Jason Scheer, Arizona Wildcats insider

0:00It's our biggest investment, the roof over our heads. That's why at Cossack LVC, we went with America roofing Arizona's 2025 roofing contractor of the year. Yep, Arizona's biggest and best plus saved 12% at America roofingco.com. Yeah, Arizona turns on the jets in the second half Saturday, 4826 demolition of Purdue. They went by 15. They are headed to the final four in Indianapolis, as you heard Berndji say for the first time in a quarter century here to talk more about the wild cats and their quest for a title, senior editor and publisher from Wildcat, authority.com, Jason Sheer, our guest here on the Arizona sports line. Jason, they say the time today we appreciate it. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it, guys. What was the anxiety level that you were able to gauge at half time of that game? Purdue played a really good first half. They were shooting it well. What was the anxiety level at half time on Saturday? Yeah, I mean, it was pretty high. I mean, Arizona fans, you know, they've been in this position before and not able to kind of get over the hump since 2000 and a while, you

1:04know, and so it was like, here we go again. We're so close to the final four. We're not playing well, you know, Purdue is playing great. Like you could feel it in the building, but also I think that, you know, it wasn't as bad as it could have been because there was going to have been this position before throughout the season and showing that they kind of fight their way out of it. All right. So what do you think that victory? Obviously, the goal is to win a championship but to break through that barrier that has been so elusive for 25 years, you could feel it here in the valley. What do you think it means for the fan base of the Wildcats in general? You know, it's funny a lot that you know, obviously that the players are young and a lot of people surrounding the program are young and, you know, in the locker room, one of the trainers that have been there for a while looks at me and goes, you guys have no idea how much this means to tease on. And they really, and they really don't. I mean, you know, they get back at one 15 in the morning and there were, there were thousands, you know, a couple thousand people waiting for them just to get off the bus. And then, you know, there were people, a very emotional in the stands in San Jose. It just means a ton.

2:09I mean, you know, it's Arizona, you know, this, this city revolves around Arizona basketball and there's been so many times that it's been, you know, it's been really close and kind of ripped away. And so to be able to get over that hump at the first time in 25 years, we've a lot to a lot of people. Jason Scheer, senior editor and publisher of wildcat authority.com, our guest here on Bickley Marotta mornings in myself, my viewing of watching Arizona play this year, it's really hard to come up with any weakness. I know people pointed out the three point shooting. But when you look at their three point shooting in the tournament, Jason, they're shooting at 43% six highest percentage of any team in the tournament. Raiden Burries is shooting it at a ridiculous 68% rate. So I think you can eliminate that as a weakness. What's the closest thing you found this season to a weakness on Arizona that could be exploited if anything? You know, there isn't a clear weakness. And because like, like you mentioned with the shooting, I mean, everyone has set up. You just have to make Arizona shoot threes and

3:09don't let them scored inside. But as if it's easy, like a lot of teams have tried that and they, they haven't been able to do it. The closest to doing it with Kansas, because they have two two super athletic bags. They basically put four guys in the paint and they did a very, very good job defensively. You know, Texas Tech, to what people have heard for the second half. So I don't think Arizona has a clear weakness. I think if you can do it, if you have the personnel, you'd rather Arizona, you know, try to force them into shooting threes because once they get in the paint, it's usually going in or they're drawing a foul. But it's so much easier said than done. That, you know, really, you know, there's foul trouble. I guess it'd be a weakness if you could get their cards and foul trouble. But again, like teams just haven't been able to do it. Tommy Lloyd raised some eyebrows at Postgame when he mentioned that there's going to be another great coach after me at Arizona. Was it, you know, people were wondering, okay, is this his way of preparing to say goodbye? Others are thinking, no, he's just using his leverage in a very smart way.

4:09Obviously, this would be a great week to get a contract extension done before you get to Indianapolis. But how real do you think this North Carolina threat is at the moment, Jason? Yeah, I mean, first of all, with that, with that quote, you know, I think that the version that's traveling online is kind of out of contact. He was basically asked, you know, you were talking about how important basketball was to Tucson and basically said, look, it was lit. It was Sean Miller. It was me and Tucson loves basketball so much that when I go, it'll still be successful. Whatever that is. You know, he's real like there they, I believe that he is the top guy on their list, along with with Billy Donovan and Dusty May. I think those are the three based of what I've heard. You know, I'm sure there's mutual interest because the reality is, you know, Arizona fans probably don't want to hear those when when UNC calls, you have to listen. You don't have to take the job, but you got to listen to it when a place like UNC calls you. I don't think an extension gets done until after the tournament. I think whatever happens,

5:11whether it's UNC or in staying in Arizona will happen pretty quickly, including the portal opens the day after the national title game. So I think we'll know by, let's just say the end of next week, what's going to happen with this? My gut says he's staying in Arizona, but I know for that that UNC is going to make a push here, whatever, you know, the NCAA tournaments over for Arizona. Jason, share our guests as we talk while cap basketball this morning, while cats head back to the final four to take on Michigan. And if there is a team in the country and it's Michigan and Arizona have been two of the top teams all season long, but Michigan doesn't look at Arizona and say, wow, we can't match up there and vice versa. Michigan or Arizona saying the same thing about Michigan out. I know it's early and I know it's going to be a week long preview, basically, Jason, but how are you shaping up this this match up? And a lot of people are calling this the de facto national championship game. Yeah, I mean, it's about as good as a non-title game as you can get. These teams have run through

6:12their schedule. They've run through the NCAA tournament. They're both built pretty similar with multiple bigs. It is a well-coached focus. It is a very, very good match up. The only it's been as I see for either team is I think Arizona has better guards. I think they have significantly better guards with Bradley and Burys versus, you know, Kadoa and Burmette. But they have to show it, right? Like so, if their guard play is able to beat better than Michigan, I think Arizona has a really good chance in this game. If the guard play is even, I think Arizona's probably a little bit of trouble. All right, last question for me. What do you make of the team's ability in the clutch? I go back to the big 12 championship game. That thing was slipping away and they found a way to kind of get their grass back on that game. You've seen it, you know, in this tournament being down seven and being smart enough to attack and get to the rim. Your thoughts on how this team operates inside all that pressure that has been so problematic

7:13for teams over the past 25 years. It's one of the closest teams I've been around. I mean, everybody on the team likes each other. There's been no team drama, the entire season, and they believe in each other. And in that belief, this is the fact that they don't get sped up. They don't panic at all. You know, co-apute, Braden Burys, Ivanko, Chunkup, these are different freshmen. They've been through big scenarios in their life. And so, they have the ability to play freshmen that don't panic and that trust of their teammates is a big deal. But I just think it's a trust and a confidence. And at the end of the game, you know, yeah, there's an ability, but you have to believe that you're able to do it. And because, you know, if you don't have that belief, you won't get it done. And these guys at the end of games believe, hey, we're going to find a way to win this game. And obviously they've been successful more often than not. Well, Jason, thanks so much for the time and the insight. Appreciate you making time for us today. Thanks for having me, guys. I appreciate it. Thank you Jason Scheer. Senior editor publisher of wildcatauthority.com, our guest, interesting his thoughts on the UNC flirtation.

8:17And also something that Jason mentioned that's keep it eye on their ability to get to the free throw line. Arizona has shot 53 more free throws as a team than anybody else in this turn. Wow. And they led the whole country during the season. Yeah. It is disconcerning that even the most humorific of people always respond by saying the UNC thing is real. Well, I mean, it is. UNC is going to be desperate to make us fly higher again. And once again, when you, there's people out there saying the scuttle butt in the industry is the schools got money problems when it comes to big, big, big, big, big, big price tags. So and then there's that alleged rift between Tommy and the athletic director. No, that's nothing a good contract can't sue than alleviate. But yeah, I think the worries real. Yeah. Arizona sports is live at Chase field today for the debax home opener against the Tigers. Well, from Luke from 10 to two,

9:20then Burns and Gambo from two to six broadcasting live from Chase field. Then you can catch the game right here on 98 7 FM first pitch 710 only on Arizona sports, your home for the Arizona diamond backs coming up next. What does the new head coach of the Cardinals think about the team's current quarterback, their former quarterback and their potential quarterback of the future. We'll tell you what Mike LaFlor had to say on these topics next, Bickley Marotta mornings here on Arizona sports, the local sports leader. Hey, it's our biggest investment. The roof over our heads. That's why at Costa Galvesti we went with America roofing Arizona's 2025 roofing contractor of the year. Yep, Arizona's biggest and best plus saves 12% at America roofing co dot com. Summer is close, but April is a great time to get started on your new presidential pool for a limited time get $500 cash back and zero closing costs. When you finance your new pool now through April 30th 2026, go to presidential pools dot com.