Arizona's Deandre Ayton couldn't get things going at Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho, in what resulted as an early tournament exit for the Wildcats.
By Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star
BOISE, Idaho — What on earth just happened? An Arizona team that was destined to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament behind its veterans, blended with arguably the greatest freshman to ever play at the UA in Deandre Ayton, fell flat on its face to the 13th-seeded Buffalo Bulls.
That's what happened.
Some could say this was the biggest upset of the tournament, while others could presume that this was the expected ending for what has been one of the most tumultuous seasons in program history.
Finishing with a 27-8 record and crowned as Pac-12 Tournament outright champions, there are many points to look back and pronounce this year as a successful season despite falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. Not to mention the countless individual accolades Ayton has racked up in the conference, with possibly more on the way.
Arizona had a now-or-never vibe to its campaign heading into the tournament. The Wildcats are losing Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Ayton, Dusan Ristic, Rawle Alkins and Allonzo Trier — their entire starting five. With no commits in the 2018 recruiting class and a dark cloud of uncertainty surrounding the future of Arizona basketball, this was a huge opportunity missed.
Here's what an emotional group of Wildcats had to say following the loss in Boise.
