Bear Down Wildcats

EastCoastCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Anyone feeling good about winning @UConn? It’s an early tip time, after the time zone change. It would do wonders for our postseason hopes.

Not worried about that game in the slightest

I've seen UCONN play a couple of times and they are much better under Hurley compared to the past few years under Kevin Ollie. It will be a sell out crowd at the Xcel center in Hartford so this will be our first real road game of the year.

Not sure how this team will respond in a hostile environment yet so yeah I am worried.

I will be in attendance - anyone else going?

I will be there. I wonder if Schlabach will make the twenty minute journey from his ESPN lair to come to the game.

azcat49 wrote:Just love these coaches corner clips

Agreed. Love the way Sean teaches

dcZONAfan wrote:

azcat49 wrote:Just love these coaches corner clips

Agreed. Love the way Sean teaches

FWIW, if you like watching Miller coach, there's a YouTube channel with a lot of free instructional vids featuring SM coaching.

https://youtu.be/cSREO_WSg28" target="_blank

That's an example video, but if you search "Championship productions Sean Miller" you can find a lot of the older ones.

We are deep against bad teams. We need three of the bench players to show up (and just be solid) against top competition.

dcZONAfan wrote:

azcat49 wrote:Just love these coaches corner clips

Agreed. Love the way Sean teaches

I will be watching this season to see if Miller has learned when to quit teaching and let the kids practice what he has taught them (a la Lute). I believe Miller's micro-management gets in the way of big success.

SunnyAZ wrote:We are deep against bad teams. We need three of the bench players to show up (and just be solid) against top competition.

Hopefully that's what the bad teams are for. Getting experience and confidence for our bench guys so they have something to build on when it comes to the better teams.

#freetrive

IrishAzCat wrote:

that kid has got game....I will feel significantly better about our bench if he continues to improve and get decent minutes moving forward.

Like Edgerson but in a different way, Doutrive is the 1970s all over again.

goslingswagg wrote:

IrishAzCat wrote:

that kid has got game....I will feel significantly better about our bench if he continues to improve and get decent minutes moving forward.

These are the games to get a guy like Doutrive out there and let him be under game conditions. He has ability and nights like last night are good to gauge whether he is ready for the more challenging games.

Dude should’ve played in maui.

CalStateTempe wrote:Dude should’ve played in maui.

Sean Miller agrees.

Sunday is big.

UConn is really going to be tough. Going to the other side of the country and playing an afternoon game usually spells disaster for this program. The first true road game for this team, the atmosphere will be ruckus, Danny Hurley will be fired up. Coleman will have to play like he did in Maui. The bench will have to step up like today. Hurley's team are well coached and have huge intensity.

Most importantly, control the pace. I think UConn will be favored by a point

Definitely a big game. I think UConn will be favored by 3 or so. I caught their game again 'Cuse and thought they looked solid. A lot will come to down hitting shots (duh?) as up to this point I'm not expecting huge numbers out of the post players against quality competition. The bench will need to provide some quality minutes, or this game will be a lot like Gonzaga and Auburn. Shooters will eventually get tired legs.

Anyway, for those wanting to take a small (yet somewhat painful, esp. 2011) trip down memory lane here is their message board.

https://the-boneyard.com/threads/arizon ... es.136611/" target="_blank

cats101 wrote:Definitely a big game. I think UConn will be favored by 3 or so. I caught their game again 'Cuse and thought they looked solid. A lot will come to down hitting shots (duh?) as up to this point I'm not expecting huge numbers out of the post players against quality competition. The bench will need to provide some quality minutes, or this game will be a lot like Gonzaga and Auburn. Shooters will eventually get tired legs.

Anyway, for those wanting to take a small (yet somewhat painful, esp. 2011) trip down memory lane here is their message board.

https://the-boneyard.com/threads/arizon ... es.136611/" target="_blank

Making threes is really, really, REALLY big. Maybe Dylan hitting some will shake him out a little. We're perimeter oriented this year and need those shots to fall or we're gonna have a bad time.

I'm very nervous for this one.

billk78 wrote:#freetrive

I’m worried that if his hair gets any longer the added weight may snap his legs like dried spaghetti.
His legs are so thin.

EastCoastCat wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Anyone feeling good about winning @UConn? It’s an early tip time, after the time zone change. It would do wonders for our postseason hopes.

Not worried about that game in the slightest

I've seen UCONN play a couple of times and they are much better under Hurley compared to the past few years under Kevin Ollie. It will be a sell out crowd at the Xcel center in Hartford so this will be our first real road game of the year.

Not sure how this team will respond in a hostile environment yet so yeah I am worried.

I will be in attendance - anyone else going?

Two of my best buddies from UofA are meeting up there - one from New Hampshire and one from New Jersey.

Look for the two drunk guys screaming at UConn!

At least Richie Ballesteros isn't reffing the game. The last time Arizona tripped to Storrs, CT, we got screwed out of a W on a clean Loren Woods block at the buzzer.

That first pair is incredible.

UA favored by 1.

UA RPI 37 UCONN 122

This game (and Alabama & Baylor) are games we absolutely need to win if we hope to get invited to the dance.

oops

Hell yeah! We're winning the games we need to vs the bubble teams. UConn and ISU are two huge, HUGE wins.

Team has the biggest pair of nuts in years

When our underclassman guards make their bunny drives and we clean up just half of our bad decisions we'll be capable of winning our conference.

Our in-bound at time-out d is really poor.
Our dribble hand-off leads to 2 TOs per game.

Cats are making the tournament.

Fun watching this team. Most fun I have had since the DWill led elite 8 team

Brandon Williams is my favorite player now...good BB IQ, not selfishly seeking his own shot, cool headed, shows up does the work, no ego to manage...this team has a lot of blue collar players, its fun to watch.

Underrated stuff.

Even with UConn on the glass. That's a big deal, given our struggles rebounding.

Smith and Akot were both legit options for us. Production from those two is big in giving us bench flexibility. Combined, they gave us 16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 turnover.

We shot terribly from 3 and still won. That's a good sign, although the shootkng needs to improve.

That defense tho...........

Good thing Smith was allowed to shoot today..big big shots at the time

UAEebs86 wrote:Cats are making the tournament.

Yep! This team may not have the talent, but they have the heart. Tough, gritty, learning not to back down or give up... just like Az Basketball fans!

PHXCATS wrote:Good thing Smith was allowed to shoot today..big big shots at the time

Spaceman Spiff wrote:Underrated stuff.

Even with UConn on the glass. That's a big deal, given our struggles rebounding.

Smith and Akot were both legit options for us. Production from those two is big in giving us bench flexibility. Combined, they gave us 16 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 turnover.

Perversely, with those two guys at least, they seem to perform better when they start--with experienced support like Randolph and Luther behind them.

Worked at Wazzu last season with Smith and seems to be working with Akot now. Still need to give Doutrive more PT though.

How much did DD play today?

Postmaster wrote:How much did DD play today?

He didn't.

Postmaster wrote:How much did DD play today?

Approximately zero minutes

Now let's hope Uconn tears up the aac. That would be nice.

Really impressed with the defense today. I think the Cats sagged too much off the man on the perimeter at the end which lead to pretty open 3s but overall very impressed. As I said all summer. I see a first round bye in Vegas

Arizona was ranked #18 in the NET ratings, UConn #33. Big time road win and the NCAAs horrible rating loves Arizona so that will hopefully continue into March to get in the NCAA tournament.

Kinda interesting, but during and after Maui we thought Coleman/Williams (+Randolph) would anchor this team and would need the backcourt to play really well to win vs better competition. They have been struggling since Maui (especially Coleman) but Arizona is getting contribution from the bench which helped vs UConn.

Our defense is pretty good, just as long as they don't have to defend in transition

Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

Alieberman wrote:Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

If this happens he should be NCOY. We were pronounced dead and Miller was done according to the talking heads.

How sweet would it be to see him get all those awards and then win the tourney in Vegas.

We should have a BDW mock image of the COY award and each stand one to Bilas and Vitale at ESPIN after the season

Alieberman wrote:Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

Agree on the first, not so sure on the second. Other coaches love any excuse to not give Miller the award. Though at least this year we don't have the talent excuse.

AZCatGirl wrote:

Alieberman wrote:Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

Agree on the first, not so sure on the second. Other coaches love any excuse to not give Miller the award. Though at least this year we don't have the talent excuse.

If the 1st part happens I guarantee the 2nd part... talking PAC coach of the year not NCOY

Alieberman wrote:Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

I like our chances but the 3PT shooting needs to improve or we will be zoned into oblivion. It's shocking how badly we're shooting it thus far, hopefully we snap out of it. Our excellent FT shooting really carried us today.

One thing I find odd. The list of great shooters in the Olson years is long and illustrious. Seems our Miller teams has lacked great shooters in general

Alieberman wrote:

AZCatGirl wrote:

Alieberman wrote:Arizona will win the PAC 12 and Sean Miller will coach of the year

Agree on the first, not so sure on the second. Other coaches love any excuse to not give Miller the award. Though at least this year we don't have the talent excuse.

If the 1st part happens I guarantee the 2nd part... talking PAC coach of the year not NCOY

I’m definitely feeling the first. Thank you for shining a light on the second, because I can’t see it on my own!

Great win in a great road atmosphere. I believe the reported attend a e was over 14600. The only PAC12 team that the cats will face on the road that will come close to that number will be ASU. Utah and Oregon are usually in 12k range. I am looking forward to this teams continued improvement the rest of the non-conference slate.

I like this years team