Arizona ranked among best teams in 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket
The Arizona Wildcats (22-12) have played a brutal schedule.
Starting with back-to-back games against Wisconsin and Duke in November, the Wildcats have had very few breaks in their 34-game slate.
According to KenPom, Arizona has played the fourth-toughest schedule in the country, behind only Auburn, Alabama and Kentucky. That's a big reason the Wildcats received a No. 4 seed in the East Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
BYU, who beat Arizona 96-95 on a controversial call last month, had more wins (24) but received a No. 6 seed. The reason? The Cougars played a soft non-conference schedule and finished No. 51 in strength of schedule according to KenPom.
"Obviously we've been battle tested," Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said after the NCAA Tournament bracket was revealed on Sunday. "According to KenPom — that's not the end all be all — but we played the fourth hardest schedule in the country. So we've been tested. We've been tested from November through December through January, February, March. I mean we didn't really have an easy stretch. So this team's been tested and it knows that in order for us to win we know we have to play at our best. If we don't play at our best we're vulnerable like anybody else."
Arizona No. 11 in NCAA Tournament rankings
Arizona is capable of beating anyone in the tournament. The Wildcats have 10 Quad 1 victories and have won road or neutral-site games against BYU, Texas Tech, Kansas and Baylor.
But their biggest weakness — inconsistent 3-point shooting — hurt them in their losses to Wisconsin, Duke and Houston (twice). So while Arizona is one of the best teams in the NCAA Tournament, they're also vulnerable because of their spotty outside shooting.
CBS Sports college basketball reporter Matt Norlander ranks the Wildcats as the 11th-best team in the NCAA Tournament — which would technically put them on the 3-seed line — but he knows Arizona is mercurial.
"The Wildcats have had a parabolic-type season: started 4-5, then went 13-1, now 5-6 in their last 11," Norlander wrote. "They rank anywhere from ninth to 14th in mainstream predictive metrics. Sometimes I see this group and think it's Final Four-good. Other times Arizona looks eminently beatable against most teams in this field. Tommy Lloyd has two Sweet 16 appearances and a first-round knockout in his three previous showings with Arizona. Anything is on the table here."
In Arizona's 69-55 loss to Duke on Nov. 22 they shot 6-of-23 from the 3-point line. The Wildcats could see Duke again in the Sweet 16, and if Caleb Love gets hot, watch out.
Here's a look at the East Region NCAA Tournament bracket and Arizona's path to the Final Four:
