The Big 12 champions—Arizona Wildcats opened their first game of the NCAA tournament versus the LIU Sharks in San Diego, California.

Arizona was given the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA tournament on Selection Sunday.

The team has amassed quite a resume this season: Big 12 champions, a Big 12 record—23-0 start to the season, and a school record 29 wins in the regular season.

The regular season success is here for Arizona, the postseason success—can get tricky for any team, when even as a No. 1 seed, Arizona was upset by No. 5 Houston in the Sweet 16 in 2022.

While Arizona hasn’t advanced past the Sweet 16 since 2015 many see this season as the one to go all the way to the championship.

Arizona began the path to the Final Four against No. 16 LIU Friday.

LIU (24-10, 15-3 NEC) were led by their backcourt, Jamal Fuller and Malachi Davis.

Fuller in his second year, averages 16.4 points per game, shooting an elite clip 43.8% from three.

Davis is up there with Fuller as he averages 14.4 points per game.

LIU came in with a ferocious defense, averaging 5.4 blocks per game and 7.8 steals per game as a team.

But Arizona’s talent goes deep as the rotation is solid everywhere.

Chandler Native, Koa Peat (13.6 points per game, 5.3 rebound per game) has an elite frame and athleticism making him one of college’s most intriguing prospects as a freshman.

A backcourt led by Brayden Burries (15.9 points per game) and Jaden Bradley (13.3 points per game) made scoring threes look easy.

Size is a huge part of Arizona’s game, and their 7-foot-2 center Motiejus Krivas brought that as he averages a near double-double at 10.5 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game.

With the size advantage Arizona has over teams, they play a physical game inside the paint and draw fouls.

As for LIU, a No. 16 seed upsetting a No. 1 seed would be quite a feat—happening only twice in men’s NCAA tournament history.

Yesterday’s matchup between No. 1 Duke and No. 16 Siena was almost the third instance, as Siena led 43-32 at half until Duke’s late second-half come-back secured them the 71-65 win.

Reminding all No. 1 seeds not to underestimate any team in the tournament.

It was an early start for the Wildcats with a 12-2 lead after just four minutes of play.

Krivas made his presence felt early on the defensive end with his third block of the game, 11 minutes into the first half.

Arizona’s defense continued to shut-down the Sharks, forcing them into a scoring drought for over three minutes, and allowing Arizona to jump to a 38-18 lead.

Right as LIU’s Greg Gordon broke the scoring drought, Arizona followed up with an alley-oop to Peat from Bradley the next possession.

As the Wildcat’s went on another run, Burries pulled up from the logo to make his fourth three-pointer of the game.

It was all Arizona at the half—53-29.

Burries led the team in scoring at 14 points, shooting 5 for 8 from the field.

The team was playing to their strengths, outrebounding LIU 27-11, and outscoring them in the paint 26-12.

A struggle for the Sharks on the interior shooting 7 for 23.

Beyond the arc though, LIU was great shooting 5 for 11, right there with Arizona at 6 for 10.

Peat grabbed his fourth point of the second half off a pretty turnaround jumper, adding to his 13- point total.

After Krivas picked up his third foul, he went to the bench and LIU got some breathing room on the interior.

Gordon attacked the paint for multiple right-hand finishes, taking advantage of Krivas’s absence, cutting Arizona’s large lead to 67-43.

Then LIU’s Mason Porter-Brown weaved through traffic for a dunk to continue LIU’s run.

Porter-Brown had 15 points off the bench.

Krivas re-entered the game, and made an immediate impact, grabbing a defensive rebound to kick-start Arizona’s transition offense.

It was Krivas again securing an offensive rebound for Arizona, and then making the right-hand finish to extend their lead back to 76-45.

At 3:37 left to go in the game, Arizona began to empty their bench, as they led 82-49.

It was a complete team effort from the Wildcats—four players scoring at least double digits.

Arizona did exactly what they do best, scoring in the paint and establishing their size advantage.

Although the scoreboard looked lopsided, it did not reflect LIU’s performance entirely.

The Sharks did not shy away from the physical game that Arizona played, making tough finishes and battling for offensive rebounds.

The team also stuck some impressive three-pointers despite Arizona’s tight defense.

An impressive showcase of the character and toughness of the Long Island squad.

Arizona’s 92-58 victory advances them to the round of 32, awaiting the winner between No. 8 Villanova and No. 9 Utah State.

As the team eyes a path to the Final Four, Tommy Lloyd has kept the same sentiment since the Big 12 tournament, “(We’ll) try to advance as far as we can in that tournament one game at a time.”