Arizona: IN or OUT

[JAPER]

with the loss to UCLA at home today, U of A is now 16-12 and will likely finish regular season 17-13 after their tour through Oregon this upcoming week. They could sweep but if they split, their league record will be 8-10.

Most every bracket projection has them in solidly. Do they deserve it?

[PM Thor]

This is a really, really tough one. RPI 25. SOS #1. But they are 4-6 in their last 10, and are 7-9 in conference. I would have to put them in, in front of SJU right now.

In 2 weeks I have a feeling we will know exactly where they are though, considering that they play Oregon St, who is horrible, and Oregon, who is a pretty good team.

I would say that if they beat Oregon and go 2-0 in the next 2, then they are in, but by the skin of their teeth.

[JAPER]

Yeah PMT--

They have played an extremely strong schedule, no doubt and the Pac-10 is one of the best, but they have not won games consistently.

they won at UNLV and Houston, Wash ST and Southern Cal. Probably enough to get them in. However, they lost at home to UVa but have sev'l other notable wins in conf.

I believe AZ has the longest current streak of NCAA appearances and that is starting to look like it may be in jeopardy.

[X-band '01]

Getting swept by Arizona State is a strike against Arizona, but I can only seem them getting shut out if they get swept at Oregon/OSU and lose a game in the Pac-10 Tournament. Some further turmoil between Lute Olson and Kevin O'Neill wouldn't be too bad, either.

[joebba]

If I were Digger they'd be in. He had like 100 teams in. Even the ESPN announcers make fun of Digger this way.

If they lose again before end of regular season they are "out".

[Muskie]

Out... my gut feeling. I think the opportunity was wasted today to take down Kevin Love (Jason's brother from another mother) and the Bruins.

[SpeX]

In 2001 Georgia got in with a 16-14 record. The difference is Georgia had a winning conference record.

Still I just can't see the committee holding Arizona out if they take at least one of the Oregon games.

[Lamont Sanford]

I say "OUT".

[XU '11]

The bubble is waaaay too soft this year for Arizona to miss the tourney.

[vee4xu]

Tonight Bilas said "in". They have "more quality losses" and played a tougher RPI schedule. But, they cannot afford any stumbles.

[American X]

Out. I stick to at least .500 in conference as a basic measure. If you cannot manage that (no matter how hard your conference is), how can you argue you earned one of the 34 at-large spots?

Sweep the Oregons and they are in.

[jdm2000]

What exactly is going on with Arizona? Seems like a weird situation with Lute and O'Neill. Seth Davis has an article on it at SI.com--sounds like Lute and O'Neill aren't even speaking.