One of the marquee games in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament is Wednesday’s showdown between the Washington Huskies and Arizona Wildcats. On a neutral floor in Las Vegas, the Wildcats are four-point favorites with an over/under of 139 points.
After a disappointing season, the Huskies know that winning the Pac-12 Tournament is their only chance of reaching the NCAA Tournament. Washington finished last in the conference at 5-13, going 15-16 overall.
That being said, the Huskies won three of their last four games to finish the regular season, including a road win over Arizona last weekend.
As for Arizona, they stumbled down the stretch, losing four of five to finish the season. With the late-season slump, the Wildcats finished 10-8 inside the Pac-12, denying them a first-round bye in the conference tournament, and 20-11 overall.
On the bright side, Arizona is a safe bet to reach the Big Dance, although the Wildcats will want to snap out of their funk before the NCAA Tournament.
Freshman Slump
Arizona’s late-season struggles could be related to their reliance on a trio of freshmen to carry them. Forward Zeke Nnaji has been the team’s best player all season, averaging 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
Nico Mannion has also been essential, giving the Wildcats 14 points and 5.4 assists per game. However, Josh Green, the third prong in the freshmen trident, has been too up and down during Pac-12 play. He’s been held to single digits in eight of his last 14 games, which isn’t a winning formula for Arizona.
The Wildcats have struggled to get consistency out of their supporting cast all season, which is why there’s been so much pressure on their freshmen. Even seniors like Chase Jeter or Stone Gettings have failed to produce much.
Senior Dylan Smith has occasionally given Arizona strong production, including 19 points in the season finale against Washington. But his outside shooting has been spotty down the stretch, and the Wildcats need him to step up in tournament play.
Big Man Parade
The Huskies have been led this year by the frontcourt tandem of Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels. The 6-9 Stewart is one of the best freshmen in the country, averaging 16.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and being remarkably consistent all season.
McDaniels, another 6-9 freshman, is giving Washington over 13 points and nearly six rebounds per game. He was at his best in the season finale against Arizona, scoring 20 points.
However, guard play has been an issue for the Huskies. Quade Green was ruled academically ineligible in January, leaving Washington without a trusted point guard to run the offense and distribute the ball.
Freshman Marcus Tsohonis is struggling to fill his shoes while Nahziah Carter isn’t a pure point guard, depriving the Huskies of something they need.
Zone Busters?
While Washington can be up and down offensively, they challenge teams on the defensive end with an active 2-3 zone. That could be a problem for the Wildcats, who have no standout three-point shooter.
While Mannion and Smith are capable outside shooters, but Arizona might need both to heat up to get a win. Bet on Washington against the spread when they face a struggling Arizona team.
