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The 10th-seeded Wildcats (24-4), after winning the program’s first-ever Big 12 championship, will take on Denver at the LaNelle Robson Tennis Center on Friday at 1 p.m. and could potentially face the winner of Harvard and Washington in the second round Saturday.

Arizona head coach Clancy Shields, who has evolved the UA men’s tennis team into a West Coast power, is grateful to host a regional “in the comfort of our home� for the third straight season. Complacency isn’t in his vocabulary.

“We can’t be getting too used to this,� Shields said. “It’s our third year in a row we’re hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. It’s such a difficult task to do over the course of the year because you have to finish in the Top 15 and that depends on your schedule and things going your way.�

Shields joined “Spears & Ali� on ESPN Tucson to preview the Tucson Regional and what’s ahead for the Wildcats:

What’s your evaluation of the three teams coming to Tucson in Denver, Harvard and Washington?

A: “Denver is amazing. That’s a really tough first round for us. Maybe the best coach in the country and they have two players that are nationally ranked. They win their conference every year and they’re a really dangerous team. ... These guys know how to win and are going to be a really tough challenge. If we’re able to get through, we’re probably looking at a Harvard team. Harvard was preseason ranked (No.) 10 or 11 in the country. ... We know they have a ton of talent over there and we’re going to have to do some things to get through to the Sweet 16.�

How is this season’s journey different than some of the others in the past?

A: “This story and this season is unlike any other. First, one, we have the best player in college tennis in Colton Smith. You’ll see the ranking that has him at (No.) 4, but that’s because he has played professional events instead of the college season. By every metric, he’s the No. 1 player in the country by a mile. Having the best player in the country on your team, the confidence it brings is unbelievable. But for half of our matches, he was playing in events to help set him up for his professional career.

“So, we called our team the Colton-less Cats and we had to have a bunch of freshmen and a bunch of young guys step up. To maintain the ranking and maintain the team we have without undoubtedly our best player and the best player in the country, it’s a testament to our guys and the work they put in. Our young guys are stepping up in a big way.�

How unique is it to have someone like Smith on your team?

A: “The day after the season, he’s going over to Paris to play in the French Open. Then he’ll play Wimbledon and the U.S. Open and everyone is going to be watching this kid play on TV. They’re going to be like, ‘Wait, he played for the U of A and I had the chance to come watch him?’

“The funny thing is, the betting markets that know it, right. The betting markets have him as the No. 45 player in the world, (and) I’m not talking about juniors or college. In the professional ranks, the betting markets have Colton Smith as the 45th-best player in the world.

“To have that on your college team is unheard of. It’s a testament to him and what he’s been able to do. It’s a call to everyone in Tucson that it’s your last time to see the greatest player in college tennis play on our home courts, so come out to pack the Robson Tennis Center on Friday and Saturday. ... This is it. This is the last weekend and I know it’s going to be emotional for him.�

How was the experience winning Arizona’s first-ever Big 12 championship in Waco nearly two weeks ago?

A: “It’s not a slouch conference. We have the defending national champion in TCU and we were hoping to see them in the finals as the No. 1 seed, but they slipped up and lost to UCF. Going into the (NCAA Tournament), there’s four teams ranked in the Top 15 that are from the Big 12. It’s a really tough conference.

“If you would’ve told me in August, ‘Hey, you’re going to win the conference,’ I would’ve said, ‘Pack it in, that’s a great season and I’m taking that to the bank.’ ... To bring home our first conference title was awesome. I think, more importantly, the week we had between the Big 12 and the NCAA Tournament has been critical to come down from the big high and prepare for the long haul of making a deep run. I think the guys are primed and ready for that.�

Aside from Smith, how have others — like Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Jay Friend, a junior from Tokyo — contributed to your success this season?

A: “If you were to take Colton off the team, Jay Friend — and I know this sounds braggadocious — would be the best athlete at the U of A. He’s No. 5 in the country and has lost one match all year. If you’re the fifth-best football player or fifth-best basketball player, the notoriety you’d be getting.

“The problem, he’s sitting behind the best player in college tennis. Everyone talks about Colton Smith, but sitting just a few spots behind is this incredible talent named Jay Friend. He’s the most unbelievable kid you’ll watch. He’s dynamite on the court, he’s fun and energetic and engages with the crowd.

“In many ways, when he’s playing really good, he’s just as good, if not better than Colton. He’s someone to watch out for. ... We have four spots in our lineup that are hard to beat. ... I think this is a team that can go deep in this tournament.�