NCAA Tournament 2011 Sees Duke, Arizona Clash; Can Wildcats Continue Finding Success?
The Arizona Wildcats have been living on a razor's edge in this year's installment of the Madness. After a close fought battle with plucky 12 seed Memphis in the first round, a game the Wildcats won by a grand total of two points, they narrowly escaped defeat in the second round as well, beating the fourth-seeded Texas Longhorns 70-68.
Now, they face a Duke team fresh off a near-upset bid from eighth seeded Michigan, who pushed the West Region's top seed to the brink of defeat in a 73-71 Blue Devil victory. Now, the question becomes: which of these escape artists will pick up another win?
The Wildcats come into this game with an offense centered around superstar forward Derrick Williams, but he's not the only potent scorer in Arizona's arsenal.
While no one else in head coach Sean Miller's rotation averages 10 points per game, the Wildcats are littered with sharpshooters, players who get hot at a moment's notice and can carry the offense and stretch defenses for Williams. Guards like MoMo Jones and Kyle Fogg are capable of getting hotter than Frank Martin's temper, and if they're hitting, Arizona's tough to beat.
Defensively, Arizona is a no-frills outfit, but they're a hard-nosed unit, even if they're not always focused.
The Wildcats are deep, but they find themselves in big trouble if their outside shots aren't falling, or Williams is struggling in the paint. They lack the true potency in the post to grind out many wins, and their defense struggles against speedy foes.
Duke comes into the Sweet 16 as the most experienced tournament squad in the Dance. Led by guards Nolan Smith and recently returned Kyrie Irving, along with forwards Kyle Singler, Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly, the Blue Devils are a potent offensive unit centered around the three. They have a glut of shooters, and most of them can beat you (although, Smith, Irving and forward Singler are the most likely candidates).
Defensively, Duke is all about stopping the three, banking on Plumlee and Kelly to block shots and take charges.
However, neither Plumlee nor Kelly have emerged as a truly dominant post presence yet, and without one, the Dukies are incredibly reliant on outside shooting to beat you, which means if Smith and Singler aren't hitting, this team gets into trouble in a hurry.
Still, they're the top seed in this region for a reason, and should prove a stern test for Arizona, in what will be a high-scoring affair.
Final Score: Duke 78, Arizona 75. The Wildcats' luck runs out in this one, as they run into a veteran team angling for another title run. Even Williams' dominance in the post can't keep Arizona from heading home.
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