“Ben Mathurin, I told you before the tournament, was like a volcano ready to explode” - Jon Rothstein believes Arizona can make a deep run in NCAA Tournament
Arizona's overtime win over the TCU Horned Frogs in the second round has the Wildcats and Ben Mathurin continuing their push for a national championship.
The swashbuckling Wildcats will play the Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in San Antonio, Texas, with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
Second-ranked Arizona (33-3) is the No. 1 seed in the South region, while 15th-ranked Houston (31-5) is the No. 5 seed in the region.
The Wildcats and Ben Mathurin and Christian Koloko advanced after a challenging, physical game against TCU. They had to come from behind and go to overtime to win 85-80 on Sunday, with their two stars playing vital roles in crunch time.
Now that TCU has tested the Wildcats, some analysts are gaining more confidence in their ability to win the school's second national championship. Jon Rothstein has bought in on the Wildcats and Mathurin.
"They're the team that's best equipped to win a National Championship"
@JonRothstein sees Arizona making a deep run in this year's tournament 🏆
@BenScottStevens | @SportsGrid https://t.co/CxE6WxlE0P
For the Wildcats to reach the Final Four, they will first need to beat the fifth-seeded Houston Cougars in a South region semifinal. Then they'll need to get past either Villanova or Michigan in the region's final. Sixth-ranked Villanova (28-7), is the No. 2 seed, while No. 11 seed Michigan (19-14) scored two upsets last weekend.
No games in March Madness are easy.
Ben Mathurin looks to lead Arizona to a national championship
Ben Mathurin will be critical to the Wildcats' ability to win a national championship. The potential NBA draft lottery pick provides valuable skills on both ends. He can also provide a spark to his team with his ability to dunk.
Mathurin's dunk against TCU was one of the best dunks of the NCAA Tournament so far and helped motivate his team against the Horned Frogs.
OMG BEN MATHURIN JUST BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN https://t.co/e3bUzotPgw
Mathurin is an exciting draft prospect, but he will first try to lead his Arizona Wildcats to the national title.
While his team may have one of the more accessible roads to the Final Four, Mathurin will still need spectacular performances to ensure his team can win the national championship in March Madness.
Arizona has reached four Final Fours (1988, 1994, 1997 and 2001). The Wildcats' only national championship came in 1997 under legendary coach Lute Olsen. Their last Elite Eight appearance was in 2015. Their last Sweet 16 appearance had been in 2017.