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Arizona Basketball: Men’s and women’s teams both ranked in AP Top 25

By David Rosen

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 5: Arizona Wildcats mascots Wilbur the Wildcat and Wilma The Wildcat pose during the game between the Arizona Wildcats and the USC Trojans on December 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Arizona won 21-17. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 5: Arizona Wildcats mascots Wilbur the Wildcat and Wilma The Wildcat pose during the game between the Arizona Wildcats and the USC Trojans on December 5, 2009 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Arizona won 21-17. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) /
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Arizona Basketball has been taking the country by force as both the men’s and women’s teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.

It’s been 15 years since both the men’s and women’s Arizona Basketball teams have been ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll in the same season. In the latest AP Top 25 Poll, the men remain steady at No.14 and the women are ranked No.24. Both of these programs have been on a roll this season and have been dominating their opponents!

Each is undefeated at 6-0 and looking unstoppable at this point. Both have won the majority of the games by large margins. A large part of that has been how explosive both are on offense from long range and in the paint. The defense has been stellar too for both squads.

Heading into the 2019-20 season, the men were preseason ranked No.19 in the AP Top 25 poll and the women weren’t ranked at all. Fast forward almost a month into the college basketball season the men have climbed up four spots to No.14 and the women move into the No.24 spot.

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For the men’s team, expectations were a lot higher heading into the season and have exceeded them early in the season. For the women’s team after coming off a WNIT Championship and selling out McKale Center, they have been on a roll, confidence is at an all-time high.

Lead by junior guard Aari McDonald, one of the top scorers in the nation, the women are stacked full of talent. Her and Nico Mannion though are the two leaders for their respective teams and part of the reason why each team has been so successful early on.

The highlight for them so far this season was a 25 point against, at the time, No.22 ranked Texas on the road. McDonald scored a school-record 44 points as the Wildcats demolished the Longhorns. Like the men’s team, they have about a month’s left of non-conference season left before they open up Pac-12 play against the ASU Sun Devils in Tempe.

What head coach Adia Barnes has done since she took over for the women’s program has been remarkable. The six-game win streak they are currently on is the best start in 20 years. Winning a WNIT championship, selling out McKale Center, bringing in highly talented freshman for this season and next, and getting people really excited about women’s basketball in Tucson, hats off to Barnes!

Up next for the men’s team is the Wooden Legacy Classic, where they face off against former associate head coach Lorenzo Romar. Being the first trip away from home will be interesting to see how Sean Miller’s team to respond. Then later next month they have a couple of big games including Baylor on the road and Gonzaga at home before they begin conference play as well against the Sun Devils.

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At Zona Zealots, we are extremely proud of both of these programs in the seasons they are having so far. Two teams ranked inside the AP Top 25, what a great time to be an Arizona Wildcat fan. As always, Bear Down, Arizona.

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