Arizona faced two ranked opponents en route to winning the Maui Invitational last month, then last weekend handled 14th-ranked Indiana in Las Vegas despite a partisan crowd that wasn’t in the Wildcats’ favor.
Now comes the biggest matchup yet this season, a visit from No. 6 Tennessee to McKale Center for a nationally televised clash. The Volunteers (9-1) handed the Wildcats (9-1) their first loss last season, 77-73 in Knoxville the Wednesday before Christmas.
The UA is 1-4 all-time against Tennessee, its only win coming in the 1998-99 opener in Albuquerque, but has won 24 in a row at McKale.