Mens Basketball - Sweet 16

THE DAILY WILDCAT Printing the news, sounding the alarm, and raising hell since 1899

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015

DAILYWILDCAT.COM

VOLUME 108 • ISSUE 120

OH SO SWEET 16 Arizona men’s basketball continues its postseason journey in Los Angeles

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B2 • THE DAILY WILDCAT

Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

KNOW YOUR FOE North Carolina Seed: 4 Nickname: Tar Heels

Xavier

Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.

Seed: 6

Founded: 1789

Nickname: Musketeers

Coach: Roy Williams

Nickname: Badgers

Location: Cincinnati

Arena: Dean Smith Center

Location: Madison, Wis.

Colors: Navy and gray

Record: 26-11

Colors: Cardinal and White

Enrollment: 6,620

NCAA Tournament history: 46 appearances Enrollment: 43,275

Founded: 1831

North Carolina is one of the most storied college basketball programs in the nation. The Tar Heels have appeared in the NCAA tournament 46 times and have reached the Final Four a whopping 18 times. Not to mention UNC has won it all five times, with the most recent National Championship coming in 2009.

Colors: Carolina blue and white Enrollment: 29,137

Coach: Chris Mack Arena: Cintas Center Record: 23-13

Wisconsin Seed: 1

Founded: 1848 Coach: Bo Ryan Arena: Kohl Center Record: 33-3

NCAA Tournament history: 25 appearances Team leaders: G Marcus Paige 14.1 points per NCAA Tournament history: 21 Appearances

game and 4.5 assists per game, Brice Johnson Xavier is making its ninth NCAA Tournament 7.9 rebounds per game The Badgers have made it to the tournament appearance in 10 years, a feat only 11 schools can 17 consecutive seasons and are 29-19 all-time boast. XU has made it to the NCAA Tournament Famous alumni: Michael Jordan (NBA in the Big Dance. Wisconsin won the National through the MCC, the Atlantic 10 and now Champion and Hall of Famer), Ken Jeong Championship in 1941 against Washington the Big East. Xavier is 21-24 all-time in the Big (actor), Peter Gammons (sports writer), James State. Just last season, the Badgers sent the Dance, but 20-18 since 1990. The Musketeers K. Polk (11th U.S. President) and James Worthy Wildcats packing in the Elite Eight in overtime, have made it to the Elite Eight twice and the (NBA Hall of Famer) but lost to Kentucky in the Final Four.

Sweet Sixteen six times.

Team leaders: ≠Frank Kaminsky 18.4 points Team leaders: Matt Stainbrook 12.1 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game, Bronson and 6.9 rebounds, Dee Davis 6.0 assists Koenig 2.4 assists per game

Famous alumni: Jack Miles (1996 Pulitzer Prize

Famous alumni: Dick Cheney (former U.S.

winner), John Boehner (Ohio congressman and House Speaker), David West (Indiana Pacers forward) and Daniel P. Burnham (former president/CEO of Raytheon) — Compiled by James Kelley

Vice President), Carrie Coon (actress), James Lovell (NASA astronaut) and Michael Finley (NBA player) — Compiled by Roberto Payne

— Compiled by Matt Wall

’Cats head home to California

BY JAMES KELLEY The Daily Wildcat

This time, armed with six players from Southern California, Arizona men’s basketball is hoping the third time’s the charm. For the third season in a row, the Wildcats will play in the Sweet Sixteen in Southern California, this year at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The NCAA Tournament games in Southern California come in a season when the Wildcats didn’t play UCLA or USC in Los Angeles.

Forward Stanley Johnson (Fullerton, Calif.) is one of the Wildcats returning home. He said it will be very exciting to play in LA in college.

The freshman prepped at Mater Dei High School, which he led to a 135-5 record and four CIF Division I state championships; among players, he was the first to win four upper-division state titles in California history. He won the John R. Wooden Award winner for California Division I High School Player of the Year as a junior and senior, and, last season, he won the MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

“It’s always exciting to play at home,” Johnson said. “I think I play my best at home, so hopefully the home crowd gets me going, gets our team going.”

Fellow Southern California freshman point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright (Los Angeles) said the focus is on getting wins.

“It will be nice to go home and see all my friends and family,” he said, “but the focus is to keep advancing and to keep winning, to keep playing well.”

In 2014, the Wildcats played in Anaheim, Calif., beating No. 4-seed San Diego State 70-64 but losing to second-seeded Wisconsin 64-63 in overtime. In 2013 in LA, the UA lost 73-70 to No. 2-seed Ohio State.

This is Arizona’s fourth-straight trip to a Sweet Sixteen in Southern California in the NCAA Tournament. Though they missed the Big Dance in 2012, the Wildcats did beat No. 1-seed Duke 93-77 in 2011 and lost 65-63 to No. 3-seed — and eventual national champion — Connecticut.

Sixth man and shooting guard Gabe York (West Covina, Calif.) said he is excited for the chance to play in LA. “It feels great; we didn’t get to play in LA against USC and UCLA, [but] I don’t want to make it too big or too little than what it is,” York said. “[I’m] definitely excited to go back home and see a lot of my family and see some of my friends from high school.”

Walk-on forward Drew Mellon (Santa Ana, Calif.) and guards Trey Mason and Jacob Hazzard (both from LA) are the other three SoCal Cats.

Arizona is 5-2 in Los Angeles in the NCAA

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Tournament and 12-8 in Southern California.

The UA is 4-4 in Anaheim, 1-2 in Long Beach and 2-0 in San Diego.

Before that, the Wildcats’ last NCAA Tournament games in Los Angeles were in 1994, when they beat third-seeded Louisville 82-70 in the Sweet Sixteen and No. 1 seed Missouri 9272 in the Elite Eight. Current Arizona assistant coach Damon Stoudamire scored 27 points against Mizzou.

In 1988, the Wildcats beat No. 16 Cornell 9050 and eighth-seeded Seton Hall 84-55 in Los Angeles. In 1976, Arizona beat UNLV 114-109 in overtime in the Regional Semifinals but lost 8266 to UCLA in the Regional Final in LA. Johnson went to Arizona’s 2013 loss to Ohio State.

“It was one of those games where we felt like we gave it our all,” Johnson said.

Jackson-Cartwright said he grew up going to Pac-10/12 Tournament games in the Staples Center, where the Wildcats will play this week.

Staples Center is the current home to the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), Clippers (NBA), Sparks (WNBA) and Kings (NHL).

“It’s probably the biggest thing that you could talk about in LA,” York said. “Obviously, the Lakers and Clippers play there. I’m a Lakers fan, ever since I was born. So for me personally, I think it’s a very big venue, and I’m very excited to play there.”

When the Pac-10/12 Tournament was in the Staples Center from 2002 to 2012, the Wildcats went 12-10. They won the championship in 2002 and reached the title game four times.

The Wildcats hope for a friendlier reception this year.

“You know it’s going to be crazy,” Johnson said, “because our Wildcat Nation and fan base will be live and direct in there, so it will be fun.”

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— Follow James Kelley @jameskelley520

ARIZONA MEN’S BASKETBALL forward Stanley Johnson (5) shoots a 3-pointer during Arizona’s 93-72 victory over Texas Southern during the Round of 64 in the 2015 NCAA Tournament in Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on March 19. Johnson is one of several Wildcats from Southern California returning home this weekend.

Sweet Sixteen• Thursday, March 26, 2015

THE DAILY WILDCAT • B3

T.J.’S LAST STAND

BY ROBERTO PAYNE The Daily Wildcat

Rarely do the words “The End” incite feelings of happiness and positivity.

Sometimes a sense of completion arises in oneself, sometimes it’s more sadness in knowing that the run is over and other times, anger boils over.

For athletes, the end comes sooner than they would like. Even the most talented professional athletes see their athletic careers end the closer they get to the age of 30. Collegiate athletes see their careers end much sooner, often at the age of 22 or 23.

As Arizona men’s basketball kicks off the Sweet Sixteen with a Thursday matchup with Xavier, several Wildcats could see their collegiate careers end. Of the bunch, no one will miss it more than T.J. McConnell.

“You think about these guys leaving and I ask the question to myself all the time, ‘will he miss it?’, whoever that ‘he’ is,” Arizona head coach Sean Miller said after Arizona’s Senior Day victory over Stanford on March 7.

“When he leaves, will he miss this? I don’t think there’s a doubt in anybody, fans, anyone who’s ever watched us play, that you wouldn’t say ‘absolutely’ when you look at T.J. He cares.”

McConnell has had a memorable senior season to date. He leads the Wildcats in assists and steals, is fifth in rebounds and fourth in points and 3-point makes.

Even more impressively, McConnell has put together as dominant of a

two-year stretch as any point guard in program history. Not only has McConnell started all 74 games Arizona has played in that two-year stretch, he is closing in on several school records.

He is third all-time over a two-year stretch in assists with 430 and fourth all-time in steals with 144 over his two years at Arizona. McConnell is also the program leader in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.11 (430-138).

In classic McConnell fashion, he deflected the praise from himself and instead thanked those around him for his performances.

“What we’ve accomplished in two years is nothing short of remarkable,” McConnell said. “I just got to thank my teammates for having my back each day and the coaching staff, and especially the fans. We couldn’t have done [it] without them.”

More so than most players, McConnell has taken advantage of his opportunities at a major college basketball program like Arizona. McConnell completed his sophomore season at Duquesne, just three years ago, by averaging 11.4 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, 4.4 rebounds per game and 2.8 steals per game.

Miller said McConnell has led Arizona and Duquesne on both sides of the ball.

“You always want those twoway players,” Miller said. “… T.J. epitomizes that two-way player where he does it on both ends and he just does it every game.”

McConnell had to sit out a year upon transferring to Arizona before the 2012-

2013 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but was able to practice. McConnell ran the scout team and played against Arizona guards Nick Johnson, Mark Lyons, Jordin Mayes and Gabe York.

According to coaches and players alike over the course of the season, during that period, McConnell was one of the best Wildcats on the floor at times.

“What he’s meant to this program … during my time, you can make the case he’s been as important as any player we’ve brought here,” Miller said.

“Considering where he came from, I’m happy for both him and his family.”

The 6-foot-1 senior point guard from Pittsburgh has already had his fair share of collegiate lasts — his last opening night, last road game, last home game and last Pac-12 Conference tournament game. The lone last remaining is his last game as an Arizona Wildcat.

Unfortunately for McConnell and Arizona, the run will end sooner rather than later. The only thing left to decide is when and where McConnell will have his last stand.

When the dust settles, no one will miss Arizona more than T.J. McConnell will.

“I love this place,” McConnell said after Arizona’s Senior Day victory. “Like I said before, I truly don’t want to leave.

This will always be my home, and I’m going to come back as much as I can.”

— Follow Roberto Payne @HouseofPayne555

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Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

Walk-ons and redshirts play major role

BY ROBERTO PAYNE The Daily Wildcat

Sitting at the end of the bench is often a slight used by fans and spectators alike to signify a lack of talent. So called “bench warmers” are the butt of jokes and disregarded in favor of those who put up stats and play the most minutes.

It’s easy to think those who do not play are useless. In today’s media-driven world, everything is on display and those who perform get the most airtime.

In college basketball, the walkons and redshirts at the end of the bench suffer from the stigmatism of what they are. What’s often overlooked is how important players 9-15 on the roster are to programs across the nation. Those are the guys running the scout team and making sure the premier players are ready to go come game time.

For Arizona, guys like Jacob Hazzard, Trey Mason and Drew Mellon aren’t guaranteed court time and, honestly, rarely see the court unless it’s a blowout. They are walk-ons, relegated to the end of the bench by choice.

From the outside looking in, it may seem like a thankless job, but guys like Mason said running the scout team is just as important as watching film.

“We’re the guys in practice that it’s pretty much our job to get the

guys ready for the next game,” Mason said. “The coaches do a really good job of kind of instilling principles and discipline that guys need.”

It doesn’t hurt that they are all best friends. Hazzard said Mason and Mellon are two of his best friends and loves competing with them.

“Drew and Trey are two of my best friends and we do this together,” Hazzard said. “We take pride in our role and we know it helps the team a lot. We know millions of plays; it’s crazy. We take advantage of it and try to keep all the plays we know.”

Add in redshirts like Kadeem Allen and Ryan Anderson, and the Wildcats that do play considerable minutes have solid competition in practice. Few teams in the nation can employ talent like Allen and Anderson for their stars to play against on a daily basis.

Arizona forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is one of the most important players on the roster and said he understands how tough they really are. In particular, Hollis-Jefferson singled out Allen as someone who improves the team.

“Kadeem is a tough, tough, guy to guard, I would say,” HollisJefferson said. “When you guard him, it’s definitely like you’re guarding any guard in the country.

He’s definitely one of the best players I’ve played.”

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ARIZONA GUARDS JACOB Hazzard (50) and Trey Mason (44) slap hands during Arizona’s 57-34 victory over Oregon State on Jan. 30 in McKale Center. Hazzard and Mason are walk-ons and have a bigger role on the team than the average fan might think.

That’s big praise coming from a guy who guards the best opponent wing every single game.

Whether walk-on or redshirt, Wildcats say they do their job willingly and love helping the team succeed.

“We go over out-of-bounds

plays, all kinds of plays, just to get our guys familiar with what they’re [going to] see out there when they go out for the game,” Hazzard said.

“We know it’s never identical to what they’re [going to do because] we can’t simulate everything, but we just want to get a feel for them.

Just when we come out we’re not surprised by anything and just they know what’s coming, what’s not coming, what to expect.”

— Follow Roberto Payne @HouseofPayne555

Increase in shooting has Arizona set for success

BY JAMES KELLEY

The Daily Wildcat

The last time Arizona men’s basketball played in the NCAA Tournament in Los Angeles, Southern California native Gabe York could only watch helplessly from the bench as Arizona lost late.

Now, he may be a key player for the Wildcats in LA. “I’d say he can knock down shots with the best of them, and his confidence is up there right now,” Arizona forward Brandon Ashley said. “We expect big minutes out of Gabe all the time.”

In LA two years ago, the shooting guard did not play as Ohio State beat Arizona on a late 3-pointer late in the Sweet Sixteen. Then last week, he scored 19 points to help the Wildcats beat OSU and move on to the Sweet Sixteen.

“You know, if you followed us, I would say over the last six weeks, you look at his points per game, his minutes per game, he’s really emerged,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “[Saturday] was another great example; we needed him, and he delivered. He’s really a big, big part of what we’ve done all year long.”

After not scoring against Texas Southern in the second round, York made five 3-pointers against Ohio State in the third round.

“When they shrink like that, the only thing that’s left for me is to knock down shots,” York said. “[Saturday night,] I wanted to be aggressive but also know that my teammates were going to find me in transition or throughout the zone with however many seconds were left on the shot clock. I just did a great job of knocking down shots.”

Without any shooting guards in the starting lineup, the Wildcats look to York and sophomore Elliott Pitts to help with shooting coming off the bench to play against zones.

York (22.9 minutes per game) and Pitts (15.0) are the Wildcats’ first options off the bench. Not to mention, York is 12th in the Pac12 Conference in 3-pointers made and has led the Wildcats in scoring four times.

Arizona point guard T.J. McConnell said York and Pitts provide sparks for the Wildcats against the zone.

“It helps us out tremendously when Gabe and Elliott are making shots,” McConnell said. “It opens up the zone and gives us driving lanes to get to the bigs and just make plays. So when those two are connecting on 3’s like that, we’re a tough team.”

York shoots 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, leading the team, and Pitts shoots 35.6 percent. York is ninth in the Pac-12 in 3-point shooting.

Arizona forward Rondae HollisJefferson said when the two are playing well, it opens up space for the wings.

“If we get the ball into the middle, that kind of breaks the zone down a lot,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “You can see things better, and when they collapse, that opens up a lot of things for the bigs or the wings to shoot, and that’s how Gabe got a lot of his shots and

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ARIZONA MEN’S basketball forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) defends Texas Southern guard Deverell Biggs (1) while T.J. McConnell (far left), Elliot Pitts (24), and Matt Korcheck (31) look on during Arizona’s 93-72 victory over Texas Southern during the 2015 NCAA Tournamentin Portland, Ore., on Thursday.

Defense wins championships come March

BY EZRA AMACHER The Daily Wildcat

O REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S BASKETBALL guard Gabe York (1) shoots a 3-pointer during Arizona’s 9372 victory over Texas Southern during the Round of 64 in the 2015 NCAA Tournament in Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on March 19. Along with Elliott Pitts, York is a crucial aspect of Arizona’s perimeter offense.

we got a lot of dunks.”

York has scored in doublefigures 17 times this season, despite being moved from a starter to the team’s sixth man in January.

He has scored at least 11 points six times in Arizona’s last 10 games.

Pitts said he’s worked hard on becoming more well-rounded, even though people consider him just to be a shooter.

“Over the season, I’m just being a little bit more aggressive every single game; that’s what the coaches are asking me to do,” Pitts said. “I’ve come really far from being a skinny little freshman to [being able] to hold my own out there, stay in front of my defender and knock down some shots.”

York said the key to recent emergence is believing in himself and his teammates.

“Just being ultra confident,” York said. “Knowing that my teammates are going to find me and in transition, they’re going to find me in the open spots in the zone, and as long as I’m hitting shots, I’m going to stay in the game.”

Miller said he is “elated” with York’s success, especially because of his patience.

“Gabe deserves a lot of credit, because in today’s world, if you don’t play a lot as a freshman, you have a lot of people that are pulling you and tugging you to transfer and go to another program,” Miller said. “Gabe and his family have always shown great trust in our staff. We knew that his best would be when he’s older.”

— Roberto Payne contributed reporting to this article

GABE YORK

#1 Junior Shooting guard 6-foot-3, 185 pounds West Covina, Calif.

Orange Lutheran High School

ELLIOTT PITTS

#24 Sophomore Shooting guard 6-foot-5, 185 pounds Dublin, Calif.

De La Salle High School

— Follow James Kelley @jameskelley520

hio State freshman D’Angelo Russell was dominating March opponents with his shooting touch before heading into the Round of 32 matchup against Arizona. The 6-foot-5 guard had just dropped 28 points on VCU in the opening round, including four 3-pointers. It was the third time he had reached 28 points in March.

As Arizona and Ohio State readied for tipoff on Saturday, the storyline inevitably focused on whether Russell could score enough points to keep the Buckeyes competitive.

Over the next two hours, the Wildcats’ defense answered that question with a resounding no.

While Arizona celebrated its thirdstraight trip to the Sweet Sixteen, Russell walked off the court with a 3-19 shooting performance, his worst display of the season.

Following the game, Ohio State coach Thad Matta commended Arizona on its length and ability to trap Russell into difficult situations.

But Arizona’s tenacity on defense is built on much more than long wingspans or a canny game plan. It is ingrained in the Wildcats’ DNA, injected by Arizona head coach Sean Miller as soon as he arrived in Tucson six years ago.

“Defense, like a lot of things in a college basketball program, is carried from almost one generation to the next,” Miller said. “I thought the first player that really embraced our defense would have been Kyle Fogg.”

Fogg was a shooting guard during Miller’s first few years and embraced the man-to-man style Miller unilaterally employs.

“He passed the torch to Nick Johnson,” Miller said, “who I believe passed the torch to Rondae [HollisJefferson].”

With the Final Four in reach, Miller is now relying on his trademark defense to push Arizona over the hump and back to college basketball’s promised land. After all, the cliche “defense wins championships” is not just a catchy proverb. In college hoops, it is all but the truth.

According to kenpom.com, a site that calculates team efficiency ratings per possession, the last five national champions have all boasted a defense ranked in the top 15 nationally.

This year, Arizona’s defense ranks

third in the country in KenPom’s ratings. Of the remaining 16 teams left in the tournament, the UA is second, only to Kentucky, in points allowed per 100 possessions.

The Wildcats’ Sweet Sixteen opponent, Xavier, ranks 58th in that category. Wisconsin and North Carolina, Arizona’s two potential Elite Eight matchups, don’t fare much better at 39th and 50th respectively.

Digging into those ratings, Arizona leads the country in limiting opponents to a 22.8 offensive rebound percentage. In other words, the Wildcats do a better job of collecting opponents’ missed shots than anyone else in college basketball.

The UA also ranks 14th nationally in holding teams to a 42.3 shooting percentage on two-point attempts.

With the size of Arizona’s frontcourt, as well as the indefatigable defense of Hollis-Jefferson, it’s hard for opponents to get a good look at the basket.

Layups don’t come easy and neither do second-chance opportunities. Whether the opponent is Xavier, Kentucky or someone else, Arizona shouldn’t be giving up many looks around the rim.

“I think that’s where it starts, with defense and rebounding,” Miller said. “For the most part we’ve done a great job. I think our defense has grown and improved. When we haven’t been that this year, we’ve been very vulnerable.”

That last point by Miller is why there’s still some room for concern.

Yes, Arizona has won 11 of its last 13 games by double digits, and no, Xavier doesn’t look like the type of team that should give the UA a ton of trouble. But if the Wildcats slack off defensively for just one half, it could spell doom against a streaky team.

In the loss at ASU, Arizona failed to close out on opposing shooters, giving the Sun Devils just enough space to make shots and stay ahead.

Then again, that loss came a month and a half ago and Arizona has since locked down on nearly every aspect.

Discipline and focus should not be an issue. Not on the biggest stage of the season.

As long as the Wildcats bring their defensive prowess aboard the flight to Los Angeles, they should be in good, even great shape to leave Staples Center on Saturday with another string of net.

— Follow Ezra Amacher @EzraAmacher

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Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

THE DAILY WILDCAT • B7

Who is Arizona’s X-factor to a Final Four?

REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S BASKETBALL forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) yells during a timeout during Arizona’s 73-58 victory over Ohio State during the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament in Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on Saturday. Along with T.J. McConnell, Hollis-Jefferson is an X-factor to Arizona reaching the Final Four this season.

BY ZOE WOLKOWITZ The Daily Wildcat

A

human body has no purpose without a healthy, beating heart. A heart allows the body to breathe, move and function properly. Without a heart, a body is simply dispensable.

The heart of Arizona basketball is senior point guard T. J. McConnell.

As the evident leader for the Wildcats, McConnell has the ability to contribute across the board. His selfless style of play is proven, as he averages 10.1 points per game but also 6.3 assists per game.

His versatile offense is noticeable on paper, but McConnell captures national attention because of his uncanny ability to read the floor and thrive on defense.

His gritty attitude and lockdown defense leads the team in steals with 2.2 per game. With 80 steals just this season, McConnell has the fourth-best single-season steal record in Arizona basketball history.

Let’s not forget that McConnell is barely 6-foot-1 and manages to average 3.9 rebounds per game. This puts him as the fifthbest rebounder on the Arizona

basketball team. What can’t McConnell do?

As athletically talented as he is, McConnell possesses a desire to win that cannot be taught or coached. He leaves everything on the court and pours his entire heart and soul into every game.

With this said, McConnell is in his senior year, and he will not let his collegiate career end without a fight. The team owes it to McConnell to make it farther than they or anyone believes they can.

McConnell has pumped a desire to win into the veins of his team and it has manifested into watching Arizona play a beautiful game of basketball.

Throughout the season, teammates, coaches, fans and analysts have all said that Arizona would not be anywhere without McConnell. That is not discrediting the talent that the Arizona roster possesses, but more proof to how valuable McConnell is to the team.

A body cannot beat without a heart, and Arizona cannot win without T.J. McConnell.

VS

— Follow Zoe Wolkowitz @zowolko

BY NICOLE COUSINS The Daily Wildcat

T

hey say defense wins championships, and the phrase couldn’t apply more to Arizona’s spirited and electrifying forward, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

In a world of offensively minded players, Hollis-Jefferson focuses on his defense to drive his flow.

He accepts the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s biggest threat and, more often than not, shuts them down.

His 6-foot-7 frame makes it difficult for other players to get around. The sophomore leads his team in blocks with 32 this season and is third in steals (41), behind T.J. McConnell and Stanley Johnson.

He also paves the way for Arizona in rebounding, averaging 6.9 per game and 250 total rebounds this year.

It’s only after he plays defense that Hollis-Jefferson’s offense starts to flow. Granted, he’s also third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.3 points per game.

Rondae has a motto: CHAP, which stands for calm, humble and patient. As humble as he is, I would

switch “humble” for “hungry.”

He was snuffed from the Pac12 Defensive Player of the Year award and didn’t take it well on Twitter, saying, “I don’t know about everyone else, but I put my heart and soul into defense[.] So with that being said ‘Motivation.’ Thanks everyone that cares.”

In Arizona’s two games since the NCAA Tournament started, Hollis-Jefferson has that motivation.

He’s averaging a double-double, grabbing 10 boards each game and averaging 17 points, including a career-high 23 points against Texas Southern in the Round of 64.

And a lot of people care. Arizona fans rally around Hollis-Jefferson because he’s personable and takes the time with his fans. He’s even been seen outside McKale Center hanging out with students waiting in line hours before the doors open.

For a player with a huge fan base who shoots 50.6 percent from the field, Hollis-Jefferson isn’t a player I would want to make hungry, especially when he averages 28.4 minutes on the floor, second only to point guard McConnell.

He wants it to be sweet, he wants it to be elite and he wants it to be final. That’s why Rondae HollisJefferson is Arizona’s X-factor.

— Follow Nicole Cousins @cousinnicole

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B10 • The Daily Wildcat

Thursday, March 26, 2015

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Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

THE DAILY WILDCAT • B11

SWEET SIXTEEN

REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S BASKETBALL forward Brandon Ashley (21) and guard Gabe York (right) defend Gonzaga forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during Arizona’s 66-63 overtime victory over Gonzaga on Dec. 6 in McKale Center. The Wildcats’ defeat of Gonzaga was one of the highlights of the season.

AZ TO

A

— Arizona. The Wildcats have made the Sweet Sixteen three times in a row and four times in coach Sean Miller’s six seasons in Tucson. Arizona has made 17 Sweet Sixteens, so it’s time to update the intro video.

B

— Bruins. Remember when everyone complained that UCLA shouldn’t be in the Big Dance? Well, it had the last laugh when it made the Sweet Sixteen. Too bad those uniforms are so ugly.

C

— Coach K. No one can spell the Duke coach’s or the Utah coach’s last names without copying and pasting, and now they’re facing off in the Sweet Sixteen. Get ready to hit Command/Control-C plenty for Krzyzewski and Krystkowiak.

D

— Dean. The North Carolina Tar Heels will be wearing “DES” patches to honor the late great Dean Smith, their former coach who recently died. Fun fact: Smith’s last game as coach was against Arizona in the 1997 Final Four.

E

— Elite. Arizona and Michigan State are the only schools with a Sweet Sixteen men’s basketball appearance and to play in a New Year’s Six football bowl game this season. MSU played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, UA in the VIZIO Fiesta Bowl.

F

— Frank the tank. Arizona fans are still having nightmares about the man who ended the Wildcats’ season last March. Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds in the 2014 Elite Eight.

G

— Georgia State. The Panthers were the story of the tournament early on. Georgia State featured the Hunter father/ son combo and former Louisville Cardinal Kevin Ware.

H

— Huggy Bear. West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said Kentucky coach John Calipari called him weeks ago and told him that the NCAA would match up the Mountaineers and Wildcats, and now, they are playing. Huggins also criticized the NCAA’s game times.

I

— Izzo. Michigan State beat Virginia in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year to get the Spartans into the Sweet Sixteen for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. MSU head coach Tom Izzo is 13-1 in the Round of 32.

J

— Jinx. Sports Illustrated featured three teams in addition to Kentucky on its regional NCAA preview issue, “Who can catch the Cats?”: Virginia, Northern Iowa and Arizona. Two of those teams are out, and a week later, SI featured Wisconsin on its cover.

K

— Kansas. The Kansas Jayhawks refused to play in-state rival Wichita State since 1993, and now we know why. The Shockers bounced KU from the tournament in the Round of 32.

L

— Louisville. Louisville made its fourth straight Sweet Sixteen.

Without a one or a two-seed alive in the East Region, it could be a favorite to reach the Final Four now.

M

— Miller time out.

Oklahoma beat Dayton 72-66 on Sunday to oust Archie Miller and the Flyers from the NCAA Tournament.

Still, the Miller brothers are 4-1 in the NCAA Tournament this year so far.

N

— North Carolina. For the fourth time — and the first since 2005 — North Carolina, Duke and NC State all made the Sweet Sixteen.

Last year, none of the Triangle teams made the 16.

O

— Overrated. After a season of getting praise and ranked teams, the Big 12 has struggled in the Big Dance. It had seven teams make it in, but its record is 5-5, and only two survived the first weekend.

P

— Pac-12. The Conference

COMPILED BY JAMES KELLEY

of Champions boasts three teams in the Sweet Sixteen and a 7-1 record.

It’s the fifth time the conference has been 6-1 or better since 1985, and the other four times, a Pac-12 team made it to the Final Four.

Q

— Questionable. After many questioned whether UCLA deserved to be in the NCAA Tournament, the Bruins experienced more controversy in their first game. SMU center Yanick Moreira was called for goaltending late, which led to a UCLA win.

R

— Riot. The toughest Elite Eight matchup could be the topseeded Tucson Police Department and the second-seeded Arizona fans.

other teams have gone undefeated: UCLA (four times), North Carolina and San Francisco.

V

— Victory. V may stand for victory, but not for the tournament’s highest-seeded “V” teams, Villanova and Virginia. The top two seeds in the East Region didn’t survive the first weekend.

W

— Wildcats. Many in the national media predicted an Arizona and Kentucky matchup in the Final Four, and some say the UA has the best chance to knock off UK. The navy and royal blue Wildcats met in the 1997 national championship game in Indianapolis.

S

X

T

Y

U

Z

— Sad. After Notre Dame beat Butler 67-64 in overtime to make it to the Sweet Sixteen, ND head coach Mike Brey revealed that his mother, Betty, had died the morning of the game. She was 84.

— Tall. The tallest player in the tournament, 7-foot-6 UC Irvine center Mamadou Ndiaye, had one of the shortest stays, as the Anteaters lost 57-55 to Louisville in their first game. Arizona beat UC Irvine 71-54 earlier this season.

— Undefeated. Kentucky is trying to become the first team to win the national championship without losing since Indiana in 1976. Six

— Xavier. If you’re reading this, then obviously you know Sean Miller used to coach the X-Men. But did you know the Musketeers have made it to three Sweet Sixteens since he left for the UA?

— You again? The Sweet Sixteen features two regular season rematches: Louisville and NC State, and Gonzaga and UCLA. NC State and Gonzaga won the regular season games, on the road.

— Zags. Gonzaga reached its sixth Sweet Sixteen in school history and its first since 2009. It’s only made it to the Elite Eight once, in 1999, and never further.

B12 • THE DAILY WILDCAT

Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

Padawan becomes the master

BY ROBERTO PAYNE The Daily Wildcat

For the second straight round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Sean Miller’s Wildcats have a matchup with an old friend.

Last week, it was Thad Matta’s Ohio State Buckeyes, which the Wildcats defeated 73-58 to advance to the second weekend of postseason play. This week, Miller and the Wildcats have a matchup with Xavier coach Chris Mack and the Musketeers in the Sweet Sixteen.

Before coaching Arizona, Miller was the head man at Xavier for five seasons and guided the Musketeers to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances with Mack as one of his assistants. The two men developed a close relationship, and Mack was tagged as Miller’s replacement after the 2008-09 season.

“Sean’s been instrumental in my career,” Mack said. “He’s always been a mentor, whether it was when I was working for him, with him or now that he’s a couple thousand miles away. There is not a challenge that I don’t bring to him if I’m struggling with something.”

Mack has gone on to win 134 games at Xavier in the six seasons since and has led the Musketeers to five NCAA Tournament appearances in that time.

Meanwhile, Miller has won 162 games at Arizona and guided the Wildcats to the same amount of NCAA Tournament appearances

KYLE HANSEN/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S basketball coach Sean Miller calls a play during Arizona’s 57-34 victory over Oregon State on Jan. 30 in McKale Center. Miller and the Wildcats will face his former pupil Chris Mack’s Xavier team today in the Sweet Sixteen.

over the six-year stretch.

“I’m just so proud of just watching Xavier and Chris,” Miller said in his NCAA press conference on Wednesday. “I mean, this is their third Sweet Sixteen since I left. They’re now

in the Big East Conference. And if anybody thought that trajectory was going to stop in terms of Xavier continuing to elevate itself in the world of college basketball, they’re obviously wrong. I’m proud of just looking at where their program is.”

Mack said coaches like Miller helped make Xavier into the program it is now.

“Guys like Skip Prosser, Thad Matta, Sean, carried the torch and simply elevated the program to new heights,” Mack said in his NCAA

press conference on Wednesday.

“Our fan base has come to expect getting to the NCAA Tournament, and that not even being acceptable, but to advance.”

While they won’t physically take the court, the two men will face off on one of the biggest possible stages: Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Since the Wildcats and Musketeers are in Hollywood, look at the “Star Wars” movies as a point of reference.

One of the major takeaways from the “Star Wars” movies is the Padawan becoming the Master.

Anakin Skywalker overtakes his own Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to become a Sith Lord in the prequel portion of the two trilogies.

In the original portion of the two, Obi-Wan and the newly dubbed Darth Vader fight in the Death Star.

Darth Vader utters the famous line, “The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but the learner; now, I am the master.”

It may be overly dramatic, but in many ways, this is the relationship between Miller and Mack.

Miller is the wily old Master, and Mack is the Padawan looking to overtake him. Mack may not strike Miller down with a lightsaber on today, but it’s safe to say sparks will fly in the City of Angels.

— Follow Roberto Payne @HouseofPayne555

What to do in Los Angeles

BY MATT WALL

The Daily Wildcat

Besides hosting the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games for the West Region, the City of Angels is the perfect destination for those that want to lie out in the sun and enjoy some quality basketball. It’s also great for those who just want a brief vacation or for those just looking to enjoy the city holding Bill Walton’s alma mater.

In addition to supporting Arizona, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Xavier on their road to the Final Four, Los Angeles is the perfect getaway to get out of the

heat and into the water. LA offers miles of beaches open to the public, like Venice Beach.

If you are more into an adrenaline junkie experience, why not take a 45-minute drive to Six Flags Magic Mountain? Magic Mountain offers a 262-acre theme park filled with 19 of the most intense roller coasters money can buy.

Universal Studios Hollywood provides a studio tour that one simply cannot miss. The “entertainment capital of the world” houses Universal Studios, whose tour debuted in 1915. The studio tour is narrated by “The Tonight Show” host

Jimmy Fallon and allows exploration of the backlots of movie studios and King Kong in 3D. No one should forget about Hollywood Boulevard and its celebrity reputation full of stars, literally. The Hollywood Walk of Fame has more than 2,500 stars that bear names of actors, musicians and directors.

Speaking of Hollywood, why not hike around the famous sign seen in a countless number of movies? Griffith Park hosts the hike and offers three different trails.

Rodeo Drive offers shopaholics the avenue of a lifetime. Located in Beverly Hills, “the three blocks of Rodeo Drive are

home to the epicenter of luxury, fashion and lifestyle.”

Finally, if you are looking to be a kid again at heart, venture into Disneyland, which is only about a 40-minute drive from LA. If that isn’t enough to convince you to see the Wildcats in Los Angeles, at least get away from the hustle and bustle of work and take a vacation to the La La Land.

— Follow Matt Wall @mwall20

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Sweet Sixteen • Thursday, March 26, 2015

THE DAILY WILDCAT • B13

BIGGER IS BETTER FOR ARIZONA HOOPS KYLE HANSEN/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S basketball forwards Brandon Ashley (left) and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (right) laugh during a timeout during Arizona’s 80-52 victory over Oregon in the Pac-12 tournament championship game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on March 14. Hollis-Jefferson and Ashley comprise half of Arizona’s starting frontcourt players.

Behind a frontcourt of Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona men’s basketball has a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament

BY MATT WALL

The Daily Wildcat

Arizona men’s basketball’s starting lineup is arguably one of the best in the country and one of the most difficult to match up.

With one guard, three forwards and a center, four of which are 6-foot-7 or taller, Arizona is opposing coaches’ nightmare.

While many have praised the Wildcats’ backcourt this season, the frontcourt has been shining right with them, as the four standouts all have the chance to go to the NBA. Take Arizona’s most deadly weapon, Stanley Johnson, to start with. Former NBA All-Star Reggie Miller even compared “Stanimal” to LeBron James after commenting on a highlight dunk in Arizona’s second round game in the NCAA Tournament.

The comparison is not far off, as Johnson even trash-talked James at his offseason skills camp.

“I’ve never played with a guy as talented as Stanley,” Arizona guard T.J. McConnell said.

“Stanley does it all. The LeBron James comparison — I think Stanley has a long way to go to ever be compared to LeBron James. I know if he works hard, he could have a very long career in

the NBA.” If he executes, Johnson could be the pit bull that Miller has searched for and missed out on in late tournament games over the past couple seasons.

Twice this season, Johnson has struggled shooting, and the Wildcats struggled in turn. But even McConnell believes Johnson might be the answer to Miller’s Final Four dilemma.

“When I first saw him, I was like, ‘There’s no way that kid is a freshman,’” McConnell said to Sports Illustrated. “He’s a genetic freak. I thought he might be the answer to us getting to a Final Four. Then I saw him play and, yep, he’s definitely the answer. I mean, he’s basically unguardable.”

Anchoring the head of the Arizona frontcourt is center Kaleb Tarczewski. The junior center from Claremont, N.H., has improved off the charts over the last three seasons.

His points per game has increased by 2.6 points from his first season, and his physical presence on the boards has improved.

The Wildcat big men are anchored and led by Arizona graduate manager Joseph Blair.

Besides being a comedic clown

off the court, Blair has made more than he does.

Versatile small forward Rondae Tarczweski into the physical Hollis-Jefferson has the ability specimen he is today.

Brandon Ashley has come to score quickly and gets his alive this season after his injury teammates going.

The fourth backup at point that took him out of play against California on February 1, 2014. guard feeds the ball well, and The Pac-12 tournament MOP even when he struggled shooting against Ohio is averaging State, the 16.7 points, 5.7 forward from rebounds and Chester, Pa., 0.9 blocks with could still three 20-point make beautiful games over his behind-thelast seven games, back passes to according to a his teammates. tweet from Arizona “I know I Basketball. rub off on the “We were a man guys; I have short last year that impact on with Brandon them,” Hollisgoing down,” —T.J. McConnell, Jefferson said Miller said to the Airzona point guard after the NCAA Pac-12 Networks.

To u r n a m e n t “Can you imagine win against Brandon playing Texas Southern. like this on last “No matter year’s team, what we could have done? Nobody what, I try to bring that, whether it’s 7 in the morning, 8 at night, I knows that more than him.”

That thought will stick out just try to be the same way. But in Ashley’s mind and may be sometimes, it’s a little tough to the inspiration he needs to rub off on guys when they’re a hear. When you think about the certain way, but I just try my best.”

But Hollis-Jefferson’s real skill recovery process and how long he has remained patient, nobody on the court is his defense.

He has the ability to guard wants to get past the Elite Eight

I’ve never played with a guy as talented as Stanley

pretty much anyone on the floor, from point guards all the way up to power forwards, similar to his former Arizona teammate, Aaron Gordon.

“He’s the type of guy you can put on the floor in the NBA, and [he’ll] guard multiple positions and impact the game on the defensive end without really having to score,” ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said to “The Brad Cesmat Show.” “He will be a valuable piece to a really good team in the NBA.” The last piece of the puzzle to the Arizona frontcourt is Dusan Ristic. Although the Serbian backup center plays only 8.9 minutes per game, he provides another 7-foot player with killer post moves.

These five pieces will be the key to Arizona basketball’s success for the rest of the NCAA Tournament.

Sure, McConnell runs the team at point and shooters like Elliott Pitts and Gabe York will need to make 3-pointers, but this frontcourt can and truly does have the potential to outmaneuver Kentucky.

— Follow Matt Walll @mwall20

Depth key to Arizona’s dominance this season

BY MATT WALL

The Daily Wildcat

REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S basketball guards Elliott Pitts (left) and Gabe York (right) watch as Arizona defeats Texas Southern 93-72 during the Round of 64 in the 2015 NCAA Tournament in Moda Center in Portland, Ore., on March 19. Pitts and York are two of Arizona’s premier bench threats and huge reasons why Arizona has won 33 games so far this season.

Last season, Arizona men’s basketball struggled with bench depth as the season progressed.

Arizona head coach Sean Miller repeatedly went around seven deep at most in many games earlier in the season, which resulted in fatigue when his starters would play almost 40 minutes a game.

In fact, after Arizona’s disappointing loss against ASU last season, Miller said “it’s no fun when only five are playing.”

That problem is gone this season.

Miller and the Wildcats have not only improved their depth on the bench but also won games largely on the contributions of their bench.

That bench depth starts with Gabe York. The junior guard, and former starter, was the key in the victory over Ohio State in the Round of 32 with five 3-pointers and 19 points.

But any Arizona fan already knows that York will knock down big shots when it matters. This season, he averages 22.9 minutes per game and shoots 39 percent from deep.

“He did a great job going in there and knocking down shots,” Arizona center Kaleb Tarczewski said after the OSU game. “When you have guys like Gabe and Elliot [Pitts] and everyone coming off the bench, it makes us such a deeper and better team.”

Following York is Arizona’s other hot shooter: sophomore guard Elliot Pitts.

Pitts provides key shots and is a defensive-minded player. In fact, Miller praised Pitts’ defensive work ethic that he displayed against the

Buckeyes, even sometimes guarding future NBA lottery pick D’Angelo Russell.

“Elliot has some qualities of both Rondae and T.J. [McConnell] defensively,” Miller said. “He’s much taller than T.J. and might even be more laterally quick than Rondae, as hard as that is to believe. But he’s a good third person to be able to mix in, play through foul trouble [and] use our depth.”

With teams like Wisconsin and Kentucky possibly in the Wildcats’ path, York and Pitts will need to be lights out to disrupt defenses.

York’s success on the court could not come at a more perfect time.

As a freshman, he played less than six minutes per game in just 15 games. He could have left and transferred to another program.

Wildcats fans recently saw that move from LSU transfer Craig Victor.

Instead, York has become an Arizona savior overnight and has a chance to play on the Staples Center floor, the court he dreamed about playing on.

“Gabe’s a very good shooter,” Miller said after the OSU victory.

“You know, if you followed us I would say over the last six weeks, you look at his points per game, his minutes per game, he’s really emerged. Tonight was another great example. We needed him and he delivered. He’s really a big, big part of what we’ve done all year long.”

This team is all about delivering, even if it means off the bench.

That’s been the main difference from previous Sean Miller teams to this one.

Backup freshman point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright provides the pass-first mentality that

Arizona needs when McConnell needs a breather. In fact, Jackson-Cartwright’s speed and explosiveness left many defenders struggling throughout the season.

Coming off the bench for Tarczweski are 7-foot Serbian freshman Dusan Ristic and 6-foot10 senior Matt Korcheck. Although Korcheck has seen little action this season, the Tucson native delivered a game-changing dunk against Stanford earlier in the year.

Ristic, on the other hand, has seen as much as 19 minutes this season. The backup center provides an inside threat with a bevy of tricky post moves.

Arizona’s bench has produced in key moments time and time again this season — just ask UCLA. The Wildcats’ bench combined for 27 of the team’s total 57 points in the Feb. 21 game against the Bruins.

After Arizona’s heartbreaking loss to Wisconsin last season, Miller, who has never been to a Final Four, talked about crossing into that unknown world in the future.

“We have to keep doing things the way we’ve been [doing], and one day we will cross that line — I know it,” Miller said after the Elite Eight loss.

That line will be crossed if the Wildcats can continue to rely on their bench down the road. With arguably one of the best starting lineups in college basketball this season, the bench’s play is the key to a National Championship.

— Follow Matt Wall @mwall20

B14 • THE DAILY WILDCAT

Thursday, March 26, 2015

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B8 • THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZIONA’S FINAL FOUR JOURNEY

THE DAILY WILDCAT • B9

3

3

ways to make it, ways to miss it, and the road it took to get there The Wildcats can make the Final Four if the offense continues to play at a high level and the defense stays consistent

TYLER BAKER/THE DAILY WILDCAT

Arizona is talented enough to make the Final Four but could get brought down by a lack of concentration or poor shooting

BYJAMES KELLEY

BY ROBERTO PAYNE

The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

York catches fire

Arizona is supremely talented, but its key could actually be its sixth man. The Wildcats start a center, a power forward, a point guard and two wings. That first five is tremendously talented, but other KYLE HANSEN/THE DAILY WILDCAT than point guard T.J. McConnell, who doesn’t take many jumpers, they lack shooters.

Teams love to play zone against the sometimes offensively challenged Wildcats, and when shooting guard Gabe York can bring three or four 3’s off the bench, the UA is hard to beat. The Wildcats are second in the country in 2-pointers made but 299th in 3-pointers, and yet they are ninth in JORDAN GLENN/THE DAILY WILDCAT

scoring. With more three ball, they would almost be unstoppable.

Johnson goes D-Will

In 2011, in Southern California, former Wildcat forward went HAM in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, almost leading Arizona to the promised land. Derrick Williams scored a career-high 32 points as the Wildcats destroyed Duke 93-77. Then in the Elite Eight, he scored 20 points as the Wildcats came within a bucket of beating eventual national champion UConn. Stanley Johnson, current Arizona forward and Southern California native, is poised for a similar breakout performance in Los Angeles this weekend. Last week, he scored 22 points in the second round, the second most for a UA freshman.

She wants the D

The saying is pretty cliché, but there’s a reason it has endured: Defense wins championships. Arizona is rated second in the country by kenpom.com, one spot ahead of West No. 1 Wisconsin, because of its defense. The Badgers’ adjusted offensive efficiency is first, while their adjusted defensive efficiency is 41st.

Arizona is seventh in offense and third in defense, behind only Kentucky and Virginia. If the Wildcats shut down Xavier and Wisconsin or North Carolina on defense, then their sometimes iffy offense won’t even matter. Defense, playing hard and getting rebounds are things you can always rely on, even if shots aren’t falling.

— Follow James Kelley @jameskelley520

Lack of concentration

Arizona may be 33-3 , but those three losses have all held a common theme: a lack of concentration. The Wildcats lost to lowly teams Oregon State, ASU and UNLV by compounding turnovers with poor shot selection and a generally subpar defense. Even in some of the wins, Arizona puts together a horrible first half and then a dominant second half. Just look at the game against Ohio State on Saturday . Arizona was up by one point at halftime and won by 15 points. That kind of spotty performance can’t happen against Xavier and in the potential revenge game with Wisconsin .

York and Pitts go cold

It’s no secret that Arizona doesn’t have a ton of threats from beyond the arc.

Guards Gabe York and Elliott Pitts are arguably the top two shooters for the Wildcats and have been on a relative hot streak as of late. In particular, York is coming off one of his best games as a Wildcat. Arizona desperately needs both of them to hit shots, especially against zone defenses. Just ask Ohio State how deadly Arizona is when 3-pointers are hitting at a high clip. If York and Pitts go cold, advancing to the Final Four could be a pipe dream for Arizona.

Brandon Ashley fouled out against Ohio State, but the rest of the ’Cats stepped up and shut the door on the Buckeyes.

Having someone like Ashley or Kaleb Tarczewski get into early foul trouble, as they have at times, could be too much to overcome against top talent. Even worse, if T.J. McConnell fouls out, Arizona could easily see its season end. An Arizona team out of foul trouble can go all the way. An Arizona team in foul trouble could lose quickly.

REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT

— Follow Roberto Payne @HouseofPayne555

KYLE HANSEN/THE DAILY WILDCAT

Foul trouble

While Arizona won’t play in front of a full Pac-12 Conference official crew, that doesn’t mean the Wildcats can get cavalier with their personal fouls.

TYLER BAKER/THE DAILY WILDCAT

REBECCA NOBLE/THE DAILY WILDCAT COURTESY OF CHRIS AYERS/THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE

KYLE HANSEN/THE DAILY WILDCAT

11/14 W Mount St. Mary’s

12/6 W Gonzaga

1/28 W Oregon

78-55

66-63

90-56

2/7 L ASU

2/21 W UCLA

2/28 W Utah

3/7 W Stanford

3/14 W 3/21 W Oregon Ohio State

81-78

57-47

63-57

91-69

80-52

73-58