For the first time all season, the Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team (12-6, 3-2) is nowhere to be found in ESPN’s Bracketologist Joe Lunardi NCAA Tournament predictions.
The Wildcats have been getting the cold shoulder from the polls for weeks but Lunardi had continued to support Arizona…even if it was as one of the first four teams out.
After losing to Oregon over the weekend any favor the Wildcats stood to gain with their Thursday night overtime victory against the Beavers of Oregon State was lost.
With just one Pac-12 team on each of the poll’s radars, any wins Arizona picks up from here on out besides against California or Stanford won’t matter much.
That also means no more losses or the Wildcats will officially be forced to do things the hard way.
Translation, Arizona will have to battle it out in the Pac-12 tournament with 11 other teams not getting into the madness without a deep run in the conference tourney.
Inches from hitting the panic button, the Wildcats are on the road this week making stops in Utah (4-13, 1-4) on Thursday and Colorado (11-6, 3-2) on Saturday.
Obviously a loss to the Utes would make for a championship or bust scenario, so assuming Arizona can handle four-win Utah, the following game against the Buffaloes should set up as a must win for two teams in the middle of the pack trying to avoid falling any further in the standings.
Colorado is 9-1 at home this season.
The Wildcats are just 3-4 away from McKale Center on the year.
AP Poll: NR (NR LW)
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll: NR (NR LW)
Sagarin: 64th – 80.94 (61st – 81.35 LW)
Kenpom: 54th – .804 (45th – .825 LW)
RPI: Mid 60s (High 50s LW)
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