The Arizona Wildcats look to extend their NCAA Tournament run on Sunday when they take on the fourth-seeded Texas Longhorns in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Arizona (28-7) advanced to the Round of 32 after defeating the Memphis Tigers 77-75 on Friday afternoon. Derrick Williams led the Wildcats with 22 points and 10 rebounds, winning the game with seconds to go by blocking Wesley Witherspoon's shot attempt.
Texas (31-8) held off a late surge by the Oakland Grizzlies to punch their ticket to the third round of NCAA Tournament action. The Longhorns put together a balanced attack, with four of their players scoring double digits.
Which Texas players should Arizona fans pay close attention to? Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson are a good place to start. Hamilton averages 18.7 points a game, while Thompson puts in 13.4. Both players grab about eight rebounds a game.
Hamilton, a sophomore, and Thompson, a senior, have both pledged to return to Texas for another season of basketball. Together, they will make the Longhorns a favorite to win the 2012 NCAA Tournament as they gel together as a unit even further.
In order for the Arizona Wildcats to defeat the Texas Longhorns, a few things will need to happen. First of all, Arizona needs to keep the game at a manageable pace. They struggled against Memphis when the Tigers started to push the ball in transition, and putting the game into a halfcourt battle will improve Arizona's chances.
Kyle Fogg and Jesse Perry will need to have better games, as well. Fogg scored only four points on 1-for-5 shooting, and Perry didn't score despite shooting the ball four times. Both players must contribute in a more significant fashion, as the Longhorns will be focused on stopping All-American Derrick Williams.
The game tips at 3:10 P.M. Pacific time, and will air on TNT. Check out AZ Desert Swarm for more Arizona basketball coverage.