NCAA Basketball: 10 biggest takeaways from opening week of 2021-22 season

Arizona is the most underrated

Not everybody reading this is going to have this inside information, but nobody who was trusted in contributing to the Bust Bracket preseason power rankings had the Arizona Wildcats among the top 25 teams. The AP Poll –  for whatever that is worth – only gave the Wildcats 26 points. The Wildcats who finished with an 11-9 PAC-12 record are returning fewer than 46 percent of their scoring, but it is the transfer portal that will eventually propel the Wildcats through the season and will pay dividends come Selection Sunday.

Their two initial victories of the 2021-22 season do not give just cause to launch them into the top 25 at the moment. Their two victories were not only impressive on the scoreboard but how they did it. Their 81-52 victory over Northern Arizona was highlighted by 17 points and 5 assists from Kerr Kriisa, who played just eight games – all in February – last season. Their 54-point victory over UTRGV was headed by 20 from Azuolas Tubelis and 18 from Christian Koloko. All this without the mention of their transfers.

Over the summer Tommy Lloyd boosted his bench by recruiting Kim Aiken, Pelle Larsson, and Oumar Ballo from the transfer portal. None of them are going to take over any particular game and win it for the Wildcats, but their presence has given Coach Lloyd the opportunity to work with a nine-man rotation while keeping his talented starters fresh.

So, while Arizona is not on the national radar as of yet, their two blowout victories versus a team that also lost to Washington and a team that defeated Texas A&M International, are just stepping stones to their inevitable rise up the national ranks.