The Arizona Wildcats rank eighth in NET and 13th in KenPom, yet they are 19-8 and were recently dropped from the AP Top 25 for the third time in six weeks.
In other words, the numbers say the Wildcats are an elite team but their record doesn’t come close to reflecting that.
That discrepancy can partly be explained by Arizona’s inability to win close games. They are 3-6 in games decided by five or fewer points this season.
Why have things gone wrong in those closing moments?
The offense breaks down
The Wildcats have one of the best offenses in the nation—16th in KenPom—but they generally struggle to hit shots down the stretch and/or get too careless with the ball when the game slows down at the end.