Time for conference play to get rolling. Four Pac-10 games tonight.

Today in the Seattle Times, Greg Bishop reports on how the Pac-10 is once again campaigning for respect, and the coaches are once again talking about how this is year when they'll turn it around. See also Jonathan Okanes in the Contra Costa Times, Dick Rockne in the PI, John Sleeper in the Herald, Bob Rodman in the Register-Guard.

There is some talk about east coast bias in the media and in the NCAA tournament selection committee, but as UCLA coach Olivier says: "You have to get it done in the nonconference games. That's the bottom line."

This year it appears that the Pac-10 has done a better job playing a tough schedule and (unlike last year) getting some wins. ASU over Georgia and UConn, UCLA over Texas and Purdue, Stanford over Texas Tech and Utah, Washington over Minnesota. The Pac-10 has ended the nonconference season with 5 or 6 teams in the RPI top-40, which is about where you need to be to make the Dance.

So maybe, finally, this really is the year.