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Zona Zealots Roundtable: Arizona Basketball’s Quest for an NCAA Tournament 1 Seed

By Zachary Benz

Dec 14, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller looks to the scoreboard during the second half against the Grand Canyon Lopes at McKale Center. Arizona won 64-54. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller looks to the scoreboard during the second half against the Grand Canyon Lopes at McKale Center. Arizona won 64-54. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /
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What is the path for Arizona Basketball to get to a One-Seed in the NCAA Basketball Tournament? Our Contributors debated the answer to this question.

Arizona Basketball (25-3, 14-1 Pac-12) is currently ranked 4th in the AP Top 25 as they welcome USC and UCLA into McKale Center this weekend. Ken Pomeroy, who uses an advanced analysis of college basketball to create his own rankings, has Arizona ranked 21st.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, whose Bracketology predicts the participants and seeding for the NCAA Tournament, projects Arizona to be a two seed in the Midwest region, with Kansas being a one seed in that region. The Cats found themselves in a similar situation back in March of 2015, when they were assigned the two seed in the West and were defeated by Wisconsin in the Elite Eight for the second straight year.

With this in mind, Zona Zealots discussed what it would take for Arizona to get a one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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David Rosen

For Arizona to get a one seed, they need to win out the regular season and the Pac-12 Tournament. Oregon will need to lose once in the regular season and once again in the Pac-12 Tournament. Even if that were to happen, it would still be hard for Arizona to get the one seed with the blowout loss to Oregon.

Eric Townsend

Yeah, I know what you mean Dave, but honestly, I think if Arizona wins out, including the Pac-12 Tournament, they will be the one seed in the South. There are really no elite teams in that region this year. It’ll be a wild card one seed.

I mean, Kentucky is the best in that region this year, and they’re fluttering a little. Maybe Baylor, and that’s if they win the Big 12. Preferably I’d want a two in the west with UCLA and Oregon, not in our region. Gonzaga as the one, I’d take it!

 

Peggy McClain

Well, I’ll be Debbie Downer. I just don’t live in “what-ifs” anymore for a variety of reasons. There is WAY too much basketball left. We are in the tough Pac-12, closing out the season and getting through the Pac-12 Tournament without a loss will be difficult for all of the contenders.

There can be no key injuries or illnesses. This weekend is huge, but don’t overlook ASU. It will be Senior Day, the Curtain of Distraction is effective, and they have nothing else to take away from this season except a win over us. ASU played Oregon in Eugene way better than we did, so, I go back to one game at a time. 1997 was not our year on paper, 1988 was, as were several other years.

So no predictions here. My hope is at least play well and stay healthy and let the chips (and free throws) fall where they may. Bear Down!

Zachary Benz

I honestly don’t think any Pac-12 team has a great shot at a one seed. Any Pac-12 team would almost have to win out to be considered for a top seed in any region. Arizona is in the best position to earn a one seed because they control their own destiny. If the Cats win out, it would be awfully hard to keep a 31-3, undisputed (regular season and tournament) conference champion Arizona team off the 1 line.

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Arizona would have to lose again for Oregon to be considered because Arizona’s conference championship would be more important to the committee than the head to head matchup in Eugene in early February. Oregon would have to win out, probably including another win over Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament.

UCLA would probably also need to win out and win the tournament to sniff a one seed, but when it comes down to Selection Sunday unless Gonzaga loses, they have the West 1 seed locked up. Like Eric said, maybe, maybe, maybe, the committee might send a second west coast team as a one seed in the South, but the selection committee typically favors anyone, not on the west/best coast, so Baylor would probably still get that South 1 seed.

Kevin Jiang

Cats fans all know that the early-December loss to Gonzaga in Los Angeles was not indicative of this team’s talent as they were without PJC and Trier. That being said, that loss will haunt the Cats because they do not control their own destiny en route to the coveted one seed out West.

If the Zags win out, that seed belongs to them. That being said, I do feel as though the Cats can play well enough down the stretch against the LA schools at home, at ASU, and in Vegas for the Pac-12 Tourney to become the best #2 seed and earn a spot in the West region, pairing them up with the weakest #1 seed in Gonzaga. The committee wants a rematch out West, and I say let’s run this one back in March.

Shereen Rayan

As Brad Allis tells me, I don’t get how this works because I asked how does the No. 4 seed in the AP Poll end up being a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament? I get it, there are different people voting on different criteria, but let’s straighten this out. Shouldn’t they all be using the same criteria to make either ranking relevant? Hmm, ponder that.

That said, just make Gonzaga a one seed, and put Arizona in the same bracket as Gonzaga as a two seed, and I am happy. Final four will be plausible for Arizona who lost by less than ten points to Gonzaga without Allonzo Trier. The Zags have also been playing in a non-competitive division, so the only real test they have had thus far is Arizona.

If Arizona wins out, then they should be a one-seed, two-seed at the very least plain and simple, but what do I know?

Must Read: Shareef O’Neal absolutely has Arizona Basketball on his FINAL list of schools

Let’s have a great last two home games for 2017 and Bear Down!

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