Yahoo Sports will break down the top 10 leagues for the upcoming college basketball season working backward from No. 10 to No. 1. Here's a look at our No. 4 league, the Pac-12.

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When Arizona's four leading scorers either graduated or turned pro last spring, the landscape in the Pac-12 instantly changed.

No longer does it feel like the rest of the league is merely competing for second place.

Arizona remains a contender to capture a third straight conference title thanks to an influx of promising newcomers, but the gap between the Wildcats and other challengers has closed. Cal has its most talented roster since the days of Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray, Oregon will build around a collection of promising forwards and Utah brings back nine of its top 11 scorers from a Sweet 16 team. Don't count out UCLA either given the return of Bryce Alford and the collection of young guards and established big men surrounding him.

If Arizona repeats as Pac-12 champions, it will be a testament to Sean Miller's ability to reload on the fly. Only four rotation players return from last season's 33-win Elite Eight team, yet the arrival of four promising freshmen and three impact transfers give Miller the deepest, most offensively gifted roster he's had since coming to Tucson.

Boston College transfer Ryan Anderson has been Arizona's best player since practice began, no surprise considering for the Eagles he was a three-year starter who averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds as a junior before leaving in search of a winning program. Anderson will be the offensive focal point of an elite frontcourt that also includes lone returning starter Kaleb Tarczewski, reserve 7 footers Dusan Ristic and Chance Comanche and versatile combo forward Mark Tollefsen.

How Miller will divvy up playing time in the backcourt is anyone's guess since he has plenty of options even with freshman small forward Ray Smith lost for the season to an ACL tear.

Kadeem Allen's defensive prowess and ability to score off the dribble earned him starting nod at point guard in Arizona's exhibition game on Sunday night, but the junior college transfer will split time with pass-first sophomore Parker Jackson-Cartwright as the Wildcats search for an heir to T.J. McConnell. Sharpshooter Gabe York, polished freshman Allonzo Trier, veteran Elliott Pitts and defensive standout Justin Simon each bring different qualities at wing, while Tollefsen is also an option at small forward if Miller prefers not to go with a three-guard look.

Cal can't match Arizona's depth this season, but the Bears may be the only Pac-12 team with a more talented starting five.

Excitement for Cal basketball is at its apex since the days of Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray thanks to an incoming class featuring a pair of top 10 recruits. Oakland native Ivan Rabb is an athletic 6-foot-11 big man who blocks shots, rebounds and scores over either shoulder in the post. Georgia product Jaylen Brown is an explosive athlete and aggressive slasher strong enough to overpower opposing wings on his way to the rim.

Those two will join a Cal roster loaded with returning perimeter talent as conference player of the year candidate Tyrone Wallace, former five-star wing Jabari Bird and sharpshooter Jordan Mathews each are back. Brown will probably spend some time at power forward to accommodate those three but he'll also play his natural small forward position when the Bears opt to go bigger with Rabb at power forward and either 7-foot-1 Kingsley Okoroh or 7-foot Kameron Rooks at center.

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