The last time Arizona made an appearance in the Final Four was back in 2001, when the three-point line still measured at a high school distance of 19.9 feet. But the Wildcats are in a prime position to slay old tournament demons across the next couple of weeks, entering this year's March Madness as a No. 1 seed in the South Region.
Of course, there are some concerns about Arizona's title drought continuing. During the Pac-12 tournament this past weekend, star point guard Kerr Kriisa suffered an ankle injury -- his status for the opening round remains uncertain. Luckily for the Wildcats, their high-powered offense won the conference title without Kriisa. And whether or not he plays this weekend, CBS Sports college hoops insider Jon Rothstein expects another star guard to own the spotlight.
"I think Bennedict Mathurin is a player who's going to explode like a volcano over the next three weeks," Rothstein told The DA Show on Monday. "I know many college basketball fans are aware of Mathurin, but he has the ability to captivate a country over the next six games. It wouldn't shock me if he does what Dwyane Wade did in the 2003 Elite Eight -- when he got a triple-double on Kentucky with 29, 11, and 11. Mathurin is ready to explode like a volcano."
Mathurin, who earned Pac-12 Player of the Year honors this season, led the Wildcats in average points scored (17.4), and also averaged a team-high 30.1 minutes and 5.6 rebounds across 34 games. The 19-year-old is also a finalist for the John Wooden Award, given to the country's most outstanding player, and with his scoring ability, Arizona ranked third in the nation in points (84.6) and field-goal percentage (49.6).
This year's edition of March Madness starts on Tuesday, with the traditional 'First Four' games in Dayton. Arizona's journey to the Final Four will begin on Friday, in a first-round matchup against the winner of Wright State and Bryant. According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Wildcats (31-3) currently have a 33-percent chance to make the Final Four in New Orleans and an 8-percent chance to win the national title.
The entire March Madness conversation between Rothstein and DA can be accessed in the audio player above.
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