Arizona Wildcats: 27-7, 14-4 in the Pac-12 Conference
Head coach: Sean Miller (9th season)
Players to watch: Deandre Ayton (20.3 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 61.6 FG%); Allonzo Trier (18.4 PPG); Dušan Ristić (12.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG)
Season recap: The Wildcats started the season with three blowout victories against nonconference opponents and were ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll in mid-November, but unexpectedly lost their next three games and dropped out of the rankings entirely in the span of a week. Arizona then rattled off nine straight wins, and after falling to Colorado, it went on another seven-game winning streak and rose to No. 9. The Wildcats finished the regular season at No. 15 after an up-and-down final month and captured their fourth regular-season conference title in the last five years.
Arizona’s reputation took a major hit in late February when ESPN reported that FBI wiretaps had shown head coach Sean Miller discussing a $100,000 payment to Deandre Ayton to ensure his commitment. Ayton, the No. 3 2017 recruit, has been a dominant presence in the post and on the glass for the Wildcats this season, and is the favorite to be selected first overall in the upcoming NBA Draft. Miller has denied the allegations and has been allowed to remain head coach, and no proof has surfaced that the report is true.
In the Pac-12 tournament, Arizona cruised to victory against Colorado and defeated rival UCLA in overtime to advance to the title game. The Wildcats defeated USC 75-61 behind Ayton’s 32-point, 18-rebound performance to earn their second consecutive Pac-12 championship and their third in four years.
How they make a run: Arizona’s defense, which fueled its Pac-12 tournament run, does not regress to its poor regular-season form, and star freshman Ayton makes his case for being the best player in college basketball with dominant performances to carry the Wildcats to the Final Four.
How they falter: Ayton’s monster performances cool down under the tournament pressure, and Arizona’s defense, 70th in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted defensive efficiency metric, is exposed against a more complete team to send the Wildcats home.
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