With an NIT Season Tip-Off tournament title, Arizona made its case as a legitimate title contender. We take a deeper look into the Wildcat squad.

Over the past 10 seasons, the winner of the NIT Season Tip-Off has made every NCAA Tournament and only once was the champion eliminated in the opening round. Two were eliminated in the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite 8, and National Title game, and the tournament champs in 2009, Duke, went on to win the National Championship.

As the statistics prove, the winner of this preseason tournament can usually be taken as a serious threat in March. Most recently, Michigan won the Season Tip-Off last season before falling to Louisville in the National Title game. Arizona could have a deep postseason run as well.

It all starts at the point guard position with junior T.J. McConnell. The transfer from Duquesne is averaging 6.7 points and 6.4 assists per game after sitting out last season due to transfer rules. He showed his value against Duke with 10 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and only two turnovers in 39 minutes of action. The only time McConnell exited the game, Duke went on a quick 7-0 run. When McConnell returned, the Wildcats answered with a 7-0 run of their own.

"He's always in the right place," Arizona head coach Sean Miller told Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. "All he tries to do is run his team and get assists. In today's day and age, that's rare."

His backcourt mate, junior Nick Johnson, has also had his moments. Johnson was named MVP of the NIT Season Tip-Off after a 15-point performance against Duke. The ultra-athletic guard is averaging a team-high 17 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field. He’s a streaky shooter, with a 33 percent mark from 3-point range, but when he’s hitting shots the Wildcats are tough to beat.

Then there’s the loaded frontcourt. Freshman Aaron Gordon has lived up to the hype as he’s averaging a team-high 9.3 rebounds along with 12.1 points per game. He’s been an efficient scorer, shooting 49 percent from the field and 56 percent from 3-point range, while collecting four double-doubles in seven games this season.

“Aaron Gordon isn’t going to score 30,” Miller said to Rob Dauster of NBC Sports. “He’s not a volume shooter. He’s a basketball player. He guarded Hood and Parker. He finished with seven boards. He made a couple of the best passes on offense. He made a big three point shot.”

Gordon may not have the scoring averages of other heralded freshmen, but he’s been stellar in his role.

The two sophomore big men have also been crucial to the team. Brandon Ashley is averaging 11 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 61 percent shooting while Kaleb Tarczewski is averaging an additional 9.9 points and 6.7 boards on 57 percent shooting. Their size inside can create mismatches for smaller lineups.

Off the bench, freshman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has been great. The wing is averaging 8.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in only 21.7 minutes. He’s also a great defender, which can be key when other Wildcats are in foul trouble.

Sophomore Gabe York is a streaky scorer off the bench who can provide instant offense when he’s knocking down shots. His premier game came against Fairleigh Dickinson where he was 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from behind the arc en route to 20 points in 19 minutes. With primarily a seven-man rotation, the Wildcats have all the key components for a championship run.

Arizona has survived its early season tests as the Wildcats are now 7-0 this year. Their next game against a ranked opponent will come on December 14th when Arizona goes on the road to play Michigan. Not only are the Wildcats looking like the Pac-12 favorites, but they’ve also made their case as championship contenders.