The Big 12 has expanded to become a premier conferences in college basketball, especially seen in the addition of Arizona basketball.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Arizona basketball.
Arizona enters the 2024-25 season with plenty of new faces ready to redeem themselves last season. After a disappointing end to their season last year in the Pac-12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, Arizona faces a slew of challenges and new opponents in their first year in the Big 12.
In the 2023-24 season, Arizona basketball entered the season with some serious claim for improvement after a disappointing outing in the previous NCAA Tournament. At the beginning of December, the Wildcats earned the top spot in the Top 25 poll but were number four by the end of December.
Once into the new year, the Wildcats had a slow start falling to 11 on the AP Poll, however, they would surge the rest of season getting back to the fourth spot on the poll before ultimately falling into the sixth seed after losses to Washington State and USC.
They would lose to Oregon in the Semifinals of their final Pac-12 conference tournament, but still had a stellar regular season to claim their final Pac-12 regular season title
Entering the NCAA Tournament as a 2 seed with a 25-8 record, the Wildcats had to avenge themselves after falling to No. 15 Princeton as a 2 seed the year prior. Arizona would blow past Long Beach State in a 85-65 win and then would squeeze by Dayton in a 78-68 win. Their tournament would end in the Sweet Sixteen as Arizona faced Clemson in a nail-biting 77-72 loss.
Over the offseason, the Wildcats would have some key losses to the transfer portal and the NBA Draft. Oumar Ballo and Kylan Boswell both sought Big-10 schools in Indiana and Illinois respectively. Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson would both move onto the NBA with the Miami Heat.
They’ll be joined by three experienced transfers from the D-1 ranks: Trey Townshend (Oakland), Anthony Dell’Orso (Campbell), and Tobe Awaka (Tennessee). Dell’Orso provides solid backup for the guards, Townshend and Awaka provide reinforcement for the paint. Incoming freshmen from the 2024 class include forward Carter Bryant and center Emmanuel Stephen. Arizona enters the season with a total of 20 players, however, 11 will have frequent time on the court.
With the loss a key players in the paint, will Arizona basketball be able to replace the talent that was lost? Arizona also struggled heavily from the three in March Madness and key matchups, will they turn this around to excel behind the arch?
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: Tommy Lloyd (4th season at Arizona, 4th season overall)
2023-24 record: 27-9 (15-5)
2024 postseason finish: Lost to Clemson (77-72) in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament
Notable departures:
- Oumar Ballo (12.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 1.3 BPG, 65.8 FG%)
- Pelle Larsson (12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 51.9 FG%, 42.6 3P%)
- Kylan Boswell (9.6 PPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 37.9 3P%)
- Keshad Johnson (11.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 53.0 FG%, 38.7 3P%)
Notable non-conference games:
- at Wisconsin (Nov. 15)
- vs. Duke (Nov. 22)
- vs. UCLA (Dec. 14)
Projected Rotation
PG: Caleb Love
2023-24 stats: 18.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.4 APG
SG: Jaden Bradley
2023-24 stats: 7.0 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.0 APG
SF: KJ Lewis
2023-24 stats: 6.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.9 APG
PF: Trey Townshend
2023-24 stats: 17.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG
C: Tobe Awaka
2023-24 stats: 5.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.3 APG (Tennessee)
6: Anthony Dell’Orso
2023-24 stats: 19.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.9 APG (Campbell)
7: Carter Bryant
247 Sports Composite #28 ranked recruit
8: Henri Veesaar
2022-23 stats: 2.4 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.5 APG
9: Conrad Martínez
2023-24 stats: 0.9 PPG, 0.6 APG, 0.2 RPG
10: Emmanuel Stephen
247 Sports Composite #114 ranked recruit
Injured: Motiejus Krivas (Hampered play with ankle injury)
2023-24 stats: 5.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.3 APG
Arizona Basketball Team MVP: Caleb Love
The show stopping 6-foot-4 guard from Saint Louis is the pride in joy of Tucson.
As of Tuesday, October 29, Love is one of 20 who have been named to the preseason watch list for the Jerry West Award.
In the 2023-24 season, Love was named Pac 12 Player of the Year and First Team All-American. Arizona’s roster runs deep, but I expect Love to have some breakout games this season.
Arizona Basketball make-or-break player: Carter Bryant
The true freshman from Riverside, California has some big shoes to fill.
As a junior at Sage Hill, Bryant posted averages of 22 points, 13.7 rebounds, 4 assists, nearly 3 blocked shots and 1.5 steals per game and His senior year was spent at Corona Centennial, where he averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds – earning him the title of a McDonald’s All-American.
But, Bryant isn’t in high school anymore and fans will be curious to see if his skills will hold well against Big 12 competitors.
Key analytic: Rebounds
Rebounds will be a crucial element to the Wildcats’ success this season, especially after losing three of five leading rebounders from the 2023-24 season (Ballo, Larsson and Johnson).
Though, I’d say Arizona’s new roster looks promising after accumulating 96 rebounds between the two exhibition games. It will be exciting to see how new big-men Tobe Awaka and Trey Townshend fill into the roles left by Arizona’s previous bigs.
Arizona Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 4th in the Big 12
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament – Elite 8 Exit