Previously, I wrote why I think Arizona would beat Syracuse head-to-head in a dream matchup of unbeaten teams. The No. 1 and No. 2 teams, respectively, in the nation are the trendy choice for the NCAA National Championship Game on April 7.
Logic tells us that reality will intervene, however, and perhaps neither team will make it that far. Over the past weekend we saw both teams get all they could handle from Utah and Miami. I'm biased, of course, and believe the Wildcats will indeed cut down the nets in Dallas, though I do think they'll lose at least one Pac-12 game, perhaps as soon as Wednesday night at Stanford.
(FWIW, my girlfriend also thinks her Orange are going to take this year's title ... It's already getting pretty interesting around the apartment. March should be off the charts.)
But plenty of people are also high on Wichita State, the other remaining unbeaten and ranked No. 4 by the Associated Press, and for good reason. Mid-majors are always sentimental favorites, but the Shockers are good. I mean really good. Essentially the same squad from last year's Final Four team is back, after all. Interestingly enough, if Arizona got past Ohio State in the Western Region Sweet 16 the Wildcats would have met the Shockers in the Elite 8.
So, I read with interest today's piece on USAToday.com that debated which of the three is most likely to win it all. Only, there was no debate. Writers Nicole Auerbach and Scott Gleeson as well as Jason McIntyre of TheBigLead.com all there picked Zona, hands down. And frankly that causes me to worry.
As much as I try not to be superstitious in everyday life, I can't help but to embrace the juju when it comes to my sports teams. I don't do anything too strange, like not change my underwear for weeks on end. But there's a slight neurosis to my proclivities.
I love the fact that the Wildcats are doing so well this year, and that everyone seems to recognize how good of a team they are. But I can't help but to think the other shoe is going to drop and some kind of malady will befall UofA. I certainly hope not, and I want to ride this wave, but I also must believe that it's not too good to be true. I must think positive and enjoy my alma mater's success for however long it continues.
So I'm bracing for a loss, expecting one even, perhaps this week in the Bay Area. And that's OK. The sun will come up tomorrow. A loss at this point of the season can be a very good thing for coach Sean Miller's team. A loss, even two, will force them to show even more resolve, more moxie than they have had while running out to a school-best, 20-0 record, and beating the likes of San Diego State, Duke, Michigan and UCLA.
I won't even go down that road of worrying that the Cats must win today, because tomorrow Aaron Gordon will be trying on designer suits for his appearance at the NBA Lottery. Miller has Zona basketball back to it's rightful place, and the 5-star recruits are lining up.
Instead, I'm going to sit back and watch it all unfold, whatever that finality is, and enjoy a brand of solid execution on the hardwood.
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