Arizona Basketball: 3 reasons 2019-20 Wildcats can play deep into March

TUCSON, AZ - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Sean Miller of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the first half of the college basketball game against the Georgia Southern Eagles at McKale Center on November 29, 2018 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 27: Cole Anthony (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

3. Nico Mannion

Anyone who has watched an Arizona basketball game this year has witnessed what Mannion can do. As an Illinois fan watching Mannion tear up the Illini, I was continuously impressed with the confidence and high skill level Mannion had for just being a freshman.

Between driving into the lane to finish with a high arching floater, hitting a step-back three or making a great pass to an otherwise unopen teammate, Mannion has the ability to carry this Wildcats team deep into March.

As stated earlier, through nine games Mannion is averaging just over 15 ppg and just under 6.0 apg which is second and first on the team respectively.

The ability for Nico to do this as just a freshman nine games into his college career is a scary thought for Pac-12 foes and an eye-catcher for scouts at the next level.

Next. Biggest Pac-12 takeaways from November. dark

If Arizona is to get back to their national prominence from 2017-18 then Mannion must be the locomotive to the Wildcat train that begins in Tucson and, hopefully for them, ends at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in March of 2020.

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