Arizona's Path to Final Four

0:00On March 19th, Arizona enters the NCAA tournament as the clear favor to win the West Region with odds at minus 125. That's well ahead of Purdue at plus 360. Experts see the Wildcats as a top contender for the national title, boasting strong play on both ends of the court. The West Region packs serious scoring punch, home to five of the nation's 11 most efficient offenses. First round picks favor chalk mostly, like number one Arizona over number 16 Long Island, number nine Utah State, upsetting number eight, Villanova, and number two. Purdue handling number 15, Queens easily. Arizona fans remain cautious after years of disappointment. Since 2001, the team grabbed three number one seeds in five number twos, but never reached the final four from those spots. Pass runs ended in tough losses to lower seeds. Deeper into the bracket, predictions have Arizona advancing past Utah State, then Arkansas in the sweet 16, thanks to elite back court defense.

1:03Gonzaga edges Purdue to set up an elite eight clash where the Wildcats prevail. This squad stands out with balance scoring and no major flaws, putting Arizona in a top tier with teams like Duke and Michigan. For the first time in 25 years, the final four calls for the Wildcats.