What we learned in Arizona’s win over Houston

With more than 40 days until the Final Four, men’s college basketball fans got a preview of potential national semifinal showdowns in Indianapolis.

The top four teams in the latest AP poll headline a loaded slate on Saturday, as No. 4 Houston hosts Arizona, No. 1 Michigan and No. 3 Duke in Washington, D.C. (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Cougars lost Game 1 of a strong doubleheader, as the Wildcats took a first-half lead before hanging on to close it 73-66. What did the result teach us about the competitors? ESPN’s Myron Medcalf explains.

What we learned about Arizona

We knew the Wildcats could still beat any team in America — and they proved that in one of the sport’s most hostile environments against one of its best teams.

They were nearly flawless until last week, suffering their first loss of the season at Kansas and then to Texas Tech by JT Tobin’s 31 points. But that’s it. They have otherwise been one of the most consistent contenders in the country for four months. More importantly, they excelled in crucial, season-defining moments, like this one.

Their defense was excellent in the second half as Houston struggled to score. The Cougars did not make a field goal for nearly eight minutes in the second half, their longest scoring drought of the season. Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Ivan Kharchenkov added 16 points, and Anthony Del Orso added 22 points. However, the Wildcats’ struggle for three points (25% on Saturday) means they don’t have a knockout punch in their arsenal, so they failed to extend the lead by more than 10 points. –Medcalf

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Jayden Bradley prepares Anthony Del Orso with a sweet dish for Arizona

Jayden Bradley prepares Anthony Del Orso with a sweet dish for Arizona’s game against No. 2 Houston.

What we learned about Houston

This was the kind of battle that Kelvin Sampson’s Houston teams seem to relish, but the question that seems to have plagued them for years remains: How will they overcome the scoring drought that has dogged them?

Houston went without a point between 12:11 and 4:32 in the second half against Arizona. And while the Wildcats’ defense played an important role in that drought, the Cougars can’t expect to cut down the nets in April if they can’t get a bucket when they need one. They were also outscored 21-9 in the final 11 minutes of their 70-67 loss to Iowa State on Monday.

Do they have the offensive ability to trade punches with the best teams in America? The NCAA Tournament is defined by playmakers and stars, and the Cougars have them, but their inability to overcome a pair of ugly stretches in back-to-back games is concerning. This week’s losses suggest that unless new star Kingston Flemings can create shots in clutch moments, they could be vulnerable to more droughts at the most crucial stage of the season. –Medcalf