NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 10 best future value bets for 2022 championship
By Dylan Kelly
6. Arizona +1000
This is an extremely enticing pick. Arizona flies under the radar, as most PAC 12 teams tend to. They check out just fine on all of the key stats that I look for in evaluating teams. They lead the PAC 12 in offensive rebounding percentage at 36.0%. They are also proven to be rock solid on the defensive end with a 93.1 defensive efficiency rating.
What stands out to me the most when looking at the numbers is their tempo. Arizona plays a fast style of basketball that teams in the Pac-12 have struggled to keep up with. Their KenPom tempo rating is at 72.2, the leader in the Pac-12 and top ten in the nation.
Benedict Mathurin, the sophomore guard from Montreal, has been excellent for the Wildcats this season. Most recently, against Oregon, he tallied 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Christian Koloko has also been huge for them this year. The 7-foot-1 center is the anchor down low, he averages 12.0 PPG, 7.4 REB, and an outstanding 3.0 BLK
In his first year at Arizona, Tommy Lloyd has his team in great position to make a run to the Final Four/National Championship. They are not my favorite pick on the board, but definitely not my least favorite.