Key Teams
The Favorite - Arizona Wildcats
The Wildcats are the team to beat in this tournament. There are only a couple of teams in the conference with the offensive firepower to compete with Arizona, but even those teams aren’t nearly as good on the offense end as the Wildcats. Arizona currently has the third-best scoring offense in the nation averaging just 89.5 points per game. Arizona is one of the most efficient teams in the country making 49.2 percent from the floor while taking just over 65 shots per game. To make things harder on opposing teams, Arizona is the second-best rebounding team in the country, grabbing nearly 43 per game. The Wildcats are a nightmare for any opponent. It will take a strong defensive performance from any team to make a game with Arizona competitive.
Biggest Threat - Washington State Cougars
Only one team has beaten Arizona multiple times this year. Washington State has taken Arizona down in both matchups during the regular season, giving up an average of 72 points to the Wildcats in those wins. WSU has one of the better defenses in college basketball, allowing only 67.3 points per game. Washington State doesn’t allow opponents to get much going offensively. On the season, WSU is allowing its opponents to shoot 42 percent from the floor. WSU has an above-average offense, scoring 74.9 points per game, but its defense is what drives this team. I know it's hard to beat any team three times in one season, but Washington State has Arizona figured out. A third upset might be in the works should WSU and Arizona meet again.
Darkhorse Team - Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado has been hot as of late. To close out the regular season the Buffaloes have won six straight, averaging 83.7 points while allowing 72.5 per game. If Colorado can keep the momentum going into the conference tournament, I like its chances of pulling an upset of one of the top two teams. There are few teams more efficient than Colorado. The Buffaloes rank seventh in both field goal percentage, 49.9 percent, and three-point percentage, 40 percent. Colorado is vulnerable on the defensive end, but its offense is one of the best in the country. If Colorado gets hot and stays hot, they are a dangerous team to play.