Even with all the tools available to college hoops junkies these days satellite TV, 500-channel cable systems, 24-hour sports highlights networks the Pac-10 Conference still catches most fans sleeping.
After all, most of its games are played well past the nation's bedtimes.
But now that the West Coast's powers are winning big in yet another NCAA tournament, the country is waking up to the best league it's never seen.
"We're forcing people to finally pay attention to us," Stanford's Casey Jacobsen said. "We always talk about how we don't get the respect we deserve out here, and that's a real motivation."
Arizona's energetic flair, Stanford's sophisticated precision, UCLA's matchless tradition and Southern California's upstart charisma were on display last weekend as all four schools advanced into the round of 16 with a slew of mostly easy victories.
For the third time in five years, the Pac-10 has four teams in the final 16, and as many as three could end up in the Final Four. Combined with West Coast Conference power Gonzaga's third straight trip to the regional semifinals, it's a good year to hoop it up out West even if respect must be earned annually.
"This goes on every year," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "It's never going to change, so we don't worry about it. After seeing what we've done over the last couple of years, I sure feel a lot better about our conference and our school, though."
The Pac-10 is 8-1 in tournament play this year, with California's loss to Fresno State the only defeat. Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen, whose lobbying got five schools into the tournament, noted that the only other times five Pac-10 schools made the field, the conference produced the national champion (UCLA in 1995 and Arizona in 1997).
This season, no conference has more teams playing this weekend not the high-and-mighty ACC (2), the much-hyped Big Ten (3) or even the much bigger SEC (2).
"I'd like to see the country wake up to the fact that our league does very well," Arizona coach Lute Olson said.
Leading the way is Stanford (30-2), the West Regional's top seed. The Cardinal cracked the round of 16 with a tough win over St. Joseph's in San Diego.
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