Arizona Wildcats: 30-4, 16-2 in the Pac-12
Head coach: Sean Miller (8th season)
Players to watch: Lauri Markkanen (15.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 43.2 3PT%); Allonzo Trier (17.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG); Kadeem Allen (9.7 PPG, 40.8 3PT%)
Season recap: The Wildcats rolled through the regular season, suffering their only losses against some of the best teams in the nation. After two losses to Butler and then-No. 8 Gonzaga in its first eight games, Arizona ripped off 15 straight wins, including a win at then-No. 3 UCLA, before falling on the road in a rout against regular season conference champion Oregon.
The emergence of Finnish freshman Lauri Markkanen, who can score inside and out and has drawn comparisons to New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis, has carried the team all season. But the return of Allonzo Trier from a PED suspension gave the Wildcats the second primary scorer they desperately needed and helped the team finish tied atop the Pac-12 with the Ducks.
Although Oregon entered the conference tournament as the top seed, Arizona came away with the crown after topping the Ducks 83-80 in the championship game behind 23 points from Trier.
How they make a run: The Wildcats' disciplined defense takes opponents out of rhythm, and Allen hits enough timely perimeter shots to lower the burden on Trier and Markkanen as Arizona gets to return home for a chance to win the national title.
How they falter: With the Wildcats tending to play a bigger lineup, an upset-minded team spreads the court and gets hot from long range, cutting off Arizona's second-chance points and landing an early-round upset to shock the Wildcats.
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