One thing the 2014-15 Arizona Wildcats have proven is they play to the level of their competition.
The good: winning the Maui Invitational in November. Knocking off then unbeaten Gonzaga in December and five weeks later running away from Utah in Tucson.
The bad: a trio of close road losses to UNLV, Oregon State and Arizona State about a week ago.
It’s the type of inconsistency which some close to the program believe could spell an early exit for the Wildcats next month in the NCAA tournament.
However, no one will argue Sean Miller’s team is stacked with deep, mostly tournament-tested talent which, when right, have the ability to beat anyone in the country in a win-or-go-home situation.
That includes the Kentucky Wildcats according to one well-respected CBS analyst.
“Personal-wise Arizona would have enough,” Clark Kellogg told Sports360AZ.com in a recent phone interview.
Kellogg said the one player who must elevate his game for the ‘Cats to go deep in March Madness is junior center Kaleb Tarczewski who has seen his production diminish to eight points and five rebounds a game. He’s averaged fewer than three rebounds his past eight games. He contributed eight points and three boards in Friday’s 86-62 win over Washington in Seattle.
“You need more contributions from Tarczewski,” Kellogg explained. “He’s got to be a guy who gives you some presence and some points and rebounds at a consistent level.”
To this point the only thing UA has proven is their consistent inconsistency but the deeper they can advance next month, the more dangerous they may be heading into April.
Let March’s madness ensue.
