A look at Arizona men's basketball's nonconference opponents, including a gauntlet of Duke, Michigan State, Purdue, Alabama, Wisconsin and FAU.
MORGAN STATE BEARS
Date/time/TV: Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Baltimore, Md.
Series history: Morgan State will be making a rare second straight appearance at McKale for a nonconference opponent after the Wildcats struggled with but ultimately put away the Bears 93-68 on Dec. 22 last season. UA also beat Morgan State in the teams’ only other meeting, 115-53, on Nov. 20, 1997, at McKale Center.
Coach: Kevin Broadus (57-55 in four seasons at Morgan State, 94-60 in six seasons overall)
Last season: 15-16 overall, 8-7 MEAC (5th)
Go-to guy: G Kamron Hobbs (Jr., 8.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
Other key returnees: F Will Thomas (Jr., 8.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), G Rob Lawson (So., 5.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg), G Kevon Wiggins (Sr., 1.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg)
Key newcomers: G Wynston Tabbs (Sr., East Carolina transfer), G Amahrie Simpkins (Jr., juco transfer), G Demajion Topps (So., juco transfer), F Kirian Oliver (So., juco transfer), F Myles Thompson (Sr., St. Francis, Pa., transfer), C Allen Udemadu (Jr., juco transfer), C Christian Oliver (Jr., juco transfer), F Trent Edwards (freshman)
Upside: The returning Bears won’t be afraid of McKale, having led the Wildcats most of the first half last season before Arizona took a nine-point halftime lead and received a dazzling steal-drive-and-dunk from Azuolas Tubelis in the second half. Solid recruiting added strength and size across the Bears’ lineup.
Downside: The Bears have ranked over 300th in offensive efficiency for the past two seasons, shooting just 44.9% from 2-point range (ranking 342 nationally) and turning the ball over on 22.0% of their possessions (348). They also have to replace guards Isaiah Burke and Malik Miller, who combined took most of Morgan State’s shots last season.
He said it: “We got bigger, sturdier guards and we had to upgrade our wing play because we lost most of our wing players. I think we have a good nucleus, and our interior players who came in are just as good if not better than what we had. I think in the whole grand scheme of things, we made our roster a lot better.” — Broadus, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Date/time/TV: Nov. 10, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Game location: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, N.C.
School location: Durham, N.C.
Series history: UA leads 5-4, beating Duke 72-66 in the last meeting in New York during the 2013-14 season.
Coach: Jon Scheyer (27-9 in one season at Duke and overall)
Last season: 27-9 overall, 14-6 (tie, 3rd) in ACC , lost to Tennessee in NCAA Tournament second round
Go-to guy: F/C Kyle Filipowski (15.1 ppg. 9.0 rpg)
Key returnees: G Jeremy Roach (Sr., 13.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), G Tyrese Proctor (So., 9.4 ppg, 3.3 apg), F Mark Mitchell (So., 9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), C Ryan Young (Sr., 6.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
Key newcomers: G Jared McCain (five-star freshman), F TJ Power (five-star freshman), G Caleb Foster (four-star freshman), F Sean Stewart (four-star freshman)
Upside: If his debut season as head coach was any indication, Scheyer is leading Duke through a transition from Mike Kryzyewski that might not be so rough after all. The Blue Devils won 27 games and the ACC Tournament, though they lost to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Now they have four starters back, and what 247 Sports ranks the No. 2 recruiting class.
Downside: Think Tommy Lloyd is facing pressure after losing to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season? There are no free passes at Duke. Scheyer has one of the nation’s most loaded teams, and he’ll be expected to produce, whether it’s his second year or not.
He said it: “I could go through each one of them individually; they were all being recruited by other places — NBA, transfer, I could go on and on — and they all came back for a reason. I think that bonds you, that unifies you. So I try to remind them of that from time to time — you’re here for a reason, so follow it up with action. Don’t be about words, be about action.” — Scheyer, at Duke’s preseason media day.
SOUTHERN JAGUARS
Date/time/TV: Nov. 13, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Baton Rouge, La.
Series history: Arizona leads 2-0, beating Southern in two games at McKale Center: 69-43 in 2013-14 and 95-78 last season.
Coach: Kevin Johnson (first season at Southern, 65-100 overall)
Last season: 15-17, 11-7 SWAC (4th)
Go-to guys: G Tai’Reon Joseph (Jr., juco transfer), F Festus Ndumanya (Sr., 5.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg), F Jariyon Wilkins (Sr., 2.1 ppg, 1.7 rpg)
Other key returnees: F Jalen Reynolds (Sr., 4.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg), F JaRonn Wilkins (Sr, 3.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg)
Other key newcomers: G Brandon Davis (Sr., Texas State transfer), F Delang Muon (freshman), G Derrick Tezeno (Jr., Stephen F. Austin transfer), G Tidjiane Dioumassi (Jr., juco transfer), G Jordan Mitchell (Jr, juco transfer), G Antoine Jacks (Jr, juco transfer), G Avontez Ledet (Jr, juco transfer)
Upside: Southern ran a physical and disruptive defense that threw off Arizona in the first half at McKale Center last season and never let down during what became the toughest of the Wildcats’ first three games last season.
Downside: A veteran of the Louisiana coaching ranks who was the head coach at Centenary (1999-00 to 2004-05) when it was in Division I, Johnson will take over after Southern fired Sean Woods following a sub-.500 season — and then lost its top five scorers. Southern was scheduled to host Arizona as part of the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series, but the Jaguars agreed to play the game at McKale instead, allowing the Wildcats to face Florida Atlantic in Las Vegas and still meet their 18-game home minimum.
He said it: “There’s a lot of guys who don’t get another chance. I’m thankful for this one and I’m thankful it’s in this place, the university I have a connection to.” — Johnson, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
BELMONT BRUINS
Date: Nov. 17, 9 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Nashville, Tenn.
Series history: UA has only played Belmont once before, beating the Bruins 81-64 in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament at Salt Lake City.
Coach: Casey Alexander (98-30 in four seasons at Belmont, 235-150 in 12 seasons overall)
Last season: 21-11, 14-6 (tie, 3rd) in MVC
Go-to guys: F Malik Dia (So., Vanderbilt transfer), F Cade Tyson (So., 13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg)
Other key returnees: G Keishawn Davidson (8.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.4 apg), G Ja’Kobi Gillespie (So., 9.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg), G Isaiah Walker (So, 2.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
Other key newcomers: F Jayce Willingham (Sr., Division II transfer), G Win Miller (freshman), F Sam Orme (freshman), F Brigham Rogers (freshman)
Upside: The Bruins proved they belonged in the Missouri Valley Conference last season after having previously competed in the Ohio Valley and Atlantic Sun conferences. Davidson should be even more of a steady hand at point guard after he spent much of last season dealing with the effects of shoulder surgery.
Downside: The Bruins lost three starters, including guard Ben Sheppard, who was taken No. 26 overall by Indiana in the 2023 NBA Draft.
He said it: “We held our own (in the MVC) but it’s pretty clear we have a long way to go if we want to enjoy any level of success like we had in the Ohio Valley or MVC.” — Alexander, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook
TEXAS-ARLINGTON MAVERICKS
Date/time/TV: Nov. 19, 4 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Arlington, Texas
Series history: UA has never played Texas-Arlington, which is facing the Wildcats as part of a two-game multi-team event that also includes a Nov. 23 game against Michigan State.
Coach: K.T. Turner (first year at Texas-Arlington and overall)
Last season: 11-21 overall, 6-12 WAC (9th)
Go-to guys: G Phillip Russell (Jr., Southeast Missouri transfer), F Shemar Wilson (10.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg)
Other key returnees: G Aaron Cash (Sr., 7.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg), G Brandyn Talbot (Jr., 5.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg)
Other key newcomers: G DaJuan Gordon (Sr., New Mexico State transfer), G Sterling Gaston-Chapman (Jr., 3.9 ppg, Tulsa transfer), F Dwayne Koroma (So., juco/Iona transfer), C Darrius Miles (So., Western Kentucky transfer)
Upside: The son of a head coach who has worked under John Calipari and Porter Moser, Turner will try to jumpstart a rebuild around two proven guard transfers in Russell and Gordon.
Downside: Maybe it’s a good thing, but the Mavericks return only three players from a disastrous 2022-23 season, in which former coach Greg Young was fired in February.
He said it: “I was fortunate to be around great coaches way before I started coaching. I knew by the time I was 12 or 13 that I wanted to be a head coach one day.” — Turner, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Date/time/TV: Nov. 23, 2 p.m., Fox
Game location: Acrisure Arena, Thousand Palms, Calif.
School location: East Lansing, Mich.
Series history: UA leads 5-2, beating the Spartans 65-63 in their last matchup in the Armed Forces Classic game at Honolulu on Nov. 11, 2016.
Coach: Tom Izzo, 687-250 in 28 seasons at Michigan State and overall
Last season: 21-13 overall, 11-8 Big Ten (fourth), lost to Kansas State in NCAA Sweet 16
Go-to guy: Go-to guy: G Tyson Walker (Sr., 14.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Other key returnees: G A.J. Hoggard (Sr., 12.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.9 apg), G Jaden Akins (Jr., 9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg), F Malik Hall (Sr., 8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg), C Mady Sissoko (Sr., 5.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg), C Jaxon Kohler (So., 3.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg), G Tre Holloman (So., 1.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg
Key newcomers: F Xavier Booker (five-star freshman), F Coen Carr (four-star freshman), G Jeremy Fears (five-star freshman)
Upside: Four returning starters plus 247’s fifth-ranked recruiting class in 2023? Tom Izzo has a team worthy of his ninth Final Four. The Spartans are deeper and more athletic than their Sweet 16 team last season, suggesting they can run more often, too.
Downside: Keeping McDonald’s All-Americans — and their circles — happy while playing them off the bench isn’t easy, and the Spartans may ask Booker and Fears to do just that. Sky-high expectations also won’t make Izzo’s job easier.
He said it: “Is there more pressure in the Top 5? You’re damn right there is. But that’s good pressure. That means you’re barking up the right tree.” — Izzo, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
COLGATE RAIDERS
Date/time/TV: Dec. 2, 1 p.m., Pac-12 Networks
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Hamilton, N.Y.
Series history: UA has never played Colgate.
Coach: Matt Langel, 202-17 (12 years at Colgate and overall)
Last season: 26-9 overall, 17-1 (1st) in Patriot, lost to Texas in NCAA Tournament first round
Go-to guy: F Keegan Records (Sr., 13.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg), F Ryan Moffat (Sr., 10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg)
Other key returnees: G Braedon Smith (So., 11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), C Jeff Woodward (Sr., 6.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg), F Sam Thomson (Sr., 4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg), G Chandler Baker (Sr., 5.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg), G Nicolas Louis-Jacques (Jr., 1.9 ppg, 0.3 rpg)
Key newcomers: F Sam Wright (freshman), G Cooper Wright (freshman), G Jalen Cox (freshman), Kyle Carlesimo (So., Eastern Illinois transfer)
Upside: The Raiders are a low-major power familiar with playing high-major opponents, having reached four NCAA tournaments over the past five seasons. They managed to keep returning standouts Records and Moffat away from the transfer portal for their fifth seasons, too.
Downside: Colgate will have to move a lot of pieces around without Tucker Richardson, last season’s Patriot League player of the year.
He said it: Past veteran returnees “all could have left a year ahead and pursued other options with a lot of cash on the table. Those guys being back here speaks to who they are as individuals but also what they’re a part of and how special our guys are.” — Langel, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Date/time/TV: Dec. 9, 1:15 p.m., ESPN
Game location: McKale Center
School location: Madison, Wis.
Series history: Wisconsin leads the series 5-2, last having dealt the Wildcats two of their most painful losses in history: A 64-63 overtime game in the 2014 Elite Eight at Anaheim, Calif., and an 85-78 Wisconsin win in the Elite Eight a year later in Los Angeles. UA hasn’t beaten Wisconsin since it took care of the Badgers 94-75 in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament at Philadelphia.
Coach: Greg Gard (164-98 in eight seasons at Wisconsin and overall)
Last season: 20-15, 9-11 Big Ten (11th), lost to North Texas in NIT semifinals
Go-to guy: G Chucky Hepburn (Jr., 12.2 ppg, 2.8 apg), C Steven Crowl (Jr., 12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg)
Other key returnees: F Tyler Wahl (Sr., 11.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg), G Connor Essegian (So., 11.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), G Max Klesmit (Sr., 8.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg), F Carter Gilmore (Jr., 2.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Key newcomers: A.J. Storr (So., St. John’s transfer), C Nolan Winter (four-star freshman), F Gus Yelden (four-star freshman), G John Blackwell (freshman)
Upside: The Badgers return all but one of their rotation players from a team that reached the NIT semifinals last season — and they added Storr, who averaged 11.8 points while starting the final 17 games for St. John’s last season.
Downside: Those same players need to improve some woeful inside offense last season, when the Badgers averaged just 46.3% from 2-point range (338th nationally) and posted the 338th-worst offensive rebounding percentage (22.6) last season. Their offensive efficiency ranked just 140th nationally and 12th in the Big Ten.
He said it: “Retention is something our staff talked about more than anything through the offseason and toward the end of last year, knowing we had a chance to have everybody back. Credit to the players to committing to coming back and committing to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” —Gard, at Wisconsin’s preseason press conference.
Purdue center Zach Edey (15) is defended by Fairleigh Dickinson forward Sean Moore (11) and forward Ansley Almonor in the first half of the teams’ first-round NCAA Tournament matchup March 17 in Columbus, Ohio.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
Date/time/TV: Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m., Peacock
Game location: Indianapolis
School location: West Lafayette, Ind.
Series history: Purdue leads 7-5 and has won five of the last seven games, including notable UA losses in the last two matchups: A 72-63 Purdue win in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, a game that eventually proved to be Lute Olson’s last one as the Wildcats’ head coach, and an 89-64 Purdue win in the 2017 Battle 4 Atlantis, in which UA went 0-3.
Coach: Matt Painter (413-198 in 18 seasons at Purdue, 438-203 in 19 seasons overall).
Last season: 29-6 overall, 15-5 Big Ten (1st), lost to Fairleigh Dickinson in first round of NCAA Tournament
Go-to guy: C Zach Edey (Sr., 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg)
Other key returnees: G Braden Smith (So., 9.7 ppg, 4.2 rp[g, 4.4 apg), G Fletcher Loyer (So., 11.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg), F Ethan Morton (Jr., 3.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg), F Mason Gilles (Jr., 6.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg), F Caleb Furst (Jr., 5.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), F/C Trey Kaufman-Renn (4.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
Key newcomers: G Myles Colvin (four-star freshman), G Lance Jones (Sr., Southern Illinois transfer), F Camden Heide (Fr., redshirted in 2022-23)
Upside: All five starters, including last season’s national player of the year in Edey, return from a team that became only the second No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed in history to lose to a No. 16 seed in the first round. The Boilers are supremely capable and, presumably, motivated.
Downside: The Boilermakers shot just 32.2% from 3-point range overall, and they turned the ball over on 18.4% of their possessions in Big Ten games, ranking 13th of 14 teams. A little more spacing might make Edey even more dominant around the basket.
He said it: “Obviously we had a tough finish to the season. Hopefully that sits with us as a coaching staff and really as a program to make us better, so we can have more success in March but ... the process starts all over, and you can’t miss any steps. You’ve got to just keep growing your your group. You just have to be collectively a little more confident than we were at the end of the year.” — Painter, at Big Ten media day.
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Date/time/TV: Dec. 20, 9 p.m., ESPN
Game location: Footprint Center, Phoenix
School location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Series history: Alabama leads the series 3-1, though the teams held serve in a home-and-home series during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. The Wildcats won 88-82 on Dec. 9, 2017, at McKale Center, while Alabama won 76-73 on Dec. 9, 2018, and the teams haven’t played since then.
Coach: Nate Oats (92-42 in four seasons at Alabama, 188-85 in eight years overall)
Last season: 31-6 overall, 16-2 SEC (1st), lost to San Diego State in NCAA Sweet 16
Go-to guy: G Mark Sears (Sr., 12.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Other key returnees: G Rylan Griffen (So., 5.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg), C Nick Pringle (Sr., 3.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Key newcomers: G Latrell Wrightsell (Jr., Cal State Fullerton transfer), F Grant Nelson (Sr., North Dakota State transfer), F Mohamed Wague (Jr., West Virginia transfer), F Jarin Stevenson (four-star freshman), G Aaron Estrada (Sr., Hofstra transfer), F Sam Walters (four-star freshman), F Mouhamed Dioubate (four-star forward), G Davin Cosby (freshman)
Upside: No matter his overhauled roster, Oats figures to run the same sort of uptempo he and UA coach Tommy Lloyd have become known for. While Oats lost guard Jaden Bradley to Arizona — and onetime Wildcat commit Jahvon Quinerly to Memphis — he pulled in two Arizona recruiting targets in Wrightsell and Nelson. Wrightsell was a top scorer at Fullerton, while the versatile Nelson is the ideal sort of big man for Oats’ spread-out offense.
Downside: Chemistry could be a challenge for a roster where virtually everyone will be put in a new role, including big-scoring transfers such as Wrightsell and Nelson.
He said it: “Even with all this turnover, we’ve ended up with a really good roster and an unbelievable group of guys — Oats, to Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
What will FAU do for a Final Four encore in 2023-24? For one, take on Arizona in Las Vegas on Dec. 23. The Owls matchup with the Wildcats and an early December tilt against Illinois in New York highlight the 2023 national semifinalists’ own nonconference slate.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS
Date/time/TV: Dec. 23, 1 p.m., Fox
Game location: Las Vegas
School location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Series history: Arizona beat Florida Atlantic 75-62 in the teams’ only previous meeting, the Wildcats’ first game of the 2008-09 season, when interim head coach Russ Pennell took over for the retired Lute Olson.
Coach: Dusty May (101-60 in five seasons at FAU and overall)
Last season: 35-4, 18-2 CUSA (1st), lost to San Diego State in NCAA semifinals
Go-to guys: G Alijah Martin (Jr., 13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), G Johnell Davis (Jr., 13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Other key returnees: G Bryan Greenlee (Sr., 7.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg), G Nick Boyd (So., 8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg), C Vladislav Goldin (10.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg), G Jalen Gaffney (Sr., 4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.3 apg), G Brandon Weatherspoon (Sr., 5.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg), F Giancarlo Rosado (Jr., 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Key newcomers: None.
Upside: All five starters, and all but one rotation player, return from a selfless, aggressive team that reached the Final Four last season and will move to the AAC this season. Yes, that means nobody transferred. Imagine that.
Downside: The Owls’ biggest obstacles will likely be intangible. How does a group of players that succeeded far more than any in program history return after an offseason when everyone tells them how good they are? Especially when their opponents will be taking them much more seriously than ever.
He said it: “We’re gonna have the same work ethic and dedication because of who we are. It’s the other things — how this unit grows together, how they evolve and how they work together — those are the things that are gonna determine our success. And we’re not chasing something that happened in the past. This is a completely new season.” — May, in a video interview posted by Florida Atlantic.
VIDEO: Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd speaks at Pac-12 Media Day on Wednesday, Oct. 11, on how Keshad Johnson developed at San Diego State, and what that “growth” means with him now at Arizona. (Video courtesy Pac-12 Networks).
