments

Email: bjudd@deseretnews.com, lhemsley@deseretnews.com; Twitter: @brandonljudd, @earlofhemsley

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.