🏀 GOOD MORNING 🏀

Happy Friday! Is your bracket busted yet? I sure hope not. I made it through day one unscathed, and the Wildcats and their fans are sure hoping for much of the same as they prepare to face Akron later today (much, much more on that below). There’s no shortage of local sports to catch this weekend, whether you’re more inclined to follow basketball (Suns, Wildcats), baseball (D-backs Spring Training), hockey (Sun Devils), gymnastics (Wildcats and Sun Devils), or anything in between. It’s one of the best times of the year!

If you need a joke to get you through to the weekend, I’ve got you covered: Why was the strawberry crying? It was in a jam!

Let’s run it back next week. On to the show!

A Look at the Wildcats’ NCAA Tourney Matchup(s)

March. Madness.

It’s really become synonymous with Wildcats basketball, and for good reason. Arizona has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 21 times since 2000, and has made four Final Four appearances, with the last one coming in 2001. The Wildcats came up short that year, as their lone national championship came in 1997 (I may have won my bracket in Jr. High that year, if I recall correctly), but UA’s sustained success has been consistent for decades. The program is building off a Sweet 16 appearance just last season, where it ultimately fell as a two-seed to sixth-seeded Clemson.

Projecting a Path to the Sweet 16 in 2025

Arizona is no different this season, having already given fans a flavor of what’s to come on Caleb Love’s buzzer-beating half-court shot against Iowa State earlier this season. Even so, the Wildcats enter this year’s tourney as a No. 4 seed, matching up against upstart 13-seed Akron this afternoon (4:35 pm, truTV). A win in the First Round would present a Sunday matchup against either No. 5 Oregon or No. 12 Liberty, who also play later tonight.

• The Wildcats are a 14.5 point favorite heading into this afternoon’s game ​according to bet365​.
• Akron is 28-6 this season, having lost just one time in 2025 (Feb. 22).
• The Zips won the MAC Conference Tournament with a last-second bucket over Miami Ohio.
• They did not face a single ranked opponent all season.

A Look Ahead, Just Because

• Oregon is a formidable opponent, but has hit some rough patches this season. The Ducks lost five straight from Jan. 25 – Feb. 8, and had their eight-game winning streak snapped against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
• They are 3-5 against ranked opponents, with their last win coming over No. 11 Wisconsin on Feb. 22.
• Liberty is 11-1 in its last 12 games, capturing the Conference USA title with a 79-67 win over Jacksonville State.
• The Flames did not face any ranked opponents this season, but do own an impressive win over Kansas State (67-65 on Nov. 24).

My take: This team is so fun to watch, and March Madness requires both disciplined play and good fortune, both of which could fall into place for the Wildcats. Not to get too far ahead, but potential Sweet 16 matchups would include games against No. 9 Baylor, No. 8 Mississippi State, No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s (unlikely), or No. 1 Duke. Sure, that last name is a little intimidating since the Blue Devils have lost just three times all year — and just once since Nov. 26 (!!!) — but hey, that’s March, and this is when Arizona shines brightest. Buckle up and enjoy the weekend, there’s no better time of the year.

Take a deeper dive: Damon and Kevin ​break down the Akron matchup​ in all of its glory. Check it out!

Sun Devils Prep For Do-Or-Die Frozen Faceoff

The ASU men’s hockey team still has some work to do in order to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, and are facing a must-win situation against Denver — the defending national champions — in the NCHC Semifinals tonight at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. (2 pm, CBS Sports Network).

• ASU is the No. 2 seed while DU is the No. 3 seed.
• The Sun Devils beat the Pioneers three times this season, and lost once in overtime.
• A win would go a long way in securing an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, while a loss probably means they are out based upon the current Pairwise standings.
• ASU would face either Western Michigan or North Dakota for the NCHC Title with a win over DU (Saturday, 7:30 pm, CBS Sports Network).

Catch up with Leah and Petey for a full preview!

Mock Us All You Want

Can’t get enough Cardinals mock draft coverage? Boy, does Johnny have you covered. Make sure you check out his video above, but also take a peek at his Diehard article ​highlighting Arizona’s potential picks​. There’s no shortage of content, and if you aren’t a Diehard yet but want access to perks like exclusive content, a raucous Discord server, free merch, event discounts, and more, ​join the PHNX family​! When you do, give us a shout on X, and bask in the love that follows.

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

Balancing Act: The Sun Devils and Wildcats gymnastics teams kick off the Big 12 Tournament at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, tomorrow (4 pm, ESPNU). Both teams are set to compete in the evening session, with the No. 3 seed Wildcats beginning on beam, while the No. 4 seed Sun Devils start on floor.

Long Road to Ruin: The Suns have clawed their way back into the postseason play-in picture, as they currently occupy the West’s final spot given a current tiebreaker against Dallas. That said, the road ahead is extremely difficult for Phoenix — which hosts 56-13 Cleveland tonight — and the Cavs will be extra hungry considering they have dropped three consecutive games 😬

Say it Aint So-sa: D-backs Minor League relief pitcher Listher Sosa was suspended for 80 games for violating Minor League Baseball’s performance-enhancing drug program. The 23-year-old righty has steadily climbed the ranks, making it all the way up to Double-A Amarillo last season, but received the suspension yesterday after ​testing positive for Methandienone​, an anabolic steroid medication.

🧢 Tip of the Hat

This was a must-see, and if you’re reading this before 9 am, YOU CAN STILL TUNE IN! Shoutout to Emma for a phenomenal new hobby.