👋 GOOD MORNING

Happy Thursday! We’ve almost made it through the week, and I sure hope yours is going well. The Wildcats kick off their Big 12 Tournament today (more on that below), but if you’re a Sun Devils fan, don’t despair! You should come out to Mullett Arena on Friday and Saturday to watch a little playoff hockey. Moreover, we’re hosting a meetup tomorrow night before the game, and you should definitely come check it out. Make sure to wear white, and I hope to see you there! We’re going to have a good time, and hopefully celebrate a Sun Devils win together.

You can ​RSVP right here​, and you absolutely should.

Finally, I posted about Bobby Hurley on X yesterday, and I loved the subsequent debate/discussion that ensued. What do you think? Should Hurley have been fired? Scroll down to the bottom of this post and sound off in our poll!

On to the show!

Wildcats’ Postseason Aspirations Start in Kansas City

It’s a special time of year for Arizona basketball.

The storied program is kicking off its conference tournament slate, and while the stakes are familiar, the surroundings are very different. The Wildcats are navigating the Big 12 for the first-ever time, and early returns have been promising. Arizona earned a double-bye in Kansas City after finishing within the conference’s top four in the regular season, and that rest can help pay dividends down the stretch. Bonus: It requires just three wins to cut down the nets at T-Mobile Center.

Wildcats Face Jayhawks In Quarterfinals

Yes, Kansas has had a disappointing season by its standards, but it’s still hard to not be giddy with excitement as two college basketball blue bloods battle it out for a spot in the semifinals. The Wildcats fell to the Jayhawks 83-76 in Lawrence this past Saturday, and today’s matchup (6:30 pm, ESPN+) is critical for both teams.

• Kansas will almost assuredly have a clear home court advantage based on location alone (Kansas City).
• The Jayhawks (21-11, 12-9 Big 12) can use all the help they could get for NCAA Tourney seeding, as they are currently projected as a six seed by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
• The Wildcats are projected as a five seed (not the dreaded 12-5 matchup!), so a few wins would go a long way.
• With a win, UA would face either 2-seed Texas Tech or 7-seed Baylor.

My take: The Wildcats aren’t playing with house money, per se, but it’s nice to know no matter what happens they’ll be dancing. Despite a perceived advantage for the Jayhawks given the location of the tourney, Arizona has shown just how formidable they are within the Big 12, and regardless of what happens the team is in a strong position to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Take a Deeper Dive: Kevin ​breaks down the Big 12 Tourney​ and reviews recent remarks from coach Tommy Lloyd.

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

Houston, We Have a Problem: The Suns continue to falter down the stretch, falling 111-104 at Houston which marks their third loss over their last four games. They also missed a golden opportunity to catch Dallas, which also lost but still sits 2.5 games ahead of the Suns for the final playoff play-in spot. For what it’s worth, Phoenix has three games in hand.

Running Down the Wrong Road: The Roadrunners dropped yet another game, bad news as they cling to the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Tucson saw a 2-1 third period lead evaporate into a 4-2 loss, but the good news is Bakersfield also lost, meaning they remain two points behind the Roadrunners for the final playoff spot.

Jordyn-esque: ASU women’s lacrosse player Jordyn Behar was named Big 12 attacker of the week after recording five goals and eight assists in two games last week. She scored four goals against Vanderbilt on Saturday, and has the fourth-most assists in a single season in program history (30). The Sun Devils are 6-2 this season, and five student-athletes have taken home a weekly award this season.

🧢 Tip of the Hat

Leah and Petey are talking hockey, and all is right with the world.