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Getting it together in Tucson
Sports Illustrated staff writer Seth Davis spoke with CNNSI.com about the goings-on in the college basketball world this week: CNNSI.com: There was finally some good news out of Tucson last week. Lute Olson returned to the bench at Arizona and the Wildcats posted impressive wins over USC and UCLA. Is this team back in the hunt for a national championship? Seth Davis: I think there is no question about that. Olson comes back at a good time; this team has improved in some areas that were of some concern to him before he left. They're getting much better play out of their backcourt. Gilbert Arenas had been struggling with his shot selection, but he actually made 58 percent of his shots in their two wins last week over USC and UCLA. Point guard Jason Gardner had only three turnovers in those two games. Also, their defense is much better, they really bottled up USC's Brian Scalabrine and UCLA's Jason Kapono and I think that shows the toughness that Olson was concerned about. And as they definitely proved in those two games, the Wildcats can definitely score in bunches. So not only do they have enough time to get better, they also have enough time to really improve their positioning going into the tournament. If they can win out the Pac-10, they would be the No. 1 seed in the West and from that position, there is no question they would be dangerous. CNNSI.com: On the flip side the news has been all bad down at Florida. Three Gators starters suffered major injuries the last few weeks, and the team has now lost three of its last four games. Do you see any way that Florida can recover and still be a factor come the postseason? Davis: I talked to Billy Donovan and the first thing he asked me was if I had any eligibility left. So they may be getting a little desperate down in Gainesville. Typically, Donovan is trying to stay positive and he still feels that this team can be competitive. Even though they lost three of their last four, they were close losses. Donovan also realizes he's got some young players, particularly freshman Orien Greene and sophomore Matt Bonner. Those guys are going to get a lot more game experience now than they would otherwise. After they did so well in the tournament last year, they lost two guys to the NBA. Maybe not doing as well this year ensures that everybody will stay as Donovan is bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class next year. If everything goes according to plan, Florida could be the No. 1 team heading into the season next year. So while the Gators are having their troubles, I don't think you'll see a lot of sympathy out there for Billy Donovan. CNNSI.com: Finally, every year in the NCAA tournament it seems there are a couple of teams from outside the power conferences who prove they can dance with the big boys. Last year it was Tulsa and Gonzaga, the year before we had Miami of Ohio. I know it's early, but who would you say are the potential Cinderellas? Davis: It is early, so predictions are dangerous. Still, I'll give you three. First of all, Jerry Tarkanian's Fresno State team has been playing very well. They just cracked the Top 25 and they're actually ranked 14th in this week's RPI ratings. They are the class of their league, which would give them a good seed. Butler is going to be a very interesting team. They have struggled a little bit, but they do bring back four of their five starters from last year when, of course, they almost beat Florida in the first round. The Bulldogs will be getting back their center Scott Robisch, a 6'11" transfer from Oklahoma State who has been hurt. And then finally there's that perennial Cinderella, the College of Charleston. They haven't lost a game in the Southern Conference and the Cougars actually have the best winning percentage in Division I over the last seven years. And although it's tough to get a good seed out of the Southern Conference, if anybody can do well from that position, I think it is John Kresse's team. Sports Illustrated staff writer Seth Davis covers the college basketball beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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