Pac-12 men's tournament: UA will earn 4th or 5th seed

Although Arizona could finish anywhere from a first-place tie to fourth place when the Pac-12 regular season ends today, the Wildcats' tournament seeding fate is straightforward.

If the Wildcats win, they would be the No. 4 seed and earn the last first-round bye in the Pac-12 tournament. Their first game would be Thursday against the winner of the 5-12 first-round game.

If the Wildcats lose, they would be the No. 5 seed if Colorado beats Oregon State. In that case, UA and Colorado would finish in a tie for fourth place at 11-7 but the Buffs would win the tiebreaker because they have beaten all the teams that could finish in first place while UA has beaten none of them.

If Colorado loses to OSU, UA would be the No. 4 seed regardless of the result of the ASU game.

The only way Arizona could earn a share of the Pac-12 title is if the Wildcats beat the Sun Devils, Utah beats Oregon and Washington beats UCLA. In that case, there would be a four-way tie for first at 12-6, but UA would be the No. 4 seed because it is 0-4 in head-to-head competition within that group (Cal would be first, Oregon second and UCLA third).

Pac-12 tournament tiebreakers are broken first by head-to-head competition among tied teams, then by results against the team at the top of the standings, on down until the tie is broken. If there's a four-team tie, the winner is determined via tiebreaker, then pulled out and the other three teams are evaluated.

Pac-12 tournament

At MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas

Wednesday

• No. 8 vs. No. 9, 12:06 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 5 vs. No. 12, TBA, (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 7 vs. No. 10, 6:06 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 6 vs. No. 11, TBD, (Pac-12 Networks)

Thursday

• No. 8/9 vs. No. 1, 12:06 (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 5/12 vs. No. 4, TBD (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 7/10 vs. No. 2, 6:06 p.m (Pac-12 Networks)

• No. 6/11 vs. No. 3, TBD (ESPNU)