SALT LAKE CITY — The self-appointed bracketologists across the nation all requested a query that permeated all through the realm of school basketball earlier than this yr’s NCAA Match began: can we belief Arizona?
March hasn’t precisely been type to probably the most storied applications within the sport in recent times. Regardless of constantly having a roster worthy of deep, significant runs within the event, Arizona has seen its postseason goals upended by the hands of upper seeds.
A yr in the past, it was as a No. 2 seed to No. 15 Princeton.
In 2018, it was as a No. 4 seed in opposition to No. 13 Buffalo.
These No. 2 Wildcats have handed the take a look at, at the least by way of the primary two rounds of this March. Whereas they nonetheless have inquiries to reply about whether or not they are often trusted to make this March memorable, Arizona superior to the Candy 16 within the West Area Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake Metropolis with a 78-68 win over No. 10 Dayton.
Arizona will face the winner of No. 3 Baylor and No. 6 Clemson in Los Angeles subsequent week.
The Wildcats toppled the Flyers with a balanced strategy from a lot of its key rotational gamers. They proved they’re much greater than The Caleb Love Present. 4 gamers scored in double figures, led by Love, who completed with a team-high 19 factors after a stellar first half (5-of-7 from the sector) was adopted by an ice-cold second (1-of-8).
With Love’s shot off, guards Pelle Larsson, Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis helped gasoline a second-half run that saved a determined Dayton group at bay. After the Flyers lower the Arizona result in inside three halfway by way of the second half, Larsson and Lewis fueled a swift 7-0 run to place a cushty distance between Arizona and Dayton. The trio additionally pestered Dayton’s All-American with their assist protection on Flyers star DaRon Holmes II.
Holmes II, the co-Atlantic 10 Participant of the Yr, was a standout with a game-high 23 factors and 11 rebounds.