Shockingly, the Arizona State Sun Devils have never won the Pac-12 Championship in basketball. Maybe that is not a surprise for those religious followers of the program, but since the Sun Devils joined the conference in 1978 – with rival Arizona, no less – the Wildcats have won the regular season crown 13 times, while the Sun Devils have failed to capture a single regular season title. Ditto for the Pac-12 Tournament. Yet the Sun Devils were sitting at 12-0, ranked third in the country, and began their conference slate with a monumental matchup versus the hated Wildcats that ended in defeat. Despite the loss, could this be the season the tables turn? Or will the Wildcats once again have the upper hand when it's all said and done?

Let's take a look at some other hardwood action in this edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

Jalen Hayes (F)
Hayes missed the first four games of the season due to a curious suspension by the NCAA. Regardless, Hayes is on pace to graduate in December, and the fifth-year senior has been on fire since returning to the Court. Hayes has six double-doubles in nine games for the Grizzlies. He has two 30-point outputs to his name over that span, including a career-high 37 points in Oakland's 86-81 win over Eastern Michigan. Hayes has made his living at the foul line over the last two games, shooting 22 free throws during that time period. Hayes, Kendrick Nunn and Martez Walker may be the top scoring trio in the nation, as they average a combined 64.2 points per game for the Golden Grizzlies.

Jevon Carter (G)
Carter is a bona fide stat sheet stuffer for the Mountaineers. Carter leads the team in points, assists and steals. In fact, Carter leads the entire nation in thefts and would be gaining more notoriety in the Big 12 if not for the superior play of Oklahoma freshman Trae Young. Still, Carter has proven an elite, versatile player for West Virginia, and the Mountaineers have not lost a game since the season opener. In fact, an argument can be made that Carter is the most productive player in the country not named Trae Young.

Yoeli Childs (F)
Childs has also seen a jump in stats between his freshman and sophomore campaigns. After averaging just 9.3 points per tilt last season, Childs is managing 16.6 points per contest. He has always been a stellar rebounder, averaging over eight boards per game for his collegiate career at BYU. With 2.2 blocks per outing as well, Childs is becoming a complete player for the Cougars as they attempt to battle Saint Mary's and Gonzaga for the WCC crown. He had arguably his best game as a member of the Cougs this past Thursday, collecting 26 points and 13 boards in a win against Portland.

James Palmer Jr. (G)
The Miami transfer played a more complementary role for the Hurricanes, but currently leads the 'Huskers in scoring with 15.2 points per tilt. Palmer is also fourth in rebounding and third in scoring for the middling Cornhuskers, though the squad has admittedly played a tough schedule with non-conference tilts against Michigan State, Kansas, Creighton and St. John's. It remains to be seen how the versatile Palmer will adjust to play in the Big Ten as the top scoring option on the team, though his skill set at 6-foot-6 will allow him to impact the game in a variety of ways.

Sam Hauser (F)
Hauser has picked up his play, both as compared to a season ago as well as in recent games. Over the last four contests, the sophomore swingman is averaging nearly 20.8 points per contest. He's nearly doubled his point production from a season ago, and has also proven a much more willing passer as a sophomore. Hauser, Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey form a dangerous triumvirate, though the Golden Eagles may be lacking some size with the 6-foot-8 Hauser leading the team in rebounding with 5.5 boards per contest.

David Collette (F)
Collette is battling a nagging hip injury for the Utes. Collette is the leading scorer for Utah, averaging 13.5 points per game. The Utah State transfer has been consistent during his time in Provo, including his penchant for getting into foul trouble. Collette is playing just 21.3 minutes per contest, which is a career low. Collette will have to prove he can stay healthy as well as avoid foul woes in order to stay on the court. The hip ailment is not considered serious, though the Utes will likely be cautious with their leading scorer as Pac-12 play begins, and specifically contests against Arizona and Arizona State loom next week.

Ryan Luther (F)
The senior forward was averaging a double-double for the Panthers before suffering a stress reaction in his right foot. Luther missed 12 games last season with an injury to the same foot, though the injury this time around is not considered quite as severe. Still, Luther has already missed three games, albeit against inferior competition, and as a result the Panthers have been able to squeak by without him. Still, with ACC play looming, the Panthers will need Luther, and it remains to be seen if he can stay on the court and avoid any further issues with his troublesome right foot.

Kory Holden (G)
A transfer from Delaware, Holden sat out last season after averaging 17.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Blue Hens as a sophomore. He was expected to be a key contributor for the Gamecocks after coach Frank Martin lost Sindarius Thornwell, along others, following a shocking appearance in the Final Four. Unfortunately, the jump in competition has not been kind to Holden, though he is not playing extensive minutes for the Gamecocks thus far either. Still, Holden is managing just 3.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. In addition, he hurt his hamstring and is out indefinitely. The Gamecocks are thin in the backcourt, but will ask FAU transfer Frank Booker to shoulder even more of the load with Holden on the shelf.

Alterique Gilbert (G)
Gilbert has largely been unable to stay on the court for the Huskies, injuring his left shoulder yet again. It has now been determined that Gilbert will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. The injury will likely require surgery. Gilbert has been limited to just nine games in two years at UConn, all due to the balky left shoulder. Though Dr. James Andrews has indicated Gilbert should be healthy enough for the start of the 2018-2019 campaign, there must be concerns as to whether Gilbert can ultimately significantly impact the Huskies on the court. He was averaging nine points, four rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest prior to the injury this year. In his absence, Jalen Adams and Christian Vital will get even more run for coach Kevin Ollie and the struggling Huskies.