Arizona has been knocking on the Final Four door for the last few seasons, and it has the team to kick it in.
This is the fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance in five tries under Tommy Lloyd, and this is his best team yet. Three of the previous four teams hit the wall at the Sweet 16, and the 2023 version was knocked out in the first round.
In the opener against LIU, this is about getting some work in before dealing with Villanova or Utah State.
The Sharks are coached by former DePaul and NBA star Rod Strickland, and he’s done wonders. They won three games in his first season, seven in 2024, 17 last year, and this season, his program broke through with a 24-win season and an NEC title.
They’ve already won this season, and now they get their shot.
Arizona vs LIU Game Preview: The Wildcat Bulk Will Rumble
Arizona vs LIU How To Watch
Date: Friday, March 20
Venue: Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
Time: 1:35 pm ET
TV: TNT
Streaming: March Madness Live App, Paramount+, HBO Max
Teams: (1) Arizona 32-2, (16) LIU 24-10
Arizona Rankings: KenPom 2 | NET 3
LIU Rankings: KenPom 216 | NET 198
College Football Programs: Arizona is in for a big season with one of the most experienced returning teams in the Big 12.
The football side of LIU won’t make the big jump the basketball team did, but after struggling for years, this should be one of its best seasons.
– CFN NCAA Tournament Schedule, Previews
Key Stats
– LIU isn’t that big, but it’s tenth in the nation in blocks, averaging 5.4 per game.
– Arizona doesn’t let anyone get second-chance points. It’s second in the nation in defensive rebounds, averaging just under 30 per game.
Why LIU Will Win: Watch Out For the Shark Attack
LIU isn’t all that big, but this is a Rod Strickland-coached team. It’s great at coming up with steals and wonderful at getting out on the three.
No, the Sharks aren’t going to outrebound Arizona, but they’ll manage to get their share by being aggressive and always getting around the ball.
The offense will love to get on the move and keep running with the Wildcats. The less this becomes a half-court game, the better. Make this a bit of a track meet, because …
Why Arizona Will Win: The Wildcats Will Dominate Inside
There’s way too much Arizona size, and way too many tough guys on the boards for LIU to make any sort of a dent because it doesn’t shoot threes.
There’s no reason whatsoever for the Wildcats to worry about anything coming from the outside, and the defense that allows teams to hit just 39% from the field will swallow everything up.
It’ll be tough enough for the Sharks to manufacture points. Making things worse is their inability to make free throws – Arizona will be at least +10 on the line.
Arizona vs LIU Prediction, Betting Lines
LIU is a wonderful story and will come up with a few little microbursts of points, but this won’t be anything more than a light scrimmage for the Wildcats.
They’ll keep hammering the interior, won’t mess with anything from three, and they’ll pound their way to a stress-free first round win with the starters getting plenty of rest in the second half.
Arizona will win by as much as it wants to.
Prediction: Arizona 91, LIU 59
Consensus Line: Arizona -30.5, o/u: 150.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Meet the NCAA Tournament Seeds
No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 | No. 6
No. 7 | No. 8 | No. 9 | No. 10 | No. 11
No. 12 | No. 13 | No. 14 | No. 15 | No. 16
Consensus Line from BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Related: BYU vs Texas Prediction and Preview: NCAA Tournament First Round
This story was originally published by College Football News on Mar 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Basketball section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.