Arizona vs. Long Island University: NCAA Tournament Predictions & Preview

by BettingPros Staff |
Mar 15, 2026

The 2026 NCAA Tournament is officially here! The March Madness Bracket is set, and first-round NCAA Tournament matchups are in place. It’s time to make your picks and predictions for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament! We’re here to help as we’ll have picks and predictions for each of the first round 2026 NCAA Tournament games. Here are our NCAA Tournament predictions and preview for Arizona vs. Long Island University.

2026 NCAA Tournament Predictions & Preview: Arizona vs. Long Island University

Here are the odds for this opening-round matchup of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Let’s dive into our preview and predictions for this NCAA Tournament matchup.

Arizona 2026 NCAA Tournament Preview

Tommy Lloyd set a DI record with 141 wins in his first five seasons at Arizona, delivering a Big 12 regular-season title in the Wildcats’ second season in the conference. Arizona started 23-0, breaking the program’s all-time win streak record, and finished the regular season 12-2 against ranked opponents. Arizona ranks in the top five offensively and defensively, with elite interior play on both sides of the ball.

The identity of this team runs deeper than most. Jaden Bradley is the senior point guard who clamps down defensively and can be a clutch bucket-getter. Koa Peat is arguably the most talented player on the roster, a 6-foot-8 freshman who imposes his will on both ends. Brayden Burries plays his best basketball in the biggest moments and is fully healthy again. Tobe Awaka handles the dirty work and posts double-doubles with impressive consistency, leading DI players in offensive rebound percentage. Anthony Dell’Orso can stretch the floor, as evidenced by his 6-of-9 three-point shooting performance against Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament. And Motiejus Krivas, the 7-foot-2 Lithuanian center, blocks shots at a top-75 national clip and got to the charity stripe at a top-50 clip.

When this team is healthy, it can beat anyone. The Wildcats handled Florida, UConn, Alabama and a whole host of Big 12 opponents. Their two regular-season losses came on the road to Kansas and in overtime to a healthy Texas Tech. Their biggest question is whether Arizona’s identity is almost too strong. No tournament team gets a lower percentage of its points from the perimeter than Arizona.

Only 20% of points come from deep for the Wildcats, ranking fifth-lowest in the nation. It's promising to see they're capable of putting up threes when needed (as shown in their Big 12 tourney game vs. Iowa State). The Wildcats rebound their misses at a top-five clip and have one of the highest free-throw attempt rates in hoops. It doesn't seem as if their lack of perimeter looks has been an issue so far. But if the Wildcats face a big team that locks up the frontcourt and forces them to the perimeter, it will be interesting to see if they can step up offensively.

Long Island University 2026 NCAA Tournament Preview

Long Island University had the NEC auto-bid locked up before the tournament even started due to Mercyhurst’s ineligibility, then went out and won the whole thing anyway. Head coach Rod Strickland has a group built on aggressive, athletic guard play - the Sharks switch everything in man-to-man defense, generate a high number of steals and disruptions and convert that pressure into easy transition buckets at one of the best rates in the country. Malachi Davis, the Arizona State transfer, can score at all three levels. Greg Gordon is one of the better perimeter defenders in the field. The roster is loaded with experienced upperclassmen who’ve been through this together.

The weaknesses are real: The Sharks turn it over a lot on offense, they’re undersized and the defensive glass will be a problem against a bigger opponent. They also rank 348th in bench minutes, so they don't have much depth, and their 350th strength of schedule isn't great for tournament preparation. Long Island University is a team with a style of play that could make things uncomfortable for an opponent early on. They were leading Georgia at halftime and competed with Mississippi State. But a lot of dominoes will have to fall for the Sharks to sniff an upset.

More NCAA Tournament Predictions & Previews

#1 Duke vs. #16 Siena
#8 Ohio State vs. #9 TCU
#5 St. John’s vs. #12 Northern Iowa
#4 Kansas vs. #13 Cal Baptist
#6 Louisville vs. #11 South Florida
#3 Michigan State vs. #14 North Dakota State
#7 UCLA vs. #10 UCF
#2 UConn vs. #15 Furman

#1 Arizona vs. #16 LIU
#8 Villanova vs. #9 Utah State
#5 Wisconsin vs. #12 High Point
#4 Arkansas vs. #13 Hawai’i
#11 Texas vs. North Carolina State
#3 Gonzaga vs. #14 Kennesaw State
#7 Miami (FL) vs. #10 Missouri
#2 Purdue vs. #15 Queens

#16 UMBC vs. Howard
#8 Georgia vs. #9 Saint Louis
#5 Texas Tech vs. #12 Akron
#4 Alabama vs. #13 Hofstra
#11 Miami OH vs. SMU
#3 Virginia vs. #14 Wright State
#7 Kentucky vs. #10 Santa Clara
#2 Iowa State vs. #15 Tennessee State

#16 Prairie View A&M vs. Lehigh
#8 Clemson vs. #9 Iowa
#5 Vanderbilt vs. #12 McNeese
#4 Nebraska vs. #13 Troy
#6 North Carolina vs. #11 VCU
#3 Illinois vs. #14 Penn
#7 Saint Mary’s vs. #10 Texas A&M
#2 Houston vs. #15 Idaho

Subscribe to the BettingPros Podcast

Navigate