South Region: Injury could leave top-seed Arizona vulnerable

No. 1-seeded Arizona hopes guard can make comeback

Most fans of teams who win conference tournaments share photos and videos of net-cutting ceremonies and trophy presentations.

Arizona fans were more focused on a gruesome photo starting point guard Kerr Kriisa posted of his gnarly ankle, which was injured during the Pac-12 tournament at T-Mobile Arena.

Both Kriisa and first-year coach Tommy Lloyd say the Estonian sophomore has a chance to play at some point in the tournament and the Wildcats were able to capture the conference crown without him. But any prolonged absence could make top-seeded Arizona vulnerable once the tournament moves to San Antonio.

Lloyd hasn’t taken a team to the tournament as a head coach, but he has plenty of experience as a Gonzaga assistant. He believes his team is ready.

“We have a game on Friday. If it goes well, you have a game on Sunday. If you don’t, then you go home,” he said. “So we’re going to come out in attack mode. We want to play aggressive, loose and have a ton of fun. There’s nothing wrong with trying to put on a little bit of a show for Wildcat Nation, as long as you’re playing within the team concept and being aggressive.”

Four players to watch

■ Jordan Walker, Alabama-Birmingham — The Blazers’ opponents far too often this year have not been ready for this “Jelly.” Walker not only has one of the best nicknames in college basketball but has been one of the most productive players all season long. The 5-foot-11-inch dynamo averages more than 20 points and 4.9 assists per game.

■ Kofi Cockburn, Illinois — His numbers tell a large part of the story. Cockburn, who thrilled Illini fans by coming back to school after last year’s disappointing exit from the NCAA Tournament, averaged 21 points and 10.6 rebounds this season. But a closer look shows just how important he really is to the team’s success. Brad Underwood’s team averaged .14 more points per possession when Cockburn was in the game this year. In five of their eight losses, he either didn’t play or was limited by foul trouble.

■ Jameer Nelson Jr., Delaware — Feel old yet? Yes, Jameer Nelson’s son is in the NCAA Tournament. While the elder Nelson made an Elite Eight in 2004 as a No. 1 seed with St. Joseph’s, the younger one faces an uphill battle with the 15th-seeded Blue Hens. Nelson averaged 13.7 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 37 percent from 3-point range.

■ David Roddy, Colorado State — The bruising forward is capable of bulldozing defenders in the lane and wreaking havoc around the rim, but still shot 45.5 percent from 3-point range. He averages 19.4 points and 7.6 rebounds and has quite a bit of finesse to his game, which makes it even more frustrating for opponents when he runs them over in the lane.

Three potential matchups

■ Michigan vs. Ohio State, Sweet 16 — One of the greatest rivalries in all of sports could be renewed as the Wolverines and Buckeyes have a chance to meet in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time. Michigan won the only previous meeting in 1992 when it knocked off top-seeded Ohio State to advance to the Final Four. The teams have met 188 times dating back to 1909, though the rivalry is better known for battles on the gridiron.

■ Arizona vs. Illinois, Sweet 16 — Sure, it’s two historic programs with solid teams that both believe they can win a national title this year. That would make the matchup intriguing enough. But should seeds hold and they play each other in the third round, it will provide a chance to relive one of the best college basketball games ever played in a 2005 Elite Eight matchup. The Illini rallied from a 15-point deficit with four minutes remaining to force overtime and then advanced to the Final Four when Hassan Adams missed a shot at the buzzer in the extra session.

■ Michigan vs. Loyola-Chicago, Sweet 16 — The Ramblers are most known for the 2018 Final Four run that brought them back into the spotlight many years after their 1963 national title run. But it was the Wolverines who ended that magical run in 2018 and sent Sister Jean back to Chicago. This could be an opportunity for, um, redemption.

Two bracket busters

■ Loyola-Chicago — There’s a new man in charge as Drew Valentine took over when Porter Moser left for Oklahoma, but not much else has changed in the program that has seen so much tournament success in recent years. The Ramblers don’t have the kind of elite talent that stands out on paper when examining matchups, but they do everything well and figure to be a tough out.

■ Alabama-Birmingham — Jordan Walker is the kind of player who can carry a team to an upset or two in the postseason. The Blazers also got a somewhat fortunate draw in a good Houston team that has been hit hard by injuries. It’s the first time UAB has been in the field since 2015. That year, the Blazers were a No. 14 seed and pulled an upset of Iowa State in the first round.

Last team standing

Illinois

The Illini were a No. 1 seed and figured to contend for a Final Four berth last year only to see their season come crashing down in a stunning loss to Loyola-Chicago. Expectations aren’t quite as high this year and that could be a good thing for Brad Underwood’s squad. Cockburn is an elite talent and the defense has been consistent all season. Point guard Andre Curbelo has not. If he can put together a series of good games, this team becomes incredibly dangerous.

Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal