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The No. 1 Arizona Wildcats will meet the No. 5 Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Both teams are coming off a nice win in the round of 32. The Wildcats had to play overtime against TCU, while the Cougars used a late run to beat Illinois.
These two programs have risen to prominence in different ways, but both feature players who could shine at the next level. Here are the 2022 NBA draft prospects to keep an eye on in Arizona vs. Houston in the Sweet 16.
NBA Draft prospects to watch
Arizona
Bennedict Mathurin is the highest-rated prospect for Arizona, but Christian Koloko is more likely going to raise his stock even more if he repeats his round of 32 performance here. The big man finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the win over TCU but has a stiffer challenge with Houston. The Cougars successfully locked up Kofi Cockburn, so Koloko having a big game would elevate his stock. Azuolas Tubelis could also sneak into the NBA draft conversation but he needs to show he can stretch the floor effectively to do so.
NBA Draft prospects to watch
Houston
The Cougars saw their top draft prospects leave from last year’s unit, but there are some potential players at the next level on this year’s team. Kyler Edwards is a nice scoring guard, although he could use more consistency offensively. Fabian White Jr. and Josh Carlton could develop into rotation players over time but for now Edwards is the main man to look out for.