Bear Down Wildcats

ESPN INSIDER: The 343 teams that won't win the national championship
This time next week, everyone will be predicting a champion. We're here now to tell you who it won't be: Sorry Arizona, Duke, Louisville and other hopefuls. So, exactly, who is left?

1. Arizona Wildcats
I know two things about Arizona. First, this "Can Sean Miller get to the Final Four?" question is silly. Bill Self started out 0-4 in Elite Eight games and then promptly won a national title. If Miller has put his teams into four regional finals in seven years, he's doing something right. Second, it seems like people are being lulled to perceptual sleep this season by the Arizona uniform. I'm hearing that this group plays the usual Wildcat brand of defense, but in Pac-12 play, this bunch, while very good, was nevertheless outperformed with room to spare on that side of the ball by Oregon and even Cal. That, plus Lauri Markkanen shooting 16 percent on his 3s in February and March is enough to make me wary.

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I absolutely disagree that they don't have a chance. We have thoroughbreds and when they're playing well, they can beat anyone. Though, this is an inexperienced younger team that collapsed against Oregon (showing no ability to run/counterpunch against a hot shooting team) and still hasn't completely recovered from that beat down. UCLA and Oregon aren't on the list, meaning he (John Gasaway) thinks they have a shot. The Pac-12 tourney will tell us a lot about this team's chances since they'll likely have to play UCLA and Oregon to win the Championship.

We're going to lose in the championship game in the home state, just like Michigan State did in Detroit, Butler in Indianapolis, Duke in Charlotte.

All about match ups. Can't wait to see who we might play in the round of 32.16 and 8. Teams will not have the familiarity the conference teams do and as much as they watch tapes as we all know that can and often is deceptive.

I can though see why as one of the top seeds we might make the top of the list because other then at UCLA it's not like we have a bunch of marquee wins to point to. Just a lot of close losses with guys injured (even Allen was banged up against UCLA this last one)

I think the analysis is spot on.

1. We're not as good defensively as year's past, entirely due to our horrendous 2pt FG defense (which is to say: we can't defend in the paint).

2. We're woefully inexperienced, with Kentucky being the only team in the field with less experience.

3. Our best player through most of the season all of a sudden can't shoot. Also WTF Kobi.

Maybe we pull together and pull it off. Maybe Lauri shakes it off and steps up big. Maybe Kobi becomes the sixth man of our dreams.