ARIZONA BASKETBALL

Predictionmachine.com: Arizona likely to beat San Diego State

Mar 26, 2014, 9:45 PM | Updated: Mar 27, 2014, 3:11 pm

LISTEN: Paul Bessire, predictionmachine.com

The Arizona Wildcats are among the 16 teams left in the NCAA Tournament, and are one of three No. 1 seeds playing a fourth-seeded team in the Sweet Sixteen.

Standing in their way of a trip to the Elite Eight are the San Diego State Aztecs.

“These are two very similar built teams with good on-ball defense, elite rebounding and terrible shooting, for the most part,” Paul Bessire, creator of Predictionmachine.com, told the Dan Bickley Show with Vince Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “Ultimately, Arizona is better at every single position though. While they are similarly crafted, Arizona is significantly better.

“We see the Wildcats win in their own right about 75 percent of the time. 62-58 is our predicted score.”

After 50,000 simulations of the upcoming Thursday night game, Bessire says his system predicts the Wildcats should handle the Aztecs, but also reveals that they are only the seventh most likely team to win the NCAA Championship.

Bessire’s simulations put Arizona at a 31.3 percent chance of making the Final Four out of the West Regional, which are better odds than San Diego State, Baylor and Wisconsin.

“It’s a difficult thing for Arizona to get out of the region itself,” Bessire said. “Plus, by the time they get to the Final Four, for all the teams that are higher than them in the power rankings, a lot of them are a little bit better free throw shooting teams, and I think it’s going to be critical at that point to shoot from outside as well.”

Arizona Basketball

Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo against Clemson in the Sweet 16...

Arizona Sports

Oumar Ballo Nerf-hoop dunks it as Arizona tries to make comeback vs. Clemson

The No. 2 Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 against the No. 6 Clemson Tigers showed some pop late in the first half with Oumar Ballo's dunk.

12 minutes ago

Keshad Johnson #16 and Pelle Larsson #3 of the Arizona Wildcats speak at a press conference before ...

Damon Allred

Grind of final Pac-12 season prepared Arizona basketball for March

No. 2 Arizona men's basketball will look to make it past the Sweet 16 for the first time in Tommy Lloyd's tenure.

1 day ago

Caitlin Clark celebrates...

Associated Press

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is inspiring a younger generation of players

Caitlin Clark's deep range has expanded the scope of possibilities for up-and-coming women's basketball players.

1 day ago

Chase Hunter #1 and PJ Hall #24 of the Clemson Tigers high five during the first half against the B...

Vincent DeAngelis

Clemson basketball looks to continue ‘underdog’ run against Arizona in Sweet 16

No. 6 seed Clemson takes on Arizona on Thursday after upsetting No. 3 seed Baylor in the 2024 NCAA Tournament round of 32

1 day ago

(L-R) Caleb Love #2, Keshad Johnson #16, Oumar Ballo #11, and Jaden Bradley #0 of the Arizona Wildc...

Vincent DeAngelis

Re-ranking Arizona basketball among Sweet 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament

Multiple publications rank the Arizona Wildcats around the middle of the pack among the Sweet 16 team still in the NCAA Tournament.

3 days ago

Darian DeVries...

Associated Press

West Virginia basketball hires Darian DeVries to be new coach after 6 years at Drake

West Virginia tapped Drake coach Darian DeVries on Sunday to move the Mountaineers past one of the ugliest years in school history.

4 days ago

Predictionmachine.com: Arizona likely to beat San Diego State