Arizona Basketball: Taking The Under Dog Mindset

Arizona Basketball is carrying a new mindset into the 2018-19 season, as the Wildcats’ roster is of full questions and uncertainty.

What happens when you go from being “Hunted” to becoming the “Hunter”? What happens when you take a group of hungry college basketball players and tell them “You are not good enough” or “You will be watching March Madness from the comfort of your couch”. And to top it off, a coach who is has a fire in his belly that burns brighter and hotter then ever after being wrongly accused by the “Worldwide Leader In Sports”. Welcome to the 2018-2019 Arizona Basketball Season!

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Freshly off their interviews with the media, we as a fan base finally got a taste of the personality this team will carry into the season. From the sounds of it, this team is not buying into the narrative that the national media has set for them.

It is as if they have taken what the so called experts have said about them and posted it in the locker room for everyone to see. That must be one cluttered bulletin board as opinions continue to fly around the program.

Keep adding the fuel to fire national media, because the Arizona Wildcats are itching to prove everybody wrong. The sensation of knocking off the top dogs when no-one else believed that you could is a feeling that could carry over into helping create a memorable season.

One of those guys who was not shy about this new mentality was Alex Barcello. As he feels that he loves the ‘everybody being against them’. This team will walk into plenty of tough environments as they head back to Maui to face very tough tests early on. Not to mention any game on the road in the PAC-12 provides its own unique challenges.

As for his teammate Dylan Smith, he echoes the same mindset and looks to have a breakout year. With the deadly outside shooting, a full summer in the weight room and an opportunity for more playing time, it is tee’d up for Dylan to have a breakout year.

https://twitter.com/shift_smith10/status/1020515258727710722

Even as a new comer Chase Jeter, he speaks highly of the teammates that he has gotten to know, while sitting out last year. Chase believes that there is a group of guys in the locker room that are capable of filling up the stat sheet. This type of belief in teammates can lead to trusting them in key situations and having a team chemistry that is unmatched.

The message stayed the same, as Brandon Randolph took to the mic. He mentioned that being an underdog is nothing to new him. With that being said, he fully embraces the mentality heading into the season. Just like his teammate Dylan Smith, Brandon is looking to have a breakout year. Brandon has all the tools to be an impact player next year, and his sophomore year could be the stage needed in order to make an even bigger name for himself.

In order to accomplish something great, one has to step out of their comfort zone. That is exactly what this Arizona Basketball team is being forced to do. While many doubt that we can even make it to the “Dance”, there is a group of guys in that Arizona locker room who have something to say about it.

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At Zona Zealots, we are excited to see how this performs this season, and can’t wait to see them take to the court. Bear Down, Arizona!