Arizona Looks Like the Team to Beat Entering March Madness

The Arizona Wildcats are coming off cutting off more nets. This time it came in the Big 12 Tournament. The Wildcats owned the Big 12 conference all season long from start to finish.

Not only are they regular-season champions. But they capped it off by winning the Big 12 Tournament as well. They beat these great teams in the conference, and head coach Tommy Lloyd has this team rolling in the right direction as the most important time of the season is here for this Wildcats team.

Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd looks towards his players during the first half of the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Wildcats want to be cutting down more nets in a few weeks, and especially cutting the last nets of the season. Next up for Arizona is what they have been working hard for all season.

That is the big dance. The NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are the No. 1 seed in the West Region, and they are looking to do something they have not done in a long time. That is getting to the Final Four, and cap that off by winning the National Championship.

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) shoots the ball over UCF Knights forward Jordan Burks (99) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Arizona Is the Team to Beat

Mar 14, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) reacts after defeating the Houston Cougars during the men's Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Arizona has all the momentum going into the big dance, and rightfully so. The Wildcats are also the best team going into the tournament, and they are the team to beat. That does not mean that Arizona is going to show up thinking all that and thinking they are going to go about the first round easily, either.

Arizona is going to do what they have been doing all season, and make sure they fix what they could have done better in their last game, and they are going to make sure they have a great week.

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) drives around UCF Knights center Jeremy Foumena (0) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Arizona Will Be a Popular Pick

Arizona is going into this tournament with people picking them to win it all, but they will block out all the noise. Arizona knows they have the team to do it, and they believe they can, and that is the biggest thing. It is going to be a great one for the Wildcats, and they could be the team to finally bring another Basketball National Championship back to Arizona.

Mar 14, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd stands on the sideline during the second half against the Houston Cougars during the men's Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

"Once you put up a bracket and your team's in a kind of win-or-go-home tournament, I mean, I think the objective is simple: Let's see if we can win it game by game," said head coach Tommy Lloyd. "These guys did an incredible job of that. It was quite a ride the last three days, and I'm just really proud of these three guys next to me and the guys in the locker room."