It’s in no way hyperbole to say the Arizona Wildcats will only go as far as their three mercurial freshmen will take them.
But just as important to Arizona this season will be the play of its upperclassmen, of which it has far more than the average power conference team. And on Sunday night it was those grizzled veterans who took center stage, leading the Wildcats to their first holiday tournament title since 2014.
Fifth-year seniors Max Hazzard, Chase Jeter and Dylan Smith combined for 45 points, 33 in the first half, as 14th-ranked Arizona (9-0) beat Wake Forest 73-66 in the Wooden Legacy championship game in Anaheim, Calif.