Arizona fans have been waiting far too long for a chance to see their Wildcats back in the Final Four. And with impressive as the Wildcats’ regular season was, it’s easy to get excited about the possibility of ending the 25-year-long drought and returning to the promise land. Because while we all have to take things one game at a time, there is something that feels different and special about this Arizona team. The combination of veteran leadership, youth and energy from Arizona’s trio of freshmen, and a head coach that is really finding this stride have Tucson buzzing in a way it hasn’t in quite sometime.
But if we strip things back, what is really driving that excitement? It’s not just that Jaden Bradley always comes up clutch when he’s needed, or that Brayden Burries and Koa Peat are part of one of the most dynamic freshman classes college basketball has ever witnessed. Through a gauntlet of a regular season, which included ranked wins over Florida, UCLA, UConn, Auburn, Alabama, and Kansas, as well as BYU, Iowa State, and Houston twice, two key differentiators are helping the Wildcats standout amongst the field of 68. The Arizona Wildcats have a real shot at cutting down the nets on April 6 in Indianapolis, largely in part thanks to the balance and maturity they plays with.
Can balanced basketball bring home a banner?
Unlike so many of the nation’s top teams, Arizona’s balance gives it a luxury heading into March – players can have an off night and the Wildcats can still win. Because it really is a seven-headed snake for Tommy Lloyd and his staff. All five starters average double figures, led by freshman Brayden Burries, who is scoring 15.9 points per game. Koa Peat averages 13.6 points, Jaden Bradley averages 13.3 points, Motiejus Krivas scores 10.5 points per game, and Ivan Kharchekov averages 10.1 points. Off the bench, Tobe Awaka is averaging nearly a double-double with 9.4 points and 9.5 rebounds, while Anthony Dell’Orso averages 9.0 points.
Balance isn’t just having five players averaging double figures. It’s having any player be able to go off for 25-30 points per night, while seemingly always keeping the Wildcats in the fight. Look no further than the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City a week ago. Brayden Burries was under the weather dealing with allergies/illness in the win over Iowa State and scored just three points after setting a career-high with 31 points in the final game of the regular season at Colorado. For most teams, your leading scorer finishing with three points usually is not a recipe for success. Instead of faltering, Anthony Dell’Orso stepped up and had the best game of his career in Tucson, scoring 26 points while knocking down six 3-pointers.
When Arizona was short-handed against BYU, Houston, and Baylor after back-to-back losses at Kansas and against Texas Tech, it was once again Anthony Dell’Orso, in combination with Ivan Kharchenkov, who put the team on their backs. Dell’Orso and Kharchenkov averaged 17.3 points and 14.0 points per game, respectively, during that three-game stretch, spurring a nine-game winning streak to end the season.
While we all hope Arizona’s players set six consecutive career highs over the next three weeks, Wildcat Nation should feel some relief knowing that if a player or two need some adjusting to the NCAA Tournament, one of their teammates likely has their back.
Can maturity carry the Wildcats through the Madness?
On top of Arizona having eight starters, as many including ESPN College GameDay’s Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg have said, the Wildcats are wise and experienced beyond their years. Per Brian Pedersen of AZ Desert Swarm, this is the first time 2000 Arizona will start three freshmen in an NCAA Tournament game. So while the Wildcats’ top two scorers are freshmen in Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, and Ivan Kharchenkov brings with him seven years of professional experience from across the pond with FC Bayern Munich, the trio certainly don’t look or play like it.
“I’m a freshman class wise, I’m not a freshman basketball wise,” said Kharchenkov following Selection Sunday ahead of his first NCAA Tournament.
The lights have yet to be too bright for Arizona’s freshmen. They aren’t afraid of the moment or phased by the competition, and handle each and every opponent, from NAU to Houston, with the same level of intensity and preparation. And just as important, if not more important, is the ability for Arizona to handle in-game situations with poise and control.
“This group’s really steady. This is not a group that gets too high or too low,” said Tommy Lloyd on Thursday in San Diego. “And one thing we always talk about is, like, putting ourselves in position to be in position. And how do you do that? Well, you usually do it by executing a bunch of simple things effectively over time. Then that’s what builds the platform for runs, is being able to do that.
We don’t want to be a team that’s overreactive to anything good or bad, and so I just think having that steadiness and having competitive players — and you get down in some games and you just kind of take a breath and say, okay, let’s figure out a way to claw back in this game. We don’t need to panic. And then let’s get the game close enough to give ourselves a chance to figure it out as we go.”
Down the stretch of the season, the Wildcats handled blow after blow from their opponents. Teams tried to make runs and fight their way back into games, and while some were successful, no one succeeded in taking down Arizona during its the final nine games of the regular season.
Look no further than the Kansas game at McKale, when the Jayhawks cut the UA lead to two-points with under 13 minutes to play, before the Wildcats responded with a 16-0 run to secure the victory and clinch a share of the Big 12 regular season title. Or in the Big 12 Tournament, when Arizona rebounded from a 14-2 deficit in the semifinal game to advance past Iowa State. Even in the championship game in Kansas City, Arizona once again weathered the storm, ending Houston’s 14-0 run with a Brayden Burries and-one and not allowing the Cougars to take the lead late in the second half.
Nothing is guaranteed in March. But Arizona has aced just about every test its has been thrown this season. If Arizona continues to play like they have, with balance and maturity, it could be a very exciting few weeks for Wildcat fans. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the Madness!