Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Wildcats entered the 2012-13 college basketball season with a lot of hype–like always. They were great for most of the season, but only entered the 2013 NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed. However, if it wasn’t for a last second three-pointer, the Wildcats would have been in the Elite Eight.
Ohio State Buckeyes’ LaQuinton Ross made a three with barely any time left, which led the Buckeyes to the Elite Eight. Arizona played well enough to pull off the victory, but it is all about the final score when the final buzzer goes off.
Arizona has so high of expectations every season, thanks to the quality recruiting at the school and the flow of 5-star players coming in on a yearly basis. Even if Arizona would have made the Elite Eight, it still would have not been enough. It would have been much better than losing in the Sweet 16, but the Wildcats are all about the national championships or at least a Final Four appearance.
The Wildcats will have to do it all over again next season with a different team than it had this season. Both Mark Lyons and Solomon Hill were seniors.
For how good Arizona was during the regular season a loss in the Sweet 16 was pretty disappointing, but it did come at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who were a No. 2 seed and won the Big Ten tournament.
An early exit is never fun, but Arizona will be back again next year and the expectations will be just as high as they always are.
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