Arizona faces tough first-round matchup in updated NCAA tournament predictions
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Don't look now, but Selection Sunday is less than five weeks away.
The Arizona Wildcats (17-7, 11-2), who are in the thick of the Big 12 title race, are hoping for another top seed when the NCAA tournament field of 68 is revealed on March 16. But first they have to take care of business over the final seven games of the regular season.
The Wildcats are coming off a tough 73-70 road loss to Kansas State that ended their six-game winning streak. Staring Arizona in the face is a top-10 showdown with Houston on Saturday at McKale Memorial Center.
NCAA Tournament Predictions
Arizona-Houston is a top-10 matchup according to the only rankings that matter — the NCAA NET Rankings. Houston is ranked No. 3 in the NET and Arizona is ranked No. 10. The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee uses the NET as the primary sorting tool for selection and seeding for the NCAA tournament.
If the Wildcats can beat Houston, they will jump to No. 7 or higher in the NET Rankings — and that will lead to a higher NCAA tournament seed.
Because of their high ranking in the NET, Arizona is currently projected to be as high as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Wildcats slotted for a No. 3 seed in the West, facing Utah Valley in the first round
CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jerry Palm has Arizona much lower — and facing a potentially dangerous first-round matchup. Palm has Arizona slotted as a No. 5 seed in the Midwest, facing No. 12 George Mason in the first round.
George Mason (20-5) is not a team anyone wants to face in the first round. The Patriots have won 10 straight games in the underrated Atlantic 10, and have the 12th-rated defense in the country according to KenPom. That puts George Mason's defense above Auburn, Alabama and several other top-10 teams in the NET.
Arizona can avoid George Mason by beating Houston — and going on to win the Big 12.
More Arizona & Big 12 Analysis
-029877d49238355bd3388a94f90e3c72.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.