No. 12 California | No. 14 Indiana | Full List
No. 13: ARIZONA WILDCATS
Last Season: 34-4, 16-2 Pac-12
Perhaps 2015-16 can offer Sean Miller a chance to breathe. As he has been reminded to the point of extreme annoyance, Arizona has lost in the Elite Eight four times in Miller's six seasons as coach. The two most recent defeats, back-to-back Wisconsin heartbreaks, ended campaigns comprising 67 wins and back-to-back Pac-12 titles -- seasons freighted, from start to finish, with stratospheric expectations.
In March, after the latest, Miller said he wasn't "going to apologize for being 34-4, and I'm not going to apologize for not making the Final Four."
The 2015-16 Wildcats are unlikely to require that kind of postgame press premise. With Cal on the rise, Arizona might (gasp!) not even be the Pac-12 favorite. Kaleb Tarczewski is the only remaining starter. Miller will be assembling a rotation from role players, reserves, freshmen and transfers. It feels like a fresh start, free from the crushing pressure of the past two seasons.
And yet the pieces here -- from Boston College transfer Ryan Anderson to elite prospect Allonzo Trier -- could become every bit the Final Four threat their predecessors represented and an ironic, unexpected reminder of Miller's status as one of the game's very best coaches. -- Eamonn Brennan
Best Case: Under Sean Miller, the Wildcats have a program that doesn't take steps back. Even though Arizona lost its top four scorers from last season, including a reliable point guard and leader, and two NBA first-rounders, Arizona will have the talent to compete for the Pac-12 title. Arizona will again do it with defense, rebounding and attacking the lane. Last season, the Wildcats had the second-best rebound percentage in the country and best among major conference teams, and were in the top 10 in free throw rate. Arizona wouldn't be the first team to reach a Final Four the year after it was expected. But, bank on Arizona reaching another second weekend of the NCAA tournament.
Worst Case: Freshman Allonzo Trier is expected to be a load carrier, but if he is not quite ready, and if Kadeem Allen and Ryan Anderson do not step forward after their transfer seasons, Arizona could take awhile to find the identity Miller demands. Arizona will be good, but to be great there has to be offensive production. One can see where Arizona may have some tough nights scoring. If that happens, a middle-of-the-road seed and an early tournament exit are possible.
"They don't have as many big names, but they can still win the Pac-12. They have Kaleb Tarczewski back in the middle and have a couple of transfers in Ryan Anderson and (Dusan) Ristic. I think they'll be better offensively with Allonzo Trier, but I think they will struggle defensively -- and the key for them is whether Parker Jackson-Cartwright is good enough to be the primary point guard on a Pac-12 title team."
No. 12 California | No. 14 Indiana | Full List
