Bear Down Wildcats

Get it out of our system, win and move on.

If that wrestling match was rough, buckle up for Saturday.

Bear Down.

PS. glad I changed by shirt and pants.

The Cats will come out focused on Saturday.

anyone know where I can see the pressor? will it be on tv or online?

This was a great tune-up. Wisconsin will be tough, but not more physical/goonish than Xavier tonight. We're going to have to play better though of course.

that's what bothers me about this game. They got beat to hell and some injuries. Wisky just had a game. At least the part I saw. Hope they get some awesome zen like recuperation crammed in tmw.

pokinmik wrote:This was a great tune-up. Wisconsin will be tough, but not more physical/goonish than Xavier tonight. We're going to have to play better though of course.

I'm assuming it's impossible for Wisky to hit as many people after the whistle/play as Reynolds did tonight. Wisky is good, but we are too. It's gonna be a battle.

on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Was it Providence in 97?

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

I don't care how "bad" the games are if we win. That's all that matters. Let's have another "bad" game against Wisconsin where we score more points than them.

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

that wasn't a bad game

dirtbags wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

that wasn't a bad game

I would say by Arizona standards that was a bad game. Offense looked out of whack until X abandoned the zone late in the game. No clue why they did..

In all a win is a win. This team grinds as we all know. They wear you down and don't get rattled. Defense looked like they were sparked and were moving better than they had all night when we took the lead late. Obviously gotta do a better job in the paint against Wiscy.

Looking forward to payback on Saturday. I cant think of a win as of late than I want more than this next one.

Any time another team can get us to shoot 22 threes will be our bad game (we normally only attempt 14). Tonight it was via a simple zone D - what a surprise!

Thank god Wisc doesn't zone much

asuhater! was referring to ohio state. osu in R32 wasn't our bad game.

That was a good team with an effective 1-3-1 zone that took Arizona over 30 minutes to figure out.

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

So incredibly similar to last years SDSU game

I thought the game turned bad when Rondae went down. Good intensity before then.
I also thought the team really got tough for the last 7 or 8 minutes.

Daryl Zero wrote:I thought the game turned bad when Rondae went down. Good intensity before then.
I also thought the team really got tough for the last 7 or 8 minutes.

I believe that we had our largest lead when that happened. I could be wrong, but I think that was the case...and I think they took the lead, and it wasn't until Rondae returned did we snap out of it.

Which is understandable. These aren't seasoned men, these are college kids.

azgreg wrote:Was it Providence in 97?

Didn't that game go into overtime? They also struggled in the first two rounds against South Alabama and College of Charleston. Pretty sure they were down 10 in the first round to South Alabama with only 10 minutes to go in the game.

azgreg wrote:Was it Providence in 97?

Every game in '97 was a nail biter except for the semi against North Carolina.

We should never play a team that doesn't play a 2-3 or 1-3-1 zone against us, ever, forever, until the end of time.

Until we learn to dictate the terms and tempo playing against a zone, we allow it to severely cut into our athleticism and size, until the other team wears out.

X was all we could handle. Much respect to them, and I hope we do not cross paths often. Too much a mirror image of our toughness.

Now for my comment that will make people angry....I am thrilled to have made another Elite 8, and if we do not win, a I do not consider that to be some horrible indictment of the program under Miller. We are consistently among the final 8 teams playing and have come close enough (Jamelle ' s shot, crazy call in Nick, Jerrett failing to close the shooter (16, I know, but still close end) to moving on to know the program is helmed by the right guy and we are progressing. Couple of close Elite 8 losses does not, to me, destroy a program's upward momentum. All of those were one play flips, sometimes on bad calls (Nick ' s push), sometimes just millimeters (Jamelle ' shot). I am not going to give such random instances so much power as I would if we always got blown out in the 8 or soundly get beat in the 2nd weekend every year. We have had small, one possession, quirks, and yes...we have been on the bad side of them.

But I cannot take the results we have had and say "if we, as a 2 seed, lose to 1 seed Wisconsin in a competitive game, maybe with a hobbled Rondae, we are somehow cursed or pressure should be applied to Sean Miller's job. I think that is just silly. We went from fights to qualify during the worst years of the end of the previous regime to highlight reels filled with great moments like our dismantling of Duke. We survived a bad blow over a couple of odd years to the brand name and came up as good as it could have gotten once UK opened and took Cal.

So I am excited and nervous and all those things fans should be ahead of this chance to beat #1 seed Wisc,but I do not think this defines whether we are successful or stagnate as a a program. The program is strong and certainly we are ready for a final four. And we will all welcome one with open arms. And for the sanity of the program, I sure hope we do.

But if we fall this one game short, especially in a close game, I am not going to think there is something wrong that needs fixing. I will think "we are very close. Thank God we got Miller"...

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

Consider the source, His attempts at contrarian takes are nothing more than exaggerated skepticism and hyperbolic assessment of challenges that lay before us. He was petrified by Baylor, for God's sake.

Ohio State we played a poor half, followed by a very solid second. The outcome was not in doubt as the game wound down. Tonight we gutted out a win despite an overall poor performance that was good enough to win but was sealed in the second half with rebounding and free throws.

Tonight we had our marginal game where we won ugly and gutted out a win. We can't afford another one... and I do not think we will have one. Countdown to Saturday...

EVCat wrote:X was all we could handle. Much respect to them, and I hope we do not cross paths often. Too much a mirror image of our toughness.

Now for my comment that will make people angry....I am thrilled to have made another Elite 8, and if we do not win, a I do not consider that to be some horrible indictment of the program under Miller. We are consistently among the final 8 teams playing and have come close enough (Jamelle ' s shot, crazy call in Nick, Jerrett failing to close the shooter (16, I know, but still close end) to moving on to know the program is helmed by the right guy and we are progressing. Couple of close Elite 8 losses does not, to me, destroy a program's upward momentum. All of those were one play flips, sometimes on bad calls (Nick ' s push), sometimes just millimeters (Jamelle ' shot). I am not going to give such random instances so much power as I would if we always got blown out in the 8 or soundly get beat in the 2nd weekend every year. We have had small, one possession, quirks, and yes...we have been on the bad side of them.

But I cannot take the results we have had and say "if we, as a 2 seed, lose to 1 seed Wisconsin in a competitive game, maybe with a hobbled Rondae, we are somehow cursed or pressure should be applied to Sean Miller's job. I think that is just silly. We went from fights to qualify during the worst years of the end of the previous regime to highlight reels filled with great moments like our dismantling of Duke. We survived a bad blow over a couple of odd years to the brand name and came up as good as it could have gotten once UK opened and took Cal.

So I am excited and nervous and all those things fans should be ahead of this chance to beat #1 seed Wisc,but I do not think this defines whether we are successful or stagnate as a a program. The program is strong and certainly we are ready for a final four. And we will all welcome one with open arms. And for the sanity of the program, I sure hope we do.

But if we fall this one game short, especially in a close game, I am not going to think there is something wrong that needs fixing. I will think "we are very close. Thank God we got Miller"...

Perfectly stated.

Longhorned wrote:That was a good team with an effective 1-3-1 zone that took Arizona over 30 minutes to figure out.

Yep.

Btw, we had three "bad" games in 1997. Barely beat three double digit seeds.

Great post, EvCat. It's freaking hard to get this far. Too many people treat it like an entitlement.

TheGreatCatsby wrote:We should never play a team that doesn't play a 2-3 or 1-3-1 zone against us, ever, forever, until the end of time.

Until we learn to dictate the terms and tempo playing against a zone, we allow it to severely cut into our athleticism and size, until the other team wears out.

We're undefeted against zone defenses in this tournament. I say let them zone. We stay focused, patient, and determined, and ultimately win.

I'm curious to hear solutions. We know our personnel. We know who should take shots from distance and who shouldn't. What's the gameplan? Because I see Miller keeping his players focused on breaking a zone the best way he can, by getting TJ to drive into the heart of the zone to shoot or distribute, placing Ashley or RHJ at the elbow or top of the key to initiate some high low, and keeping his shooters in the corners. When the drive is there for wings, they take it, when it's not, they move the ball. Is that not how you break a 1-3-1? At some point it's on the players to execute, and they have done a good enough job to be one win from the Final Four.

thenewazcats wrote:

TheGreatCatsby wrote:We should never play a team that doesn't play a 2-3 or 1-3-1 zone against us, ever, forever, until the end of time.

Until we learn to dictate the terms and tempo playing against a zone, we allow it to severely cut into our athleticism and size, until the other team wears out.

We're undefeted against zone defenses in this tournament. I say let them zone. We stay focused, patient, and determined, and ultimately win.

I'm curious to hear solutions. We know our personnel. We know who should take shots from distance and who shouldn't. What's the gameplan? Because I see Miller keeping his players focused on breaking a zone the best way he can, by getting TJ to drive into the heart of the zone to shoot or distribute, placing Ashley or RHJ at the elbow or top of the key to initiate some high low, and keeping his shooters in the corners. When the drive is there for wings, they take it, when it's not, they move the ball. Is that not how you break a 1-3-1? At some point it's on the players to execute, and they have done a good enough job to be one win from the Final Four.

I hate to be that guy, but part of it was reffing. First half, very few calls were made. That limits your ability to drive vs a zone and puts a premium on shooting over it. Second half, more whistles came and we could penetrate and draw fouls.

The second half, we also started doing a bit of what we should have done all game and attacking Stainbrook. He doesn't have lateral quickness and we created opportunities by forcing him to step up and attacking him.

The #1 way to beat a zone is to dominate the glass and get out in transition, though. You can chuck bricks from 3 all night if you can do those things. My biggest disappointment was having an issue on the glass. Against a zone you get free offensive rebounders, and we just took zero advantage of that.

A big game from Ashley tomorrow would be excelllent.

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

No shit. The first half against OSU was bad, but we played very well in second half, mostly. Won by double digits, covered the spread, and coasted. Bad game? Wow.

Harvey Specter wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

Consider the source, His attempts at contrarian takes are nothing more than exaggerated skepticism and hyperbolic assessment of challenges that lay before us. He was petrified by Baylor, for God's sake.

Ohio State we played a poor half, followed by a very solid second. The outcome was not in doubt as the game wound down. Tonight we gutted out a win despite an overall poor performance that was good enough to win but was sealed in the second half with rebounding and free throws.

Tonight we had our marginal game where we won ugly and gutted out a win. We can't afford another one... and I do not think we will have one. Countdown to Saturday...

Agreed. And we also were able to fend off and gut a win against what I think were defensive styles we hadn't seen and which changed every time down the floor. That's a gut win. To get to the final four you have to win at least one like that!

Lofty wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

No shit. The first half against OSU was bad, but we played very well in second half, mostly. Won by double digits, covered the spread, and coasted. Bad game? Wow.

I was mostly talking about the first half. Both games weren't good.

Main Event wrote:So incredibly similar to last years SDSU game

was at the SDSU game last yr and was there last night and said the same thing 10 times

ASUHATER! wrote:

Lofty wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote: Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

No shit. The first half against OSU was bad, but we played very well in second half, mostly. Won by double digits, covered the spread, and coasted. Bad game? Wow.

I was mostly talking about the first half. Both games weren't good.

They don't award wins and losses for performance in an individual half. Tad Boyle, why are you posting on an Arizona board?

Great Post EvCat. Totally agree. A seven year rebuild job (thank you Andy Katz) has resulted in 3 elite 8's in 6 years.

But I still think we got this. We are breaking down that wall tomorrow.

Daryl Zero wrote:I thought the game turned bad when Rondae went down. Good intensity before then.
I also thought the team really got tough for the last 7 or 8 minutes.

totally agree with all of this -- the RJ scare took the wind out of the sails of not only the players but the crowd too.

TJ was awful for 30 mins and stepped up huge again when it counted most, something he couldnt and didnt do last yr -- Stanley Johnson kept AZ in the game in the first.

97cats wrote:

Main Event wrote:So incredibly similar to last years SDSU game

was at the SDSU game last yr and was there last night and said the same thing 10 times

Will you be there tomorrow? Don't know if my heart can take another game like those!

yes, Al -- i will be there tomorrow at Yardhouse wetting my whistle at 1pm sharp

Lofty wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

dirtbags wrote:on a good note, our guys have followed-up every "bad"/lackluster game they've played this season with a strong win. watch out, vadgers!

Except for today. The bad game was against Ohio state.

Winning a game by 15 that we were favored anywhere from 8-10 by Vegas, Sagarin, etc. against Sean Miller's mentor, a team
he couldn't beat in the tourney, and a team that has a top 5 NBA draft pick, is a bad game?

I hope your supervisor is as tough on you during your performance appraisals as you are on the 'Cats.

No shit. The first half against OSU was bad, but we played very well in second half, mostly. Won by double digits, covered the spread, and coasted. Bad game? Wow.

If it were 47-33 in the first half and 26-25 in the second half, it would be a no-brainer good game. People just don't like to be nervous.

97cats wrote:

Daryl Zero wrote:I thought the game turned bad when Rondae went down. Good intensity before then.
I also thought the team really got tough for the last 7 or 8 minutes.

totally agree with all of this -- the RJ scare took the wind out of the sails of not only the players but the crowd too.

TJ was awful for 30 mins and stepped up huge again when it counted most, something he couldnt and didnt do last yr -- Stanley Johnson kept AZ in the game in the first.

It was a reverse Stanley Johnson game: 10 in the first, two in the second. I think he's the key Saturday. No zone. Two good halves, and we win.

Just like in 1997 - the overtime game in Elite 8 against pesky Providence where it took overtime for the #4 seed Cats to win...Certainly not our best game in that tournament... where, by the way, we handled three #1 seeds en route to the title (I think the only time ever done?)

But without it - that close win - no championship that year...

Another that I remember pretty well was a relatively early matchup in the 1990 NCAA tournament where UNLV escaped a loss to Ball State...Ball State and Rick Majerus had the Rebels in trouble and could have won on a final shot as time expired...eventually UNLV went on to beat Duke by about 30 in the championship game (I think all of this was about 1990...)

Hopefully our outcome this year will be classified like one of the above!