Arizona Basketball: Stock Watch for Wildcats' Top Players

A loss to rival Arizona State might leave a sour taste in the mouth of Arizona fans, but the Wildcats remain one of the top teams in college basketball this season.

With eight regular-season games remaining on the schedule, Arizona sits at 20-3 while tied with Utah on top of the Pac-12 with an 8-2 conference record. The latest rankings put the squad at No. 7 in the nation in both major polls.

Although a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament might be tough to obtain, the Wildcats will likely remain in the mix as long as they keep winning.

Still, for this to happen every player will have to be competing at his best in each game going forward. Despite the recent success, this has not be the case for all of the squad's biggest stars.

Here is a look at the stock watch for each of the key players on the roster, based on level of play in recent weeks as well as outside expectations.

Stock: Up

In most cases, Arizona doesn't necessarily want T.J. McConnell taking 19 shots in a game like he did against Arizona State. However, the senior's role is to do whatever it takes to help his team win, and he did what he had to do Saturday.

The senior point guard scored a season-high 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting in the loss, showing an aggressiveness with the ball we aren't used to seeing. If he can be effective, though, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Either way, McConnell is usually helping the team, whether he is scoring or not. That could mean setting up teammates with open looks, or creating turnovers with his 2.1 steals per game.

His contributions go beyond the stat sheet, as well, with a senior leadership that can carry Arizona deep into the NCAA tournament. Knowing he can score when needed, even in a losing effort, just shows once again why he is arguably the team's most valuable player to this point in the season.

Stock: Up

A couple of bad shooting performances aside, Stanley Johnson has shown why he was such a highly touted recruit out of high school. The freshman is currently leading the team in both scoring and rebounding, and continues to get better every week.

Johnson has a unique scoring ability, with the skill to shoot over opponents or drive past them, while contributing in just about every phase of the game.

It also seems like he will not be in Tucson for too long, as DraftExpress.com currently has him going No. 5 in its 2015 mock draft.

Not to overlook what he is doing for his current team, KenPom.com puts him fourth in the race for national player of the year.

There will obviously be some complaints from fans about inconsistent play, but Johnson has played as well as anyone could have hoped for this season.

Stock: Holding

Things haven't been great in the last two games for Gabe York, as the junior has struggled with his shooting touch. Against Oregon State and Arizona State, the guard made just two of his seven shots from behind the arc, reducing his greatest value to the team. 

With questionable defense, it's easy to see York as someone who is fading down the stretch.

However, it's important to remember shooters are streaky and extremely valuable when playing well. York had a game-high 16 points in the blowout win against Oregon and is shooting 37.5 percent on the season from long range.

The guard has also done a better job of attacking the basket and scoring in the paint (well, not always). He gives the Wildcats another much-needed scoring threat, and he will be needed down the stretch.

Stock: Holding

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has been one of the best defenders in the nation while putting up solid numbers offensively. Still, it's easy to expect more from a player with this type of talent.

The forward has the athleticism to finish above the rim when he gets the chance and has enough ball-handling skills that Sean Miller was prepared to trust him at point guard if needed. Despite this, he is rarely aggressive enough to be a factor offensively.

According to KenPom.com, Hollis-Jefferson takes shots on 18.2 percent of possessions when he is on the floor. This makes him less active than even Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Dusan Ristic, albeit in much more playing time.

There is clearly a lot of talent on the roster and offensive balance is important. However, the sophomore has to keep improving his scoring for his stock to truly be on the rise.

Stock: Down

This might be a little harsh on Brandon Ashley, who is currently the team's second-leading scorer at 11.4 points per game. However, his struggles have been a common thread in all of Arizona's losses this season.

In the three losses to UNLV, Oregon State and Arizona State, Ashley shot a combined 11-of-31 (35.5 percent), including 0-of-7 from three-point range. The forward's outside shooting has especially been a major issue lately, as he is just 1-of-11 over the past nine games. 

What was once a tool to keep opponents honest and stretch the defense is now becoming a weakness for the junior.

It's clear that for Arizona to be at its best, Ashley will need to get back to his standard level of play and be a consistent scorer in each game. This is a lofty expectation for the player, but it is necessary if the Wildcats are going to contend for a Final Four bid or more this postseason.

Stock: Down

While a few of the stock reports might be debatable, it's hard to defend the current level of play for Kaleb Tarczewski. The seven-footer has failed to reach expectations this season and has been even worse in recent games.

Despite his imposing frame, "Zeus" tends to disappear on both ends of the court during long stretches. The defensive effort is especially noticeable, as he has not developed into a rim-protector (only five blocks in 10 conference games) and only ranks fourth on the team with five rebounds per game.

Obviously, Arizona has been very successful on the defensive end this season, but it could be even better if Tarczewski became a more active force in the low post.

Then again, the center might be running out of time to live up to expectations for the Wildcats.

If you want the latest info in college basketball as well as analysis in all sports, follow Rob Goldberg.