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The Arizona Wildcats keep piling up signature victories, and an unusual shooting pattern has followed them through. Their latest upset over a top-ranked opponent raised eyebrows and underlined a curious truth: Arizona can win big without lighting up the scoreboard from deep.
Arizona’s run against elite, ranked opponents
Through the season, Arizona has made a habit of knocking off top-ranked teams. The Wildcats now own eight wins in 10 games against opponents ranked in the top 25 at game time. Even more striking, Arizona is undefeated in matchups against teams ranked in the top three this season.
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- Record vs. top-3 teams this season: 3-0.
- Notable wins include victories over Florida, UConn, and Houston.
- Arizona spent much of the campaign at No. 1 in the polls.
The odd 3-point pattern redefining Alabama’s underdog logic
Despite facing elite defenses, Arizona’s recent wins share a counterintuitive trait: they made three or fewer 3-pointers in each top-3 victory. That trend is rare in modern college basketball.
Per reporting by Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, teams that make three or fewer triples rarely beat top-3 opponents. Over the last five years, such small 3-point outputs correspond to a roughly 2-72 record in wins over top-three teams. Arizona has flipped that script this season.
Game-by-game look: how Arizona won without many threes
Arizona’s triumphs over elite teams were built on fundamentals other than long-range shooting.
- Against Houston, the Wildcats were 3-of-12 from deep.
- Anthony Dell’Orso and Ivan Kharchenkov accounted for the team’s made threes in that game.
- Similar low-volume long-range performances occurred in the wins over Florida and UConn.
Key factors that replaced the deep ball
- Interior scoring: Arizona attacked the paint and got high-value shots.
- Defense: Stops, rebounds, and transition chances cut opponents’ rhythm.
- Ball movement and depth: Bench production and timely assists created efficient looks.
Where the Wildcats stand in the national picture
Arizona’s place in the polls has shifted this season. A pair of losses to Kansas and Texas Tech pushed them from No. 1 down to No. 4. Still, the resume of wins over elite opponents keeps the Wildcats in national conversation as a serious postseason threat.
Tommy Lloyd’s impact and tournament expectations
Tommy Lloyd is in his fifth season leading Arizona. Under his watch, the program has reached the NCAA Tournament four times and advanced to the Sweet 16 on three occasions.
This season’s combination of big wins and unconventional shooting profiles has many projecting deeper tournament runs. Analysts and fans now watch whether Arizona’s style can carry them to a Final Four berth.
