By ANDREW BAGNATO
AP Sports Writer

TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- Almost everything about the Arizona Wildcats
seems unfamiliar - their coach, their roster and even the
refurbished McKale Center floor.

"It's really a brand-new fresh canvas," coach Sean Miller said.

One thing hasn't changed: expectations.

In the long run, Miller is charged with returning the Wildcats
to the national prominence they enjoyed during Hall of Famer
Lute Olson's 24 seasons in the desert, which brought four Final
Four trips and a national title in 1997.

This year, the goal is simpler, but perhaps every bit as
daunting.

Miller and his youthful squad are under pressure to extend
Arizona's 25-year string of NCAA tournament appearances, the
nation's longest active streak and two shy of North Carolina's
record run of 27 straight appearances from 1975 to 2001.

The long tourney run is a powerful recruiting tool. But Miller
has warned that it could also be a burden to an inexperienced
group.

" 'The Streak' is 'The Streak' and you can't get past that,"
freshman point guard Lamont 'MoMo' Jones said.

The Wildcats were picked fourth in a preseason poll of Pac-10
media.

March seemed a long way off when the Wildcats opened preseason
drills. They spent much of the fall being introduced to each
other.

Gone are Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, now playing in the NBA.

The players on this year's team accounted for only 32.9 of
Arizona's 72.3 points per game in 2008-09.

Arizona's only upperclassmen are senior point guard Nic Wise and
junior forward Jamelle Horne. Sophomore guard Kyle Fogg, who
averaged 6.1 points per game last season, is the Wildcats'
third-leading returning scorer.

Wise wavered on returning for his senior season. But with no
guarantees that he'd be drafted last summer, Wise came back and
will play for his fourth coach in as many years.

"It's going to be a big load for me, Jamelle and Fogg, but feels
good to finally have a coach," said Wise.

Wise averaged 15.7 points per game last season, second to
California's Jerome Randle (18.3) among returners in the Pac-10.
Wise also ranked in the top five in assists (4.6 per game),
steals (1.5 per game) and free throw percentage (84.8 percent).

Wise is the latest in a long line of star Arizona point guards.

"You want to be the big man," Wise said. "I've just got to live
up to the role."

Wise is generously listed at 5-foot-10, but he'll be asked to
shoulder most of the leadership responsibility, at least early
on.

"He certainly has the most at stake, coming back for his senior
year, and I certainly wouldn't trade him with any point guard,"
Miller said.

Wise will provide leadership for a flood of new signees,
including 6-foot-6 swingman Solomon Hill of Los Angeles;
6-foot-10 center Kyryl Natyazhko of the Ukraine; Jones, a
5-foot-11 point guard of Harlem; and 6-foot-6 swingman Kevin
Parrom of the Bronx.

Miller won't project a starting lineup, and it's very likely it
will change as the season progresses.

Arizona may be inexperienced, but at least the Wildcats have
some stability on the bench for the first time in three seasons.

Two years ago, Olson took a personal leave of absence before the
season tipped off, turning the team over to interim coach Kevin
O'Neill. Back on the job last fall, Olson spoke enthusiastically
about the upcoming season at media day, then resigned two days
later.

Interim coach Russ Pennell replaced Olson and guided Arizona to
its 25th straight NCAA berth - barely. The Wildcats slipped in
as a 12th seed, then made a surprising run to the regional
semifinals.

After flirting with former USC coach Tim Floyd last spring,
Arizona lured the 40-year-old Miller from Xavier with a
five-year contract that pays him a base salary of $2 million per
year plus a $1 million signing bonus.

Miller will take up residence on the sideline of a refurbished
McKale Center court, which will have a different look this
season. The school's trademark block "A" can be found at center
court, and the "Lute and Bobbi Olson Court" tribute has moved to
the front of the Arizona bench.

"We certainly look forward to the challenge of improvement,"
Miller said, "and at the end of the year, if things line up
right, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we're a very good team,
and a very dangerous team that has improved a lot."