Arizona Wildcats featured on cover of Sports Illustrated college basketball preview
Nov 5, 2014, 11:21 PM | Updated: 11:21 pm
The hype for the University of Arizona’s upcoming basketball season continues to grow.
Forward Brandon Ashley and the Wildcats were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 2014-15 NCAA basketball preview.
Arizona was ranked No. 2 in the country in the AP preseason poll and by Sports Illustrated behind Kentucky — though Arizona received five first-place votes in the AP poll.
One of the most talked-about players on the team is freshman Stanley Johnson. Johnson was a five-star recruit last year and a 2014 McDonald’s All-American, and is projected as a top 10 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by ESPN.
This season will also feature the return of junior Ashley, who had been out with a foot injury since February. Ashley emerged as one of the Wildcats’ top scorers last year. In 22 games, he averaged 11.5 points, third most on the team. He shot 52.2 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three.
The Wildcats lost to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight by one point last season. This year, the team has its eye on a Final Four bid, if not the national championship.
