Arizona’s experience in its first year in the Big 12 Conference was a good one, finishing in third place and reaching the conference title game. But seasons are judged on what happens later in March, and now the Wildcats know where (and against whom) that journey will begin.
The UA has earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, its fourth consecutive appearance under Tommy Lloyd, getting the No. 4 seed in the East Region. The Wildcats (22-12) will open play Friday against No. 13 Akron in Seattle.
The Zips (28-6) won the Mid-American Conference tournament title and have won 21 of their last 22 games.
The other half of Arizona’s pod in Seattle features No. 5 Oregon against No. 12 Liberty. Win both games and the Wildcats would advance to the East Regional in Newark, N.J., likely against No. 1 seed Duke.
This will be the UA’s first time playing in the NCAA Tournament in Seattle since 1991 when it lost to Seton Hall in the Sweet 16.
Arizona has made the Sweet 16 in two of the previous three seasons, with a first-round loss in between. Those were all as No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, while this will be its lowest seeding since being No. 4 in 2018 in its final NCAA appearance under Sean Miller.