ARIZONA WILDCATS BASKETBALL

Arizona basketball has 3 Wildcats land on SI’s Top 50 players of the year

Mar 13, 2022, 10:00 AM

Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35)and Arizona Wildcats guard Bennedict Mathurin (0)  box...

Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35)and Arizona Wildcats guard Bennedict Mathurin (0) box out for a rebound during the Roman Main Event tournament college basketball game between the Arizona Wildcats and the Wichita State Shockers on November 19, 2021, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball put together quite the 2021-22 regular season that resulted in an outright Pac-12 Championship, a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a Pac-12’s Player of the Year.

With March ramping up and the NCAA Tournament just days away, Sports Illustrated revealed its Top 50 players of the 2021-22 season that featured three Wildcats in the Top 30.

Leading Arizona throughout the course of the season, Pac-12 Player of the Year Bennedict Mathurin was named as the No. 10 player for the college season by SI.

Averaging 17.3 points per game to go with 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists, Mathurin was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2022 Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year Trophy on Friday.

Mathurin has been the star of one of college basketball’s most entertaining teams: he’s at his best playing in space and running in transition, and Arizona has done that extremely well … The Wildcats are an ensemble cast, but they wouldn’t be outgunning teams on the regular without him.

– Jeremy Woo

The next Wildcat to crack the list was big man Azuolas Tubelis at No. 14 after the forward averaged 14.5 points along with 6.3 boards.

Tubelis lived up to his expectations coming into the season after a stellar freshman year that earned him Pac-12 All-Freshman honors.

The Lithuanian was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Feb. 7 and was named to the watchlist for the Karl Malone Award, given to the nation’s best power forward.

Often overshadowed by Bennedict Mathurin’s flashier game, Tubelis may be one of the more underappreciated stars in college hoops … Advanced metrics love Tubelis’s impact on the game, and it’s no coincidence that two of Arizona’s three losses have come when Tubelis played 15 minutes or less due to foul trouble.

– Kevin Sweeney

Rounding out Arizona players was center and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Christian Koloko at No. 26.

Koloko has been the primary anchor to Arizona’s defense as he’s emerged as one of the nation’s best rim protectors. The junior is a semifinalist for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 87 blocks and 22 steals on the year.

Arizona Wildcats basketball

Arizona...

Damon Allred

No. 20 Arizona dominant inside, gets revenge against No. 13 Texas Tech for lone conference loss

No. 20 Arizona men's basketball hit the paint hard in a show of physicality to beat No. 13 Texas Tech, avenging its lone loss in Big 12 play.

5 hours ago

BYU guard Egor Demin (3) drives between Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) and forward Trey Townsend during...

Lance Hartzler

No. 20 Arizona clamps down late to seal win over BYU

The No. 20 Arizona and BYU men's basketball teams were in a fun one in Provo, Utah, Tuesday night.

4 days ago

The Arizona Wildcats and UConn Huskies are finalizing a home-and-home series...

Tyler Drake

Arizona and UConn finalizing home-and-home men’s basketball series

The Arizona Wildcats are reportedly finalizing an agreement with the UConn Huskies for a home-and-home series beginning in the 2025-26 season.

6 days ago

Arizona's Caleb Love after headbutt...

Lance Hartzler

Arizona’s Caleb Love named Big 12 Player of the Week

No. 12 Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love was named the Big 12 player of the week following his performances in wins over Iowa State and ASU.

6 days ago

Arizona still on outside of AP Top 25...

Associated Press

College basketball rankings: Arizona returns to AP top 25 after beating ASU

The Arizona Wildcats (15-6) on Monday returned to The Associated Press' top 25 men's basketball rankings for the first time since November.

6 days ago

Richard Jefferson...

Damon Allred

Former Wildcat Richard Jefferson claps back at Bobby Hurley for questioning Arizona’s class

Richard Jefferson didn't take too kindly to Bobby Hurley questioning Arizona's class after his ASU squad was beaten on Saturday.

7 days ago

Arizona basketball has 3 Wildcats land on SI’s Top 50 players of the year