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The Arizona Wildcats have continued to march up the NCAA men's basketball standings. They are heating up at just the right time.
Arizona was ranked 17th in the country during the preseason. After a strong stretch of performances, the Wildcats have improved to a 13-1 record on the season.
Arizona has climbed up to fifth place in the latest NCAA Basketball rankings. The Wildcats have some impressive victories on their resume. That includes a 89-75 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers on December 10 and a 75-70 win over the Tennessee Volunteers on December 17.
After teams such as Purdue and UConn suffered recent losses, Arizona could be climbing the rankings once again. That's what college basketball analyst Andy Katz believes as well. Katz praised the team during a recent media appearance. He believes that the Wildcats should be the number one team in the country.
“The Wildcats should be the No. 1 team in the country. This is a national title contender.”
Arizona Wildcats climbing the rankings in College Basketball
It's been an impressive start to the season for Arizona. Now it looks like they could be trending towards becoming the number one ranked team in the country.
Arizona wasn't expected to be a title contender after the 2021-22 NCAA season. A number of key players left the team to pursue an NBA career. Those players include Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin, Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko, and Chicago Bulls guard Dalen Terry.
Arizona has a deep roster that features a number of veteran players. They have a dangerous frontcourt combination that has given opposing teams fits on a nightly basis. It starts with junior big man Azuolas Tubelis. The skilled center is having a sensational season and is in the conversation for the player of the year.
Tubelis is averaging 20.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this season. He isn't alone. Junior center Oumar Ballo has also become a force for Arizona this season. Ballo is averaging 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds. He is dominating in the paint due to his strength.
With head coach Tommy Lloyd running the show, Arizona is looking like one of the deepest teams in the country. They hope to keep their momentum going as they head into the new year.
They are set to face the Washington Huskies at the McKale Center on Thursday. Tip off is sceduled for 9:00pm MST.
