Arizona has mettle, personnel to survive the early rounds

It's a weighty question for office pool participants, media prognosticators and anxious Arizona fans alike.

Should you trust the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament?

Dare you trust the Wildcats?

Two years in a row, they laid waste to your faith — first losing as a No. 1 seed in the Sweet 16 to Houston, then flopping as a No. 2 seed in the first round to Princeton.

What reason is there to believe coach Tommy Lloyd's third experience with March Madness will be any different?

What evidence is there to suggest the Wildcats possess the game and the gumption required to fend off plucky Long Beach State on Thursday in Salt Lake City, then repel Nevada or Dayton in the second round?

To indicate they will fulfill the promise of their talent, slay the demons on their shoulders and advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2001?

This is not a complicated conversation, folks, for a single issue explains the early exits against Houston and Princeton: The Wildcats weren't tough enough, mentally or physically.

NCAA Tournament games are rock fights. Survival requires the fortitude to persevere when momentum turns against you and shots stop falling. Advancement demands the determination to dig out loose balls, claim crucial rebounds and bully your way to the basket (or foul line) when points are at a premium.

Against both Houston and Princeton, the Wildcats cowered. That's right: They weren't as tough as Princeton.

But Lloyd has remade his roster in vital spots, giving Arizona a better chance to deal with downturns and navigate the pressure.

Out with Azuolas Tubelis and Kerr Kriisa.

In with Caleb Love, Keshad Johnson and Jaden Bradley, plus more of Kylan Boswell.

That collective swap did not materially improve the Wildcats' performance during the regular season — they have fewer wins and more losses than they did last year entering the NCAAs.

But the changes have made Arizona tougher and more athletic, thereby boosting the playmaking options. The rotation is stronger in the areas that matter in March.

It starts with Love, whose production in close games powered North Carolina to the NCAA final two years ago.

Only a few seconds really matter in the tournament: the final seconds of possessions in the last eight minutes. When the offense breaks down and the shot clock nears expiration and the outcome is in doubt, playmakers are needed to manufacture points.

Love offered a masterclass in playmaking two years ago. We expect he will do the same this year. *