Disappointing but not surprising.
U of A's recent scandal of bribing freshmen Deandre Ayton $100,000 to play for them just makes the whole season of college basketball feel slightly like a sham.
In light of these events, I, along with many others, feel the University of Arizona should not be eligible to play in the tournament for many reasons.
The most obvious of these is simply that if you don't play by the rules, you shouldn't play at all. It is pretty simple. Both the coaches and player are made well aware of these rules, and honestly when has bribery ever been acceptable? If you prefer not to play by NCAA rules, then don't play for them at all, there are plenty of other talented players who would love a chance on a Division 1 team, who worked just as hard and he took the spot, took the money and ran with it.
On top of that, Ayton was by Arizona's best player by far. They would most likely not be sitting #1 in the Pac 12 without him and the $100,000 in his pocket. It takes two to tango, so the fact that Sean Miller didn't coach the Oregon game, but Ayton still played, is unacceptable and shows the lack of responsibility on U of A's end.
Who knows where they would be this season without him, what other schools would be higher in standings and how the dynamic of the tournament would have been changed had they showed respect and dignity for the game they play.
The most outrageous part is that this takes away from the spirit of the tournament. College basketball is supposed to showcase the talents of these student-atheltes, not be run unfairly by bribery and dishonesty. March Madness is supposed to be fun for alumni, students and the athletes and being in the midst of a scandal takes away from that experience for all.
If they continue to let Arizona play in the tournament, it is unfair and a slap in the face to every other athlete who is there to play. Imagine the anger and distress knowing you lost to a team because they have no respect for the rules and the NCAA.
All in all, the Wildcats wouldn't be where they are without Ayton, and they should most definitely not be able to reap the benefits of cheating. With the biggest bribe in NCAA history, they should face consequences not only for their actions, but to set an example going forward.
