“This is where I want to be,” said Wise, ending speculation about his future. “I trust Coach Olson and he wants me to be a leader – the captain – next season, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Wise, a 5-foot-9, 178-pound guard averaged 9.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and a team-leading 4.4 assists per game in 27 appearances (11 starts) in a career-high 29.4 minutes per game. He shot 45.1 percent (79-of-175) from the field and a team-leading 48.1 percent (37-of-77) from three-point range and ranked second in the Pac-10 Conference with a 2.0 steals per-game average. Wise finished in double figures 14 times in 2007-08, including the last six games in which he appeared. He passed out six or more assists in a game 10 times.
His per-game averages rose to 12.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists in Pac-10 play, where he averaged 24.9 minutes per game.
“We’re happy to have Nic back,” said Arizona head coach Lute Olson. “His experience and his leadership are things we will rely on next season.”
The Wildcats (19-15 overall, 8-10 Pac-10) made its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007-08, which is the longest active streak in the nation.