Editor's note: This story appears in the Star's NCAA Tournament preview section, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here.
What makes this yearβs Wildcats so special?
While at the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, Arizona fan Juliet Fortino offered an explanation.
βWe had no expectations this season,β said the 49-year-old Fortino. βNot a single Arizona fan here if you asked them had these kinds of expectations for Tommy Lloyd in his first season. Look where we are now; why canβt we make it happen?β
Fortino and the group she traveled to Las Vegas with like the Wildcatsβ chances to cut down the nets and hoist the NCAA championship trophy.
βThey donβt really have any big weaknesses,β Henry Fortino, 53, said.
Added Jill Martindale, 69, βTheyβre fully capable of going all the way.β
Much of that has to do with the Wildcatsβ likable, electrifying roster and fast-paced style of play.
The Star asked Wildcats fans to name their favorite player. Hereβs what they said:
Jackie Ludwig, 63: βDalen Terry. His smile, his energy. Heβs always pumping us up, raising his hands.β
Larry Leber, 76: βAzuolas Tubelis. Heβs a great player, he gives 100%, he runs the court hard and heβs tough underneath. Heβs so unassuming and just gets down to business.β
DeDe Leber, 75: βBenn Mathurin. When heβs on, everyone is on. When heβs going, we win.β
Angel Bracamonte, 13: βOumar Ballo. Heβs got that size; heβll just slam it in your face. Thatβs all you got to do, you just got to feed him the ball.β
Danny Klein, 43: Koloko. βMost improved player in college basketball, best shot blocker in the country right now. Amazing what heβs done in terms of his growth and what Tommy Lloyd has instilled in him.β
Rick Vock, 63: βMathurin. What an athlete, itβs going to be fun to watch him in the NBA. Heβs what an NBA player looks like in college. Fun to watch.β
Kyle Kempton, 19: βMathurin. Heβs throwing down those crazy windmills. His energy is really high too all the time. Heβs always yelling and doing all this crazy stuff.β
Jill Martindale, 69: βI love them all. Itβs hard to choose because they all each have great potential.β
Bates Butler, 77: βKerr Kriisa. Heβs a great shooter and a great point guard. Kerr is a lot of fun.β
Robert Butler, 44: βKerr. I love his attitude. I love that all the other teams hate him, it makes us love him even more.β
Bret Borg, 61: βTerry, man. The Phoenix guy comes to the right place. Heβs unselfish, heβs going to be great.β