Arizona enters the NCAA Tournament with 32 wins, two losses and the expectation from the Wildcats' fan base to make the Final Four. Arizona begins its potential Final Four run against 16th-seeded Long Island on Friday at 10:35 AM at Viejas Arena in San Diego on TNT.
If chalk holds, Arizona would play eighth-seed Villanova in the second-round, fourth-seed Arkansas in the West Regional Semifinal in San Jose and Purdue in the regional title game. Arkansas and Purdue would be significant challenges for Arizona in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas has the best player in the West Regional, who can carry his team in point guard Darius Acuff. Acuff averages 22.9 points per game, 3.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists. Acuff carried Arkansas to the SEC Tournament championship, averaging 30.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 7.7 APG and 1.3 steals on 43.5 percent from the field and 50.0 percent on three-point attempts.
Purdue point guard Braden Smith is two assists shy of passing former Duke point guard Bobby Hurley for the all-time record. Smith currently has 1,075 assists this season. Purdue began the season as the number one-ranked team nationally. The Boilermakers are currently ninth in the NET ratings and eighth in KenPom.
2025 NCAA Tournament Odds - West Region
— Will Warren (@statsbywill) March 16, 2025
odds via KenPom pic.twitter.com/C8mD0KePgx
Other potential roadblocks
Three other teams to watch in the West Region are fifth-seed Wisconsin, third-seeded Gonzaga and sixth seed BYU. Arkansas and Wisconsin in the second-round is a potentially intriguing game with the winner playing Arizona if the Wildcats win their first two NCAA Tournament games.
Arizona swept BYU during the regular season in Big XII play. BYU lost high-scoring starting guard Richie Saunders for the season last month. Freshman forward A.J. Dybantsa could carry BYU in the NCAA Tournament. BYU plays Texas and Sean Miller in the first round, with Gonzaga the likely second-round opponent.
Wisconsin has an elite offense, averaging 83.0 PPG, ranks in the top 10 nationally in three-point shots attempted and made while shooting 36.1 percent beyond the arc. The Badgers are led by the high-scoring backcourt of Nick Boyd (20.6 PPG) and John Blackwell (19.0 PPG).
Gonzaga is fast-paced, leading the nation in field goal attempts and two-point field goal attempts per game. The Bulldogs are led by forwards Graham Ike (19.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 2.4 APG) and Braden Huff (17.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 1.5 APG). Huff is injured and not expected to return before the West Regional Semifinals.