NCAA: Will Anybody Stop Arizona in 2014-15?

In the weeks and months leading up to the start of practices in October, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest teams, players and stories for the 2014-15 NCAA college basketball season. Each team has one burning question we’ll take a look at.

The Arizona Wildcats have reached new territory, something they haven’t been part of since the early 2000s. They are losing, arguably, their two best players from a season where they were a dominant team and may come back as an even better team than before.

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Arizona spent much of the 2013-14 season ranked as the No. 1 team in the country. Were it not for the injury to Brandon Ashley during a loss at California and a stunning road loss to Arizona State, the Wildcats very well could have ended the season the same way. But, alas, that was not the case. The Wildcats suffered from the absence of Ashley and lost three times in March. All five of their losses came post-Ashley.

His absence hurt, but it wasn’t enough to keep Arizona from the Elite Eight and one failed shot attempt from an appearance in the Final Four. But Nick Johnson was unable to get a shot off, and here we are.

This season will feature a new-look Wildcats team, but one that should have about the same, if not more, success than last season’s team. Though they lost their top two scorers from last season (Aaron Gordon and Nick Johnson) to the NBA, Arizona should be even more dangerous and just as powerful as last season.

Mar 29, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats mascot performs against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second half in the finals of the west regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Ashley, the glue-guy for the Wildcats last season, is back and healthy. Before missing the final two months of action, Ashley was averaging more than 11 points and nearly six rebounds per game. While he wasn’t the star, he was somebody that Arizona relied upon heavily as another productive option behind Johnson and Gordon.

However, while Ashley was away, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson stepped in and came to play. The freshman upped his usage in the final few months of the season and paid huge dividends for the Wildcats. He was a consistent scorer, showed off some solid athletic ability and fought for rebounds.

Though the flow of the offense was a little down with RHJ, he did everything he could to prove he belongs. What he wound up doing was making himself a preseason All-America candidate and an high NBA Draft prospect for 2015. With both Ashley and RHJ back in the fold, the Wildcats have two athletic bigs to work with.

Along with those two forwards will be Kaleb Tarzewski, a 7’0″ big with soft touch around the rim. His height makes him a threat offensively and defensively, but his poise and command of the paint are what sets him apart from other big men in the country. A more refined game would help Tarzewski, but he’s improved in each of his first two season and should see an increase in overall production this year.

As for the backcourt, Arizona should have one of the best one-two punches in the country with two players with styles that pair well together. It all starts with T.J. McConnell, a player who’s been around the block and is one of the most underrated players in college last season.

Though not a lethal scorer, McConnell brings an edge to the Arizona defense, playing at a fast pace but very disciplined. He led the team in assists last season with 5.3 per game and added in about eight points/game as well. He’s a leader and the glue to keep the Wildcats together.

Without Nick Johnson to be the offensive catalyst, one name to expect to take over that role is in-coming freshman Stanley Johnson. Ranked as the top small forward in the country according to ESPN Recruiting, Johnson will be the next Johnson to lead the way for the Wildcats. A 6’6″ combo player, Johnson has good defensive instincts and can be explosive offensively. He has the tools to become a star this season, but with the player surrounding the freshman, he won’t have to be the star, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Off the bench, look for guards Gabe York and Parker Jackson-Cartwright to battle for playing time and supremacy in the second unit. York, a junior this season, shot 38 percent from the three-point line last year and averaged over six points per game. Jackson-Cartwright will be the man behind McConnell and should be the go-to point guard off the bench and into the future.

Also keep an eye on freshmen Craig Victor (6’7″ power forward) and Dusan Ristic (7’0″ center) to be big pieces in the second unit.

Looking ahead to the schedule, Arizona has done a nice job of testing itself. An early season game against UC Irvine, one of the underrated mid-majors for the coming season, visits Tuscon. Though the Wildcats should take care of business, if they don’t bring their A game, it could be a long night.

After that game comes the always interesting and always chaotic Maui Invitational, where Arizona faces a number of intrigue potential games. Their first game against Missouri should be a solid contest for the Wildcats, then comes a possible matchup with the dangerous Kansas State Wildcats.

Don’t take Marcus Foster lightly. He wants to take Kansas State to new heights this season. Getting past them won’t be an easy task whatsoever.

Feb 6, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23) dunks the ball during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at McKale Center. Arizona won 67-65. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

Then, should they take out the Wildcats, will come a championship clash with San Diego State, who, despite losing leader Xavier Thames, will be just as good as they were last season. Some may remember the clash that saw the Aztecs just narrowly let the game slip away against Arizona last season. You can bet they’ll be looking for redemption.

A title in Maui is expected for Arizona, but a couple other interesting games won’t be as expected, even if they are at home. Gonzaga and Michigan both visit Tucson for non-conference clashes. Gonzaga will be a lethal team, especially in the backcourt.

Michigan will have some adjusting to do without their top three players from last season, but Caris LaVert is ready to breakout into his own stardom. Both should be wins for the Wildcats, but they won’t be easy, not by a long shot.

As for conference play, the Pac-12 is not what it use to be for basketball. On paper, the top competitor to the conference crown could be Utah, who finished last season eighth in the Pac-12.

Beyond that, it’s really a crapshoot. Stanford, Colorado and UCLA could be the next ones up, but each of those teams have big holes to fill. There’s no telling how they will respond. Arizona is far and away the best team in the conference and anything short of a regular season title while finishing with a four or five game lead would be really surprising.

On the national landscape, few teams possess the overall talent that Arizona does. Arguments can be made for Kentucky, Duke, Wisconsin and North Carolina, but with what the Wildcats return and the players that could quickly develop into stars is spectacular. They are in a prime spot to battle for a national championship and anything short of a Final Four run would be considered a huge disappointment.

There are some lofty expectations for Arizona this season, so how they respond will be a key component to their success.

The Arizona Wildcats are a good team, perhaps even the best team in the country. With so much returning talent and the freshmen that can play such a vital role for them, don’t be surprised to see Arizona cutting down the nets on the first Monday in April.