Anyone who has closely followed Arizona the last 25 years can instantly name off at least half a dozen soul-crushing moments from the NCAA Tournament. Yet each March, hope springs eternal and Wildcat Nation believes this is their time.
This year is no different.
We asked our readers how far they thought the UA would go in the 2026 NCAA tourney, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. After winning the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament titles, they’re expecting at least one more net to get cut down.
The top seed in the West Region, Arizona (32-2) opens the tourney journey begins Friday in San Diego against Long Island. Tip-off is at 10:35 a.m. PT, with the game airing on TNT.
The Wildcats are among the favorites to reach their first Final Four since 2001, sitting at +185 per FanDuel Sportsbook. Only Duke (+180) is lower. Arizona is tops on the list to win it all, at +370.