Is This the Year for the Arizona Wildcats?
We are through one week of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and we’ve already seen our share of shockers. (Sorry, Witchita State. We had to.) An assortment of the so-called “blue-bloods” have already fallen on their faces, with the likes of Duke, Kansas and Syracuse–all ranked #2 or higher at some point this season–watching from the miserable confines of their respective dorm rooms. Meanwhile, some fresh faces have shown some grit as well, with North Dakota State, Mercer and Dayton all turning heads during the first weekend. Of course, in these parts, all of these issues pale in comparison to what we’re really wondering at Avondale Nissan in the Phoenix area: Is this the year for the Arizona Wildcats?
It’s now been over fifteen years since Arizona last cut down the nets–all told, the only time they’ve cut down the nets–and their last Final Four appearance, in which they were beat in the championship game, was in 2001, so lets look at three main reasons why this could finally be the year of destiny for the Wildcats.
They didn’t win their own conference championship, and this is a good thing. It’s often argued that, sometimes, a team needs to be beat down the stretch to “get it out of their system,” and that this defeat has a net positive effect. Obviously, Arizona was beat in the Pac-12 Championship by UCLA, leading many to wonder if the ‘Cats were doomed. But not so fast. In their championship season of 1997, they didn’t win the conference tournament. Same story in 2001, when they were national runners-up. In fact, the only time Arizona has won the conference tourney and gone to the Final Four was in 1988.
Sean Miller is no fluke. In some circles, ‘Zona coach Sean Miller is primarily known as just another hothead, but this isn’t one of them. The man is a proven leader. He was a four-year starter at point guard for Pitt. In his first head coaching job at Xavier, he won three Atlantic-10 titles and made the Elite 8. The success at Arizona, while certainly captivating, really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Plus, it might even be genetic–his brother, Archie, is also in the Sweet 16 as coach of Dayton.
They have the two best players, and the best story, left in the tournament. We all know about Aaron Gordon and Nick Johnson, Arizona’s dynamic duo of 17 points-per-game scorers. Slightly less heralded, though no less important, is Brandon Ashley, a sophomore forward who averaged better than 11 ppg before being lost to a torn ligament in his right foot. Costly, yes. But remember Louisville and Kevin Ware last year? After being lost to his grizzly broken leg, Ware became a mascot of sorts for the Cardinals, frequently shown on camera and willing them to a National Championship. Ashley has done the same for Arizona. Deja vu, anyone?
At Avondale Nissan, we’re rooting for the Wildcats along with everyone else. Come see us for all your new and used Nissan needs, or just to simply chest-bump after ‘Zona cuts down the nets.
