Wildcats, Orange leading college basketball landscape

As the college basketball season enters February, three teams have remained unbeaten and have established themselves as part of the best in the country: the University of Arizona, Syracuse University and Wichita State University.

Of those three, the Orange and the Wildcats have the best chance to remain undefeated and cut down the nets in Arlington, Texas in April. Each team has the talent and experience to reach the Final Four, but none are devoid of weaknesses, either.

Arizona

The Wildcats are a perfect 21-0, but its last win, a 60-57 triumph at Stanford University Jan. 29, was anything but easy.  It took a late three-pointer from junior guard Nick Johnson with less than a minute remaining for the Wildcats to escape Palo Alto, Calif., with a blemish-free mark. The Wildcats have road wins over University of Michigan and UCLA and beat Duke University at a neutral site, so they will have no issue making a case for a No. 1 seed.

The Wildcats will be in contention for a national title because of their near-perfect blend of experience and young talent.  None of the Wildcats’ significant contributors are seniors. But Johnson, the team’s leading scorer at more than 16 points per game, along with junior guard TJ McConnell, a Duquesne University transfer and one of the premier point guards in the country at more than five assists per game, pair up with a trio of uber-talented sophomores in guard Gabe York, forward Brandon Ashley, and center Kaleb Tarczewski to bring big game experience. Those seasoned abilities effectively complement freshman phenom Aaron Gordon and fellow freshman forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

If the Wildcats have one weakness, it would be from behind the arc. One Wildcat – York – is shooting above 40 percent from three point range, which will convince teams to pack in the lane and force the ‘Cats to knock down some shots. If they continue to struggle from the outside, it will be difficult for Hollis-Jefferson, Gordon and Tarczewski, all of whom rely on finishing around the rim, to operate down low and for Johnson, York and McConnell to drive and kick to the open man.

The Wildcats have a difficult schedule remaining with road games against the University of California, the University of Colorado, Arizona State University and the University of Oregon, all of which are in the top echelon of the Pacific 12 Conference.

Syracuse

How about 20-0 Syracuse? After a 10-point win over a much improved Wake Forest University team Jan. 29, the road doesn’t get any easier, as the Orange welcome Duke Feb. 1 and then travel to University of Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers Feb. 12.  The Orange has just two wins against teams currently ranked in the Top 25, both coming at the Carrier Dome. They have a win over then-No. 18 Baylor University, but that win is becoming less and less significant with every Bears loss as of late.

The Orange is led by two superstars – senior forward C.J. Fair, the teams leading scorer at 17 points a game, and freshman guard Tyler Ennis, the team’s leader in assists at five per game.

Ennis can shoot, but he’s at his best when he’s slashing through the opponent’s defense, which he never seems to miss. Fair, meanwhile, can do just about everything. He’s second on the team in rebounds and third in assists, and can score from anywhere on the floor. He can post-up, drive to the basket and finish through contact, and step out from behind the arc, where he shoots just 28% but seems to make every must-make shot he puts up from long range. Around Ennis and Fair are fantastic role players such as Trevor Cooney, a sophomore guard and one of the premier shooters in the country, and sophomore forward Jerami Grant, the team’s third leading scorer at 12 points a game who, like Fair, can score in a lot of different ways.

The Orange has the most difficult schedule of the three remaining unbeatens, with games on the road against the University of Maryland and University of Virginia, along with a home-and-home against Duke and a trip to Pittsburgh.  If they win three or four of those games, they’ll be in the driver’s seat for one of the NCAA Tournament’s four No. 1 seeds.

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