TUCSON — Arizona basketball traveled to Birmingham this morning to face another ranked opponent as the Wildcats prepare to take on 12th-ranked Alabama tomorrow night.
The contrast from last season is striking.
While Arizona sat at 4-4 a month into their previous campaign, this year's team has surged to an impressive 8-0 start, largely thanks to a dominant freshman class that has taken the college basketball world by storm.
"I don't think he knows how good he is," said Tobe Awaka, Arizona senior forward, speaking about the impact of Koa Peat.
Peat and the rest of the freshman class have not only transformed Arizona but captured national attention.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd believes his players are just scratching the surface of their potential, particularly freshman Brayden Burries.
"I think his practice habits are picking up. You know, I think his comfort in these games is picking up and I'm excited to see in two weeks what Brayden Burries looks like because I think he is in his sweet spot right now," Lloyd said.
While the freshmen have garnered headlines, it has been senior guard Jayden Bradley who has emerged as the team's clutch performer. Bradley has delivered multiple go-ahead shots to secure crucial victories against UCLA and UConn.
"Obviously he's someone that's not afraid of big moments or big games, and he's performed really well in those," Lloyd said.
The Wildcats will look to Bradley once again tomorrow night as he faces a familiar opponent: his former team, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
