2014 NCAA Tournament Preview: No. 1 Arizona vs No. 4 San Diego State

By Taylor Sturm
Arizona 2014 NCAA Tournament
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The No. 1 seeded team in the West region of the 2014 NCAA Tournament the Arizona Wildcats rolled over the No. 8 seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs in order to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Nick Johnson had somewhat of an off night for the Wildcats, but Arizona got it done in the end, winning 84 – 61. Now, the Wildcats will face the No. 4 San Diego State Aztecs in the Sweet Sixteen with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

San Diego State had to take their first round opponents the No. 13 New Mexico State Aggies to overtime in order to advance, but rolled over the No. 12 North Dakota State Bison in the round of 32. The Aztecs looked shaky in their first game, but showed the defensive dominance that they’ve had all season in their second game. San Diego State will believe that they are capable of going to the Elite Eight and even the Final Four.

What to Watch For:

Xavier Thames is a fantastic college basketball player, but can he compete with Arizona’s tough defense and the fantastic guard play of Aaron Gordon? This game is going to come down to which team plays better defense and, statistically, San Diego State wins in that department.

Prediction:

San Diego State is one of the better defenses in the country, but Arizona is a much better team offensively. The Wildcats are not a team that would’ve gone far in the 2014 NCAA Tournament if they were in a different region. However, Arizona gets the best of San Diego State in this one and advances to the Elite Eight with relative ease.

Arizona 68, San Diego State 55

Taylor Sturm is a Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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