Bear Down Wildcats

Merkin wrote:

PieceOfMeat wrote: Ah yes, that point in an Arizona Wildcat fan's Football season where he decides that "no, this won't be the year we've all been waiting for" and turns towards Basketball

Been that way for me since Larry Smith left the football program and Lute took over the basketball program so going on 30 years and I don't see it changing in the near future. RR just can't get the recruits to get over the hump.

Merkin wrote:http://tucson.com/sports/blogs/pascoe/u ... ?id=201408

The assumption since, oh, April has been that Sean Miller should have an easy time picking a starting lineup this season with Kaleb Tarczewski, Brandon Ashley, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Stanley Johnson and T.J. McConnell.

But he’s been indicating the past month that it isn’t that simple. For one thing, Miller likes the experience and shooting ability that Gabe York brings. For another, he hasn’t been happy with anyone, really, over the Wildcats’ past two weeks of practices (which is why he expressed concern publicly on Thursday).

So maybe it’s not so simple.

“We could start as many as three different lineups at this point,” Miller said. “There’s not a group of five that clearly stands out. We could play that a number of different ways.”

When I asked Miller if he basically has six starters in mind, plugging in York or Stanley Johnson at shooting guard, he said: “I don’t know if its those two, but through that group of six we could start three different ways.”

Another possibility is that Arizona could even take Brandon Ashley off the bench at first, since Miller has been saying he’s still in the process of recovering from a foot injury last season.

“Brandon is working his way back but I look at him as being a positive; I think he’s really on track,” Miller said. “He’s healthy; it’s great to have him out there. He’s one of our team’s more vocal players and it just seems like every day he gets a little more sure of himself.”

Miller wasn’t the only one talking about the difficulties in meshing the Wildcats together so far Thursday.

Here was York, one of the team’s most candid players, talking about team chemistry:

“When you talk about team basketball and how successful we were last year, we had Nick (Johnson) and Aaron (Gordon) -- they didn’t care if they scored 25 points. They cared about the overall finished product: how far can we get? How far can we improve to get as far as we can get?

“We fell short in the Elite Eight but Nick was never one who hunted shots, who cared if he got 15 shots or if he only shot six times. Aaron, he cared about working. He wanted to be the hardest worker, to make sure he got get 10-plus rebounds or whatever.

“When you have players like that who are so unselfish it made it easier for everyone else to be unselfish. This year, we just have a lot of basketball players who have their own goals in mind. The biggest thing coach has talked to us about is the individual goals will follow if your team’s successful. That’s the biggest thing: Let’s work on team first … we have to trust each other. That’s the biggest thing right now we have to trust each other as a group to get to where we want to get to.”

Olsondogg wrote:I seem to recall some pretty huge shots and FT's in the tourney against SDSU by NJ.

Olsondogg wrote:I seem to recall some pretty huge shots and FT's in the tourney against SDSU by NJ.

catgrad97 wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:I seem to recall some pretty huge shots and FT's in the tourney against SDSU by NJ.

I'm talking about last possession. Down the stretch, Nick was the man.

Olsondogg wrote:

catgrad97 wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:I seem to recall some pretty huge shots and FT's in the tourney against SDSU by NJ.

I'm talking about last possession. Down the stretch, Nick was the man.

Um.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basket ... ap-results

Arizona missed a couple of opportunities to clinch the game with free throws, with both freshman forward Aaron Gordon and Johnson missing the front ends of one-and-ones in the final seconds.

CalStateTempe wrote:UNC fans want Miller.

thats all I keep hearing from people when we talk College BB.

catgrad97 wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:

catgrad97 wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:I seem to recall some pretty huge shots and FT's in the tourney against SDSU by NJ.

I'm talking about last possession. Down the stretch, Nick was the man.

Um.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basket ... ap-results

From that article:

Arizona missed a couple of opportunities to clinch the game with free throws, with both freshman forward Aaron Gordon and Johnson missing the front ends of one-and-ones in the final seconds.

Again, I'm talking about end-of-half possessions here, which even CSM and Nick have struggled with. This is a critical analysis, not a bash on anyone.

azcat49 wrote:LOL at Myron trying to make up for his stupidity last year along with Bilas picking 4 likely 1 seeds.

CalStateTempe wrote:Jeff Goodman is such a tool

Chicat wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:Jeff Goodman is such a tool

??

Got us going to the Final Four.

Chicat wrote:8 out of 22 ESPN "experts" pick us to win it all. 9 pick UK.
20 have us in the Final Four. 3 have Sean as Coach of the Year.

3goggles wrote:

Chicat wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:Jeff Goodman is such a tool

??

Got us going to the Final Four.

I think he said the because he has Gonzaga winning the NC!

Six weeks after the start of practices the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here, with Friday marking the start of the 2014-15 regular season. There have been no shortage of opinions on how this season will shake out, with No. 1 Kentucky seen by many as the favorites to cut down the nets in Indianapolis. However that doesn’t mean every fan or pundit will subscribe to the thinking that John Calipari’s team will coast to the storied program’s ninth national title.

Below are the College Basketball Talk staff’s picks for the Final Four and national champion, with each writer providing reasons for their selections as well.

MORE: 2014-2015 Season Preview Coverage | Conference Previews | Preview Schedule

Rob Dauster (@RobDauster)

Final Four: Arizona, Kentucky, Gonzaga and Oklahoma
National champion: Arizona

I think Arizona and Kentucky are easily the two most talented teams in the country this season, and when it comes to NCAA tournament success, talent is a pretty good indicator of who will advance. No one should argue with picking either of those two teams to reach Indy. As far as Gonzaga is concerned, I think this is the year that they make the jump (finally!). A healthy Kevin Pangos combined with the additions of Kyle Wiltjer, Byron Wesley and Domantas Sabonis will make this group unstoppable offensively.

Oklahoma is the final pick for me, and I’m basing this on the assumption that Tashawn Thomas will eventually get a waiver to be eligible to play this season. Jordan Woodard and Buddy Hield make up the nation’s most underrated back court, Ryan Spangler is a hoss in the paint and Thomas provides the athleticism and versatility that they lacked from a true four last year.

Raphielle Johnson (@raphiellej)

Final Four: Kentucky, Arizona, North Carolina and VCU
National champion: Kentucky

Unlike last season I have a hard time picking against Kentucky, not only because of their talent but also the mix of freshmen and returnees who experienced last year’s run to the national title game and all of the publicity that preceded it (remember the 40-0 talk?). I think the experiences of Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress, the Harrison twins and the other returning players helps Kentucky as they deal with the hype, and all involved will benefit. As for their biggest threat, I’ll take Arizona because Sean Miller has a group that certainly doesn’t lack for talent or experience. The one question mark for Arizona: consistent perimeter shooting. If Stanley Johnson, Gabe York and T.J. McConnell can provide that help, things open up for Brandon Ashley (who was arguably their best perimeter shooter before hurting his foot) and Kaleb Tarczewski in the front court. They’re going to be really good defensively; if the offense takes a step forward they’ll be in Indianapolis.

As for North Carolina, the Tar Heels have something they didn’t have a season ago: more help for Marcus Paige. The three freshman, especially Justin Jackson, will help him offensively as will an improved J.P. Tokoto. And in the paint both Brice Johnson (who’s gained weight) and Kennedy Meeks (who’s lost weight) enter the season with transformed bodies, which will mean even better seasons for them. Lastly, I really like VCU. They lost Juvonte Reddic but they’re deeper in the front court than they were a season ago, and Treveon Graham and Briante Weber will lead the way on the perimeter. Look for their loss to Stephen F. Austin to serve as fuel for Shaka Smart’s Rams, and do not gloss over the return of Melvin Johnson when assessing their chances. He wasn’t available late last season due to a knee injury, and that’s a big deal given his ability to provide an offensive spark off the bench.

Scott Phillips (@phillipshoops)

Final Four: Arizona, Kentucky, Texas and Wichita State
National champion: Arizona

Arizona is the biggest national championship contender to enter the 2014-15 season, but by a slim margin. Sean Miller’s team isn’t even the most talented group of Wildcats in the country — more on them in a second — but the West Coast version of the Wildcats play a more selfless brand of ball. Without the injury to Brandon Ashley last season, Arizona could have very easily entered this season as the defending champions. Now that they’re healthy, Stanley Johnson is a better lineup fit for Arizona than Aaron Gordon was last season and this Arizona team has more depth than last season. Kentucky is my close runner-up, as John Calipari’s ballclub once again features an absurd amount of talent (and egos) that have to come together for a common goal. If Calipari can get those egos to mesh together, they’ll assuredly win the national championship, but Kentucky has only earned one national championship in five years under Calipari and the Harrison twins need to grow as players — and leaders — in order for Kentucky to win.

As for Texas, the Longhorns only lose Martez Walker from last season — who was, truthfully, a distraction — and gain McDonald’s All-American big man Myles Turner to a team that exceeded expectations in an incredibly difficult Big 12 last season. Point guard Isaiah Taylor is more experienced, Texas has the bodies inside to match up with any team in the country and they have a lot of depth. Lastly, things are way too quiet in Wichita, Kansas this preseason. I watched Wichita State lose to Kentucky in the Round of 32 last season and that was a Final Four-caliber matchup in the first weekend. The Shockers return all three members of its backcourt from the past two seasons of ridiculous success and new starting front court member Darius Carter had some solid games last year as a first-year Division I player. The Shockers could also have more depth this season — depending on the contributions of their newcomers — and as Shabazz Napier proved last March, great guard play wins in the NCAA Tournament and Wichita State has the most tournament-experienced group of guards in the country.

Terrence Payne (@terrence_payne)

Final Four: Kentucky, Arizona, Wisconsin and Villanova
National champions: Kentucky

Kentucky is the preseason favorite, and we’ve seen these Wildcats perform on the court in multiple nationally-televised games already. Platoon system will likely have its ups and downs, but Kentucky’s depth will wear down opponents. Arizona has the most talent in the country outside of UK, and that’s saying something given the departures of Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon. Sean Miller was somewhat critical of his team last week, but this roster is loaded enough to get him to his first Final Four.

Bo Ryan waited 13 years for last season’s Final Four trip, but shouldn’t have to wait that long for his second. He’s got a team of veterans with All American candidates Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker on the frontline with seniors Trae Jackson and Josh Gasser in the back court. For my final team, I’ll go with Villanova. A 29-win season was overshadowed by early exits in the Big East and NCAA tournament, but Jay Wright brings back essentially the same team. The Wildcats should breeze through the Big East, and early on last season they proved they were a top-10 after winning the Battle 4 Atlantis.

UAGreg wrote:College Basketball Talk Top 100 Players:

TJ - 48
Ashley - 35
RHJ - 19
Stanimal - Top 17 (not yet released)

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports. ... cbttop100/

UAEebs86 wrote:

UAGreg wrote:College Basketball Talk Top 100 Players:

TJ - 48
Ashley - 35
RHJ - 19
Stanimal - Top 17 (not yet released)

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports. ... cbttop100/

Zeus didn't make top 100?

gumby wrote:It's a measure of our program when we are presumed to have four of the top 100 players, and the question is: What about the 5th?

Chicat wrote:Are we guaranteed to play 3 games in Maui no matter the outcome?

AZCatGirl wrote:

Chicat wrote:Are we guaranteed to play 3 games in Maui no matter the outcome?

http://www.mauiinvitational.com/sports/ ... acket.aspx

Looks like everyone is getting 3 games. Feel bad for the poor team that'll go 0-3.

Olsondogg wrote:

UAtrue wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:

Don't follow you Dog. Went to the link in your post and he has us #3, moving up from #4.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... 015/week/5


Maybe he changed it after you posted?

CalStateTempe wrote:Jeff Goodman is such a tool

pokinmik wrote:If NBA guys are hitting up Goodman to ask "what is wrong?" with Stanley Johnson then I don't know what the fuck to think about this world anymore.