Typically, the team that poses the biggest threat in March Madness, is one that was ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll. However, this year there was a team that was not projected to finish ranked or even at the top of their conference, may be the most dangerous team come March. 

That team is the Arizona Wildcats, the currently seventh-ranked team in the nation, just flexed their skill over the third ranked UCLA Bruins. At the beginning of the season, these two teams were projected to be drastically different. UCLA was ranked second, supposed to finish first in the Pac-12, and make a potential return to the Final Four come early April. Arizona on the other hand, was unranked, supposed to finish sixth in the Pac-12, and was not expected to make the tournament.

So what makes this Arizona team so dangerous? A high-powered offense with players like Kerr Kriisa, Azuolas Tubelis, and Dalen Terry, all led by a potential top-10 pick in next year’s NBA Draft: Bennedict Mathurin. This offense leads the nation in scoring and is highly efficient from the field, especially from behind the three-point arc. This efficiency is a product of what head coach Tommy Lloyd learned from Gonzaga head coach Mark Few when Lloyd coached alongside him.

Alongside this high-octane offense, Arizona has some standout defenders in Christian Koloko, Oumar Ballo, and once again Bennedict Mathurin. They protect the rim extremely well, while being very strong at forcing tough shots from the outside. The Wildcats also are the top rebounding team in the nation; whether it be production from the front court or the back court on the glass, it’s a team effort to out rebound their opponents.

The biggest flaw in their game is that they are an inconsistent free-throw shooting team, which can create nightmares for programs come March. One of the most recent examples being the Alabama Crimson Tide last season, a team that played very similarly to this Arizona team and lost to UCLA primarily due to a poor performance from the free-throw line in the Sweet 16. However, a team with this many veterans will more than likely step up in the big moment and knock down the clutch free throws when they need to.

As soon as the brackets are released, I recommend looking for the Wildcats, because they very well may be the team that helps you win your pools this year.