Every team in Arizona had a winning record last season. However, it was the team with the toughest schedule and the least number of wins that made the Big Dance.
Lute Olson was quoted in Athlon's 2008-09 college basketball preview as saying that Kevin O'Neill's style and attitude "almost ruined everything I built". Which is all well and good, but didn't Lute's personal problems put O'Neill in that position to start with? Regardless, Arizona seems to be on a bit of a backslide that won't likely change with Lute back in charge.
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks had a marvelous 21-victory season in the Big Sky, but fell victim to Portland State's dominant quest for their first tourney berth.
Arizona State might have one of the best cases for shouting "we got robbed!" by the selection committee. They had a superior record while admittedly facing an inferior schedule to their rivals in Tucson, but probably belonged in the big dance.
OK, make sure you have plenty of water, and dress in layers. We're going to the desert! (and Flagstaff).
2008 Breakdown
State winning percentage: .610
Number of teams: 3
NCAA Tournament teams: Arizona
Conference champions: None
Most wins: Arizona State, Northern Arizona (21)
Least wins: Arizona (19)
Teams with winning records: All three, baby.
Teams with single digit wins: None
Historical breakdown
Most Memorable Team: 1997's National Championship Arizona squad was mighty impressive, even if they caused me some personal heartache. Coming in as a #4 seed, the Wildcats got through the first weekend with easy wins over South Alabama and Charleston. The next weekend got interesting, as #1 seed Kansas went down in the Sweet 16 (ouch), then #10 Providence. Lute took his squad to the promised land by beating two more #1s, first downing North Carolina, and then taking Kentucky to OT before winning 84-79.
Top Player All-Time: Within Arizona alone, there are several possible picks, so I'm going with the guy with the most collegiate hardware, as well as the guy I have a personal appreciation for: Sean Elliott. The mobile big man was Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 1986, and took home conference POY in '88 and '89 as well. He also won the Wooden Award in his senior season.
Favorite Coach: We like Lute, really, we do. But in this case, we have to defer to one of our correspondents again. Mike White's hard-hitting investigative journalism in the "Dark Secrets of College Basketball" series has awakened us to the devious genius that is Herb Sendek. Beneath that dour exterior lurks the next Larry Eustachy, we just know it. We'd throw in something nice about Northern Arizona's Mike Adras, but we probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup at this point.
Top Player 2008: Plenty of candidates. Northern Arizona senior Kyle Landry had some great games. The Sun Devils have a strong foundation for this season with Pendergraph and Harden, both of whom were spotty at times last year. Which brings us back to the Wildcats. Budinger and Hill were sort of a big-man yin and yang, with neither player carrying the load every night. Jerryd Bayless is our man, able to put up big nights scoring, dishing, and even rebounding when called upon.
Best On-Campus Venue: We're going to throw a curveball at you, here. The J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff has to be the coolest. The roof is made of wood, which seems appropriate for a team named the Lumberjacks. No disrespect to our Pac-10 worthies, but that's pretty awesome. [See a photo]
Best NCAA Venue: US Airways Center. Hosted last season's West regional, and has hosted others under the name of America West Arena. In 2004, national champs UConn came through Phoenix, just as they did in 1999. If I'm Jim Calhoun, I'm begging to be sent out West from here on.
Most Prestigious Program (ESPN Style): #5 Arizona Wildcats.
Best Nickname: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.
STF’s Favorite Program: We have lots of respect for Arizona, but with the recent derangement of the program, we haven't been able to build any real love. Northern Arizona is plucky, but not visible enough yet. So, we're going with the Sun Devils. They have Sendek, they have Harden and Pendergraft, and they have some of the hottest cheerleaders on record. [link completely SFW; disappointingly so, in fact]
2008 Breakdown
State winning percentage: .610
Number of teams: 3
NCAA Tournament teams: Arizona
Conference champions: None
Most wins: Arizona State, Northern Arizona (21)
Least wins: Arizona (19)
Teams with winning records: All three, baby.
Teams with single digit wins: None
Historical breakdown
Most Memorable Team: 1997's National Championship Arizona squad was mighty impressive, even if they caused me some personal heartache. Coming in as a #4 seed, the Wildcats got through the first weekend with easy wins over South Alabama and Charleston. The next weekend got interesting, as #1 seed Kansas went down in the Sweet 16 (ouch), then #10 Providence. Lute took his squad to the promised land by beating two more #1s, first downing North Carolina, and then taking Kentucky to OT before winning 84-79.
Top Player All-Time: Within Arizona alone, there are several possible picks, so I'm going with the guy with the most collegiate hardware, as well as the guy I have a personal appreciation for: Sean Elliott. The mobile big man was Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 1986, and took home conference POY in '88 and '89 as well. He also won the Wooden Award in his senior season.
Favorite Coach: We like Lute, really, we do. But in this case, we have to defer to one of our correspondents again. Mike White's hard-hitting investigative journalism in the "Dark Secrets of College Basketball" series has awakened us to the devious genius that is Herb Sendek. Beneath that dour exterior lurks the next Larry Eustachy, we just know it. We'd throw in something nice about Northern Arizona's Mike Adras, but we probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup at this point.
Top Player 2008: Plenty of candidates. Northern Arizona senior Kyle Landry had some great games. The Sun Devils have a strong foundation for this season with Pendergraph and Harden, both of whom were spotty at times last year. Which brings us back to the Wildcats. Budinger and Hill were sort of a big-man yin and yang, with neither player carrying the load every night. Jerryd Bayless is our man, able to put up big nights scoring, dishing, and even rebounding when called upon.
Best On-Campus Venue: We're going to throw a curveball at you, here. The J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff has to be the coolest. The roof is made of wood, which seems appropriate for a team named the Lumberjacks. No disrespect to our Pac-10 worthies, but that's pretty awesome. [See a photo]
Best NCAA Venue: US Airways Center. Hosted last season's West regional, and has hosted others under the name of America West Arena. In 2004, national champs UConn came through Phoenix, just as they did in 1999. If I'm Jim Calhoun, I'm begging to be sent out West from here on.
Most Prestigious Program (ESPN Style): #5 Arizona Wildcats.
Best Nickname: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.
STF’s Favorite Program: We have lots of respect for Arizona, but with the recent derangement of the program, we haven't been able to build any real love. Northern Arizona is plucky, but not visible enough yet. So, we're going with the Sun Devils. They have Sendek, they have Harden and Pendergraft, and they have some of the hottest cheerleaders on record. [link completely SFW; disappointingly so, in fact]
1 comments:
Herb Sendek can coach.
Those idiots at NC State had no idea what they were doing.
Bet they'd like that decision back...
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