Bear Down Wildcats

coming into tonight's contest at Stanford, Arizona has scored 80+ points ten straight games (900 total) averaging 90ppg during that span

since Lute Olson took over as Head Coach at Arizona in 1983, the Wildcat's have scored 80+ points in eleven straight games only twice.

the first: the 1990-91 team started 10-1 over its first eleven games scoring a total of 1,038 total points for an average of 94.3ppg. that #2 seeded team lost in the regional semifinal to Seton Hall behind Terry Dehere's 28pts on 8-14 from the floor. Arizona was led by the late Brian WIlliams who had a double double scoring 21pts on an efficient 8-14 from the floor while grabbing 10 rebounds. Chris Mills had a solid performance in the loss as well scoring 20pts on 9-12 from the floor.

the second: coming off a true road loos to Florida State at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, FL, the 1997-98 Arizona team had a month long stretch from December 28, 1997 to January 29, 1998 in which they scored 1,088 total points averaging 99ppg over eleven games.

those first eleven games were at the front end of a nineteen game winning streak that lasted till March 5, 1998 when Arizona visited USC -- Adam Spanich made a Houdini like three pointer (which defeated all laws of proper physics) as time expired ending the Wildcats nine consecutive weeks of perfection and ultimately proving their only blemish in Pac10 play.

that 97/98 team was Defending National Champs and housed two first team All-Americans in Mike Bibby and Miles Simon along with arguably the best sixth man in the nation in Jason Terry. they lost in the Regional Final (the first in a streak of four straight ELITE 8 loses at The Pond, later The Honda Center, in Anaheim, Ca) to Utah 71-54 who had five players score in double figures. the Utes shot 52.7% from the floor that game while Arizona's superstar guard quartet of Bibby, Simon, Terry, & Dickerson were a combined 11-47 from the field, never fully able to adjust to the George Karl inspired triangle and two defense which focused on reducing the influence and impact of First Team All-American selection and Pac10 Player of the Year Mike Bibby, who was only a sophomore at the time.

offense offense offense

Thanks for the info, I'm surprised it was that long given some of the early 00's offensive talent in Tucson.

To indulge my inner Debbie Downer, I worry that the current streak has a lot to do with a difficulty winning with defense. Watching zone makes me feel funny, and I get nightmares of March.

Defense looked pretty great tonight!


Didn't get to twelve though.

Our inability to reach 80 points had more to do with Stanford playing a lot of zone, which requires more time to work your half court offense for a good shot, as well as Stanford playing slow on offense. We were still pretty efficient and shot the ball good but not great.

Cool OP. Thanks for the info, 97!

Rule changes also a factor.

carolinacat wrote:Our inability to reach 80 points had more to do with Stanford playing a lot of zone, which requires more time to work your half court offense for a good shot, as well as Stanford playing slow on offense. We were still pretty efficient and shot the ball good but not great.

Winger looked up that Arizona had 71 points on 70 possessions. By my simple calculation (based on 116 AdjO per 100 possessions), Arizona would have scored 81 on 70 possessions had they played to their average efficiency.

That Winger. Is he still at Greendale?

gumby wrote:That Winger. Is he still at Greendale?

Never should have been cancelled

97cats wrote:coming into tonight's contest at Stanford, Arizona has scored 80+ points ten straight games (900 total) averaging 90ppg during that span

since Lute Olson took over as Head Coach at Arizona in 1983, the Wildcat's have scored 80+ points in eleven straight games only twice.

the first: the 1990-91 team started 10-1 over its first eleven games scoring a total of 1,038 total points for an average of 94.3ppg. that #2 seeded team lost in the regional semifinal to Seton Hall behind Terry Dehere's 28pts on 8-14 from the floor. Arizona was led by the late Brian WIlliams who had a double double scoring 21pts on an efficient 8-14 from the floor while grabbing 10 rebounds. Chris Mills had a solid performance in the loss as well scoring 20pts on 9-12 from the floor.

the second: coming off a true road loos to Florida State at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, FL, the 1997-98 Arizona team had a month long stretch from December 28, 1997 to January 29, 1998 in which they scored 1,088 total points averaging 99ppg over eleven games.

those first eleven games were at the front end of a nineteen game winning streak that lasted till March 5, 1998 when Arizona visited USC -- Adam Spanich made a Houdini like three pointer (which defeated all laws of proper physics) as time expired ending the Wildcats nine consecutive weeks of perfection and ultimately proving their only blemish in Pac10 play.

that 97/98 team was Defending National Champs and housed two first team All-Americans in Mike Bibby and Miles Simon along with arguably the best sixth man in the nation in Jason Terry. they lost in the Regional Final (the first in a streak of four straight ELITE 8 loses at The Pond, later The Honda Center, in Anaheim, Ca) to Utah 71-54 who had five players score in double figures. the Utes shot 52.7% from the floor that game while Arizona's superstar guard quartet of Bibby, Simon, Terry, & Dickerson were a combined 11-47 from the field, never fully able to adjust to the George Karl inspired triangle and two defense which focused on reducing the influence and impact of First Team All-American selection and Pac10 Player of the Year Mike Bibby, who was only a sophomore at the time.

offense offense offense

If you aren't old enough to remember that Adam Spanich shot, somebody should post a video of it. If it indeed still exists on youtube. It is truly one of the most WTF and HOW TF moments I have ever experienced as a Wildcat fan/alum. I didn't realize at the time, but there were many more moments like that to come.

That Spanich shot captures what it truly feels like to be an Arizona Wildcat fan. Every f'ing CAL football game (save Hill Mary), everytime we should've easily advanced with overwhelming odds (I'm talking like in poker having a hand that wins 96 to 4 percent of the time..and the 4 percent miraculously comes in..)

We are snakebitten. And yet, we still believe.

The Butcher wrote:If you aren't old enough to remember that Adam Spanich shot, somebody should post a video of it. If it indeed still exists on youtube. It is truly one of the most WTF and HOW TF moments I have ever experienced as a Wildcat fan/alum. I didn't realize at the time, but there were many more moments like that to come.

That Spanich shot captures what it truly feels like to be an Arizona Wildcat fan. Every f'ing CAL football game (save Hill Mary), everytime we should've easily advanced with overwhelming odds (I'm talking like in poker having a hand that wins 96 to 4 percent of the time..and the 4 percent miraculously comes in..)

We are snakebitten. And yet, we still believe.

The Butcher wrote:

97cats wrote:coming into tonight's contest at Stanford, Arizona has scored 80+ points ten straight games (900 total) averaging 90ppg during that span

since Lute Olson took over as Head Coach at Arizona in 1983, the Wildcat's have scored 80+ points in eleven straight games only twice.

the first: the 1990-91 team started 10-1 over its first eleven games scoring a total of 1,038 total points for an average of 94.3ppg. that #2 seeded team lost in the regional semifinal to Seton Hall behind Terry Dehere's 28pts on 8-14 from the floor. Arizona was led by the late Brian WIlliams who had a double double scoring 21pts on an efficient 8-14 from the floor while grabbing 10 rebounds. Chris Mills had a solid performance in the loss as well scoring 20pts on 9-12 from the floor.

the second: coming off a true road loos to Florida State at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, FL, the 1997-98 Arizona team had a month long stretch from December 28, 1997 to January 29, 1998 in which they scored 1,088 total points averaging 99ppg over eleven games.

those first eleven games were at the front end of a nineteen game winning streak that lasted till March 5, 1998 when Arizona visited USC -- Adam Spanich made a Houdini like three pointer (which defeated all laws of proper physics) as time expired ending the Wildcats nine consecutive weeks of perfection and ultimately proving their only blemish in Pac10 play.

that 97/98 team was Defending National Champs and housed two first team All-Americans in Mike Bibby and Miles Simon along with arguably the best sixth man in the nation in Jason Terry. they lost in the Regional Final (the first in a streak of four straight ELITE 8 loses at The Pond, later The Honda Center, in Anaheim, Ca) to Utah 71-54 who had five players score in double figures. the Utes shot 52.7% from the floor that game while Arizona's superstar guard quartet of Bibby, Simon, Terry, & Dickerson were a combined 11-47 from the field, never fully able to adjust to the George Karl inspired triangle and two defense which focused on reducing the influence and impact of First Team All-American selection and Pac10 Player of the Year Mike Bibby, who was only a sophomore at the time.

offense offense offense

If you aren't old enough to remember that Adam Spanich shot, somebody should post a video of it. If it indeed still exists on youtube. It is truly one of the most WTF and HOW TF moments I have ever experienced as a Wildcat fan/alum. I didn't realize at the time, but there were many more moments like that to come.

That Spanich shot captures what it truly feels like to be an Arizona Wildcat fan. Every f'ing CAL football game (save Hill Mary), everytime we should've easily advanced with overwhelming odds (I'm talking like in poker having a hand that wins 96 to 4 percent of the time..and the 4 percent miraculously comes in..)

We are snakebitten. And yet, we still believe.

Every fan base has stories like this. Not that it makes it go down any easier. The Spanich shot cost us 18-0, instead of 17-1. Frustrating, but not a big deal. Still the 1 seed in the West.

That same year, we escaped Corvallis.

Miles Simon rebounded a missed free throw, dribbled down court and made a jump shot at the buzzer to lift No. 3 Arizona to a 71-70 Pacific 10 Conference victory over Oregon State on Thursday night at Corvallis, Ore.

Oregon State took a 70-69 lead with 30.7 seconds left when Nick Greene made two free throws.

On the next possession, Simon fell down and was called for traveling with 6.6 seconds remaining. Oregon State's Todd Marshall was fouled after the inbounds pass with six seconds left, but missed both of his free throws.

Simon tipped the ball to himself, dashed toward Arizona's basket and put up a shot just inside the foul line. The ball rolled into the hoop as time expired.

Arizona improved to 23-3 overall and 12-0 in the Pac-10 with its 16th consecutive victory this season and 17th in a row over Oregon State (12-14, 2-12).

I'm sure that's mentioned in Beaver lore.

Kadeem Allen had that exact same shot to beat USC and it hit in about the exact same spot but came no where close to going in. Still defies the laws of physics to me

97 is right. Faculty from MIT and Cal Tech studied that film exhaustively and concluded the same thing. Impossible.

One nerdy student from MIT, though, disagreed and said the shot worked. But he used artificial intelligence.

I was at the game. I blamed myself. Also gave up Spanich that night, but eat all other vegetables.