Chemistry the biggest factor in Arizonas quest for a national title

Arizona looks to establish a camaraderie similar to that of last seasons team (Getty Images)

Beginning on October 3rd and running up until November 14th, the first day of the season, College Basketball Talk will be unveiling the 2014-2015 NBCSports.com college hoops preview package.

MORE: 2014-2015 Season Preview Coverage | NBCSports Preseason Top 25 | Preview Schedule

After winning 27 games and reaching the Sweet 16 in 2012-13, big things were expected of the Arizona Wildcats in 2013-14 and Sean Millers team delivered.Despite having to replace three of their top four scorersthe Wildcats won 33 games and a regular season Pac-12 title, reachingthe Elite 8of the NCAA tournament as well.Arizona didnt have the deepest rotation, especially after forward Brandon Ashley was lost for the season in early February with a foot injury, but they had talent, athleticism and a stingy half-court defense that was among the best in the country.

Even more is expected of the Wildcats in 2014-15, with Ashley back to full strength as he joins point guard T.J. McConnell and center Kaleb Tarczewski as the teams returning starters. Add in the likes of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Gabe York, who were reserves a season ago, and one of the nations best recruiting classes, led by small forward Stanley Johnson, and on paper the depth issue that Arizona had to manage in 2013-14 isnt expected to be an issue this season.

However, even with that being the case, and Arizona being considered to be one of the favorites to cut down the nets in Indianapolis, there are still questions to be answered. The biggest? How will Arizona account for the loss of startersNick Johnson and Aaron Gordon, with their intangibles being just as if not more important as the numbers they provided.

RELATED: NBCSports.coms Pac-12 Preview

One of the strengths of last years teamwas our team chemistry, Miller said at the teams media day last month. We had a group of high-character players that were on a mission to have a successful season as a team. Obviously a year ago every one of them wanted to do well individually, but everybody understood that first and foremost we were going to do it as a team.

And with that team success the individual accolades would follow, which is exactly what happened.

There may have been no player who better fits into those words than Johnson, who averaged 16.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. The numbers were good but Johnsons leadership was even better, ultimately resulting in his being named Pac-12 Player of the Year and a finalist for the Naismith national Player of the Year award. Johnsons leadership impacted the program both on and off the court, with the camaraderie factoring into the team being able to go as far as it did without Ashley.

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Chemistry the biggest factor in Arizonas quest for a national title