This is an embarassment

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:37 pm

Just horrifying. Oregon looks like they're playing a junior high team the way they're throwing alley oops. This is so terrible.

PennZona20 · Post by **PennZona20** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:42 pm

Getting what we deserve. Haven't played a good game since UCLA.

Hopefully this will get their attention. Whole team looks like trash. Even Allen which I never thought I'd ever say

whatisee · Post by **whatisee** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:43 pm

They need this

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:45 pm

whatisee wrote:They need this

If this can't wake us up, nothing will.

PennZona20 · Post by **PennZona20** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:46 pm

I don't know if they needed THIS. But they needed an L. They aren't listening to coach because they didn't think they had to.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:53 pm

Oregon get every loose ball today

We were missing slam dunks

Pathetic display

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:55 pm

Since we beat UCLA they haven't been the same. They need to wake up before we find ourselves like 4th in the league and shipped out east as a 7 seed or something

dcZONAfan · Post by **dcZONAfan** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:05 pm

ASUHATER! wrote:Since we beat UCLA they haven't been the same. They need to wake up before we find ourselves like 4th in the league and shipped out east as a 7 seed or something

I mean this is ridiculous. That's all.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:06 pm

dcZONAfan wrote:
ASUHATER! wrote:Since we beat UCLA they haven't been the same. They need to wake up before we find ourselves like 4th in the league and shipped out east as a 7 seed or something
I mean this is ridiculous. That's all.

what's ridiculous? his statement, or the team's play?

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:07 pm

Can't wait to hear Millers comments about the game and nour play

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:07 pm

A complete implosion, but let's not get nuts about this. This game started out with Arizona getting the shots it wanted, and missing all of them, and Oregon not needing to work for shots because the heat check on contested 3's never ended. This Oregon team, which beat ASU by 1 point on Thursday and lost to Colorado the week before, got emboldened while Arizona's players got demoralized. Miller didn't shake up the rotation because the game had already gotten out of hand, and he sent his players a message about what happens when you hang your head and let yourself get outworked when you can't stop an opponent from scoring and can't find your own shot.

PieceOfMeat · Post by **PieceOfMeat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:13 pm

Longhorned wrote: contested 3's

contested what now? a vast majority of their 3's were open to wiiiiide open looks.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:16 pm

Is there a more embarrassing loss in the Miller era? Maybe I'm just shell shocked, but I cant think of any in the Lute era that compare to this.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:18 pm

rgdeuce wrote:Is there a more embarrassing loss in the Miller era? Maybe I'm just shell shocked, but I cant think of any in the Lute era that compare to this.

Letting Jimmer score 50 was pretty embarrassing. That was the worst loss in the Sean Miller era.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:19 pm

PieceOfMeat wrote:
Longhorned wrote: contested 3's
contested what now? a vast majority of their 3's were open to wiiiiide open looks.

Four of the first five were contested. And then Arizona players got demoralized and imploded.

rl2013 · Post by **rl2013** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:19 pm

Merkin wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:Is there a more embarrassing loss in the Miller era? Maybe I'm just shell shocked, but I cant think of any in the Lute era that compare to this.
Letting Jimmer score 50 was pretty embarrassing. That was the worst loss in the Sean Miller era.

Similar situation too. Some times, you can't miss.

pc in NM · Post by **pc in NM** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:21 pm

I noticed a couple of things:

1) CSM never yelled at players during this game

2) CSM was laughing during interactions with Zero U coaches @ postgame

3) Too many fans are seeing the sky falling - that's the "embarrassment" here

This game was more of a laffer than anything else - everyone already knew Zero U is an excellent team - nothing changed today. And, Arizona has the same record, overall and in conference at they do.

Today was a disappointment, for sure. But the coaches and players have exactly the same things to work on this coming week as last week - nothing has changed there....

I liked Walton's anectdote about K C Jones after a blowout loss: "Take a shower, wash that stuff off yourself, and come back tomorrow ready to work..." (or something to that effect)

PennZona20 · Post by **PennZona20** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:22 pm

PieceOfMeat wrote:
dcZONAfan wrote:
ASUHATER! wrote:Since we beat UCLA they haven't been the same. They need to wake up before we find ourselves like 4th in the league and shipped out east as a 7 seed or something
I mean this is ridiculous. That's all.
what's ridiculous? his statement, or the team's play?

Both.

CatFanOneMil · Post by **CatFanOneMil** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:23 pm

Altman has had Millers number since he got here...BIG mistake to put Markennen on Brooks, TOTALLY messed the chemistry up, should have been Kadeem and then play the odds...once the hole was dug Miller just kept digging by not admitting it was wrong and changing the plan...hopefully HE learns from this spanking...but to Oregons credit they had almost zero offensive rebounds because, well fuck the ball never missed...no team shoots that hot consistently, only against us...the fact that they only won by 1 against ASSU spells ANOMOLY in big fucking letters...perfect storm of us playing poorly and them playing superbly...hopefully we get to make this up in the P12 tourney...

I don't see them doing this to UCLA though...they drop another one....hopefully we hold.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:27 pm

Big difference between a team that finished 16-15 and was in its first season after the ugly transition years, than a 1st place in the Pac, #5 in the nation team.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:31 pm

pc in NM wrote:I noticed a couple of things:

1) CSM never yelled at players during this game

2) CSM was laughing during interactions with Zero U coaches @ postgame

3) Too many fans are seeing the sky falling - that's the "embarrassment" here

This game was more of a laffer than anything else - everyone already knew Zero U is an excellent team - nothing changed today. And, Arizona has the same record, overall and in conference at they do.

Today was a disappointment, for sure. But the coaches and players have exactly the same things to work on this coming week as last week - nothing has changed there....

I liked Walton's anectdote about K C Jones after a blowout loss: "Take a shower, wash that stuff off yourself, and come back tomorrow ready to work..." (or something to that effect)

I think the bigger concern here is this ass whooping came after three straight games of looking like crap, absent some spurts here and there. No, the sky isnt falling, but hopefully this serves as a wake up call. Lets face it, this team could have done a lot of things that would have kept this under 15 and didn't.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:39 pm

Voice of reason in every tweet so far today:

https://twitter.com/JasonScheer" target="_blank

psiclist23 · Post by **psiclist23** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:40 pm

They have stopped playing team ball. Seems like Trier is trying to do it all himself. Why is he starting? Are Kobi and Rawle pissed because after winning 19 games as starters they seem to be afterthoughts? Why isn't Laurie shooting at least 10 3's per game?

Yeah, OR played great, but they had the momentum cuz AZ seemingly had no idea what to do.

elriop20 · Post by **elriop20** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:42 pm

Trier has completely thrown off the team chemistry. He was suppose to be the guy that could take over a game when we needed it like today, but he was just living in brick city with the rest of the team.

One reason the patriots are so successful is they change their game plan to take away the strength of the other team and change their offense to exploit the defense. Miller really needs to reconsider his 'we do what we do' motto because it just boxes in our team and lets our opponents always have the upper hand in game preparations and strategy.

SCCats · Post by **SCCats** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:50 pm

elriop20 wrote:Trier has completely thrown off the team chemistry.

I'm wondering a bit about the Trier element as well.

Main Event · Post by **Main Event** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:52 pm

Def a Lousville, BYU ass kicking that I didn't expect.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:12 pm

Ignoring our four game "trend": They were 16-25 from 3 and we were 5-17. Thats a 33 point swing. May help some sleep a little better at night.

In terms of the Trier element, all signs point to that having some of an effect. Whether it has been a cancerous effect or just a set back and a matter of guys needing to adjust, Im sure it is the latter. Either way, we werent a final four team without Trier without a shit ton of luck. Take the lumps now and get everything fluid and we have a much higher ceiling. I'll take that chance. And unless Trier is drugging everyone with sleeping pills before these games, he isnt responsible for individual defensive issues, lazy/poor effort, forgetting basic rebounding principles, etc. Not unless pretty much everyone hates the dude to death and have stopped wanting to show up/listen to CSM because he is back. Which makes no sense, because they played their best game with him at UCLA, and it isnt like CSM is even starting him (hes gone longer than I would have).

dcZONAfan · Post by **dcZONAfan** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:17 pm

pc in NM wrote:I noticed a couple of things:

1) CSM never yelled at players during this game

2) CSM was laughing during interactions with Zero U coaches @ postgame

3) Too many fans are seeing the sky falling - that's the "embarrassment" here

This game was more of a laffer than anything else - everyone already knew Zero U is an excellent team - nothing changed today. And, Arizona has the same record, overall and in conference at they do.

Today was a disappointment, for sure. But the coaches and players have exactly the same things to work on this coming week as last week - nothing has changed there....

I liked Walton's anectdote about K C Jones after a blowout loss: "Take a shower, wash that stuff off yourself, and come back tomorrow ready to work..." (or something to that effect)

Yup.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:22 pm

Can't remember what game it was, maybe when UNC destroyed UA at McKale, but Lute said afterwards that they aren't even going to watch the game film, they are just going to pretend this game never happened.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:31 pm

Merkin wrote:Can't remember what game it was, maybe when UNC destroyed UA at McKale, but Lute said afterwards that they aren't even going to watch the game film, they are just going to pretend this game never happened.

I'm still trying to pretend that game never happened. I don't know what Lute said to Roy after that game, but the clear fact that Roy mouthed, "Oh, no, no, no" must have meant that Lute apologized for not even giving his team a game. How on earth did Kirk Walters become a rotation player at Arizona?

dmjcat · Post by **dmjcat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:34 pm

I am less concerned about todays dumpster fire of a loss than I am about what we do going forward. Unless Miller & staff quickly teach this team how to play against a matchup 2-3 zone (assuming they can) then I see at least 1 if not 2 more losses before Vegas. UCLA, if Alford figures out that we have problems with a zone, is perfectly capable of spanking us in McKale. And I would not be surprised by a road loss to either asu/UW/WSU should we have an off night shooting and someone like Fultz gets hot.

Long term Miller needs to learn from this (sort of like he should have learned from the two Wisky games), that if you are doing something that doesn't work (like playing man to man on Kaminsky) then you need to adapt and change. Today was a glaring example of this weakness. He stuck with two bigs even after it was long evident that it wasn't going to work against Altmans smaller lineup.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:39 pm

Longhorned wrote:
Merkin wrote:How on earth did Kirk Walters become a rotation player at Arizona?

Wasn't he the guy who loved Keebler's cookies and Arby's Beef n Cheddar sandwiches?

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:45 pm

Here it is, Truth:

Hank of sb · Post by **Hank of sb** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 5:58 pm

elriop20 wrote:Trier has completely thrown off the team chemistry. He was suppose to be the guy that could take over a game when we needed it like today, but he was just living in brick city with the rest of the team.

One reason the patriots are so successful is they change their game plan to take away the strength of the other team and change their offense to exploit the defense. Miller really needs to reconsider his 'we do what we do' motto because it just boxes in our team and lets our opponents always have the upper hand in game preparations and strategy.

Have to agree on this. As was the team, SM was also schooled. For starters, Lauri should not have been guarding a wing.

The difference between UCLA and Oregon's style is Oregon plays the best defense in the league. Hence, Arizona has the talent to outscore UCLA's offense but not the talent to beat Oregon's offense AND defense.

In order to beat Oregon, Arizona would need to control the tempo with a defensive mindset. In addition, Arizona would need a practiced offense, one designed to break the zone, something they haven't had all year.

Looking back, Chance should have been yanked early on. (His defense was horrible.) Pinder should have taken all of Chance's minutes. Pinder always rebounds well. He is also the toughest 'big man' on the team. (Actually the only tough big man.) I would have considered parking Lauri and/or Ristic at the head of the key with instructions to shoot inside the line and rebound. At once, however, both would not/should not be playing. Not against Oregon.

For this game, and perhaps only this game, Pinder would be Arizona's defacto four.

The guards--all 4/5 of them-- would have instructions to play the pack line hard, hoping to get the usual defense to offense breaks, to shoot the 3 and, of course, drive.

We know none of that happened.

To me, the team looked more lethargic, than tight.

Yes they were stunned by Oregon, but the problem was, IMO, the game plan was poor. Early on this became apparent; the players froze (stood around), looking to the bench. When SM chewed his players out at Washington's game end, he had gone to the whip early. Apparently,the whip (back then) was the game plan.

What was needed, however, was not a scolding but a real plan.

An ambush awaited, one everyone, starting from the top, was totally unprepared for.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:09 pm

Hank of sb wrote:Hence, Arizona has the talent to outscore UCLA's offense but not the talent to beat Oregon's offense AND defense.

ASU almost does. Colorado does.

Hank of sb wrote:In order to beat Oregon, Arizona would need to control the tempo with a defensive mindset. In addition, Arizona would need a practiced offense, one designed to break the zone, something they haven't had all year.

Looking back, Chance should have been yanked early on. (His defense was horrible.) Pinder should have taken all of Chance's minutes. Pinder always rebounds well. He is also the toughest 'big man' on the team. (Actually the only tough big man.) I would have considered parking Lauri and/or Ristic at the head of the key with instructions to shoot inside the line and rebound. At once, however, both would not/should not be playing. Not against Oregon.

For this game, and perhaps only this game, Pinder would be Arizona's defacto four.

The guards--all 4/5 of them-- would have instructions to play the pack line hard, hoping to get the usual defense to offense breaks, to shoot the 3 and, of course, drive.

We know none of that happened.

To me, the team looked more lethargic, than tight.

Yes they were stunned by Oregon, but the problem was, IMO, the game plan was poor. Early on this became apparent; the players froze (stood around), looking to the bench. When SM chewed his players out at Washington's game end, he had gone to the whip early. Apparently,the whip (back then) was the game plan.

What was needed, however, was not a scolding but a real plan.

An ambush awaited, one everyone, starting from the top, was totally unprepared for.

No level of preparation, no strategy, and no college basketball team in America was going to give Oregon a respectable game today. The last time Arizona suffered a barrage of 3-pointers (2nd half Wisky '15), there were defensive breakdowns that left one player open twice and got his rhythm going. Today, multiple Oregon players knocked down contest 3's from the outset, Arizona missed the shots it wanted, and the game got away and snowballed. Oregon's team and individual shooting stats from today bear no resemblance to the season-long numbers, and other than Baylor, Oregon hasn't faced defenses as efficient as Arizona's.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:19 pm

Hank you gotta understand that Oregon is just not a good matchup for us, they are a very good team and it was just their night. Altman is a great coach but he had nothing to do w a lot of those shots going in. Now, we could have played a hell of a lot better and it wouldnt have been embarrassing. But we didnt.

And if you think Pinder was the answer, I cant help you there. There is nothing he gives us over Comanche outside of less bonehead fouls.

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:34 pm

Altman is just a better coach it seems.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:37 pm

I would think the %of teams that win giving up 11 more three's in a game is very low. We had great stats against the 3 coming in. It was just there day

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:37 pm

That game was the sports equivalent of a snuff film. I can't even really rationally think about it.

Hank of sb · Post by **Hank of sb** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 6:54 pm

rgdeuce wrote:Hank you gotta understand that Oregon is just not a good matchup for us, they are a very good team and it was just their night. Altman is a great coach but he had nothing to do w a lot of those shots going in. Now, we could have played a hell of a lot better and it wouldnt have been embarrassing. But we didnt.

And if you think Pinder was the answer, I cant help you there. There is nothing he gives us over Comanche outside of less bonehead fouls.

I have never understood this argument. I remember fans covering for Lute (when he lost) saying Lute wasn't the one shooting.

Well, OK then. But its always about execution. Climbing the corporate ladder is much the same. Oregon didn't JUST shoot lights out; they did everything. Boucher is a human rim- protecting machine, the likes of which college basketball hasn't seen. Not this year anyways.

Is that defense of Boucher's, too, NOT about Altman?

pc in NM · Post by **pc in NM** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:04 pm

Longhorned wrote:Here it is, Truth:

+1

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:21 pm

Also, this:

pc in NM wrote:I noticed a couple of things:

1) CSM never yelled at players during this game

2) CSM was laughing during interactions with Zero U coaches @ postgame

3) Too many fans are seeing the sky falling - that's the "embarrassment" here

This game was more of a laffer than anything else - everyone already knew Zero U is an excellent team - nothing changed today. And, Arizona has the same record, overall and in conference at they do.

Today was a disappointment, for sure. But the coaches and players have exactly the same things to work on this coming week as last week - nothing has changed there....

I liked Walton's anectdote about K C Jones after a blowout loss: "Take a shower, wash that stuff off yourself, and come back tomorrow ready to work..." (or something to that effect)

Harvey Specter · Post by **Harvey Specter** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:30 pm

pc in NM wrote:
Longhorned wrote:Here it is, Truth:

+1

He is in denial. It is quite clear, he's gone soft. He ALWAYS say the team played hard when they lose, and never holds the players accountable.

SInce BeachCat is not hear to speak tha truth, - I'll do it for him: we were mesmerized by pyrite and a weak early season schedule; the season-long downhill slide started today, and we will be staring a 7 seed in the East right in the face come March.

As I was typing that last comment, I realized how happy I am BC97 is banned from the forum right now.

Harvey Specter · Post by **Harvey Specter** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 8:37 pm

Hank of sb wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:Hank you gotta understand that Oregon is just not a good matchup for us, they are a very good team and it was just their night. Altman is a great coach but he had nothing to do w a lot of those shots going in. Now, we could have played a hell of a lot better and it wouldnt have been embarrassing. But we didnt.

And if you think Pinder was the answer, I cant help you there. There is nothing he gives us over Comanche outside of less bonehead fouls.
I have never understood this argument. I remember fans covering for Lute (when he lost) saying Lute wasn't the one shooting.

Well, OK then. But its always about execution. Climbing the corporate ladder is much the same. Oregon didn't JUST shoot lights out; they did everything. Boucher is a human rim- protecting machine, the likes of which college basketball hasn't seen. Not this year anyways.

Is that defense of Boucher's, too, NOT about Altman?

I am not sure how today's loss is his fault, but he shoulders the credit or the blame - whether deserved or not. It comes with the territory - and he fully accepts accountability, which is one reason I love him. Many accomplished coaches do not, and it drives me NUTS. (As much as I loved Lute, he did this late in his career a few times... "Well we (the coaches) have proven what we can do - the only thing different this year is the players")

But let's not get carried away. Today does not tarnish his reputation, any more than the Ducks embarrassing loss to CU (or pathetic effort vs ASU) tarnishes Altman.

Shit happens... and I would much rather run into a buzz saw like that today than in March.

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 9:20 pm

Harvey Specter wrote:
Hank of sb wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:Hank you gotta understand that Oregon is just not a good matchup for us, they are a very good team and it was just their night. Altman is a great coach but he had nothing to do w a lot of those shots going in. Now, we could have played a hell of a lot better and it wouldnt have been embarrassing. But we didnt.

And if you think Pinder was the answer, I cant help you there. There is nothing he gives us over Comanche outside of less bonehead fouls.
I have never understood this argument. I remember fans covering for Lute (when he lost) saying Lute wasn't the one shooting.

Well, OK then. But its always about execution. Climbing the corporate ladder is much the same. Oregon didn't JUST shoot lights out; they did everything. Boucher is a human rim- protecting machine, the likes of which college basketball hasn't seen. Not this year anyways.

Is that defense of Boucher's, too, NOT about Altman?
I am not sure how today's loss is his fault, but he shoulders the credit or the blame - whether deserved or not. It comes with the territory - and he fully accepts accountability, which is one reason I love him. Many accomplished coaches do not, and it drives me NUTS. (As much as I loved Lute, he did this late in his career a few times... "Well we (the coaches) have proven what we can do - the only thing different this year is the players")

But let's not get carried away. Today does not tarnish his reputation, any more than the Ducks embarrassing loss to CU (or pathetic effort vs ASU) tarnishes Altman.

Shit happens... and I would much rather run into a buzz saw like that today than in March.

Very well-said Harvey! Words of wisdom here folks.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:17 pm

I just wish we got these assholes in McKale this season. Going to have to settle for revenge in the conference tourney.

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:23 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:I just wish we got these assholes in McKale this season. Going to have to settle for revenge in the conference tourney.

No kidding.....I don't know of anyone who actually supports this crazy off-balanced scheduling we have in the P12...would much rather stay P10 and have balanced scheduling instead of this crazy crap.....how much fun would it be to have a chance at redemption at McKale this year?

HiCat · Post by **HiCat** » Sun Feb 05, 2017 6:54 am

Longhorned wrote:Here it is, Truth:

Miller telling it like it is. 16 threes was lightning in a bottle, the Ducks know it and so do we. There are few teams that could have beaten them yesterday with that kind of shooting. The stat I saw was 65% shooting. If correct my guess is O doesn't repeat that in the race to the finish line. If they do/can, woah.. I would not want to be the team facing them in March.

Arizona did not shoot the ball well. The guys didn't have the confidence firing the rock, this became more evident as the game pressed on. We weren't aggressive enough taking it to the hoop. Seems like the team mindset was "stunned" like in the twilight zone...this ain't happening. The air was sucked out of them in the moment.

Altman has the Ducks right where they need to be, especially playing Arizona. It
was the plan?
http://www.espn.com/blog/collegebasketb ... er-arizona" target="_blank

In the end, it's one very bad game. Even if Cats played a great game (like UCLA's)
we would probably not have gotten the win. Reminds me of Wisconsin a couple of years ago. Nothing you can do but stay in the moment.

Time to brush it off, get ready for the next game/s. The prize is in March/April boys.

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Sun Feb 05, 2017 7:31 am

I will say I believe I slept much better last night than if we would have lost by buzzer beater.

Hank of sb · Post by **Hank of sb** » Sun Feb 05, 2017 8:51 am

HiCat wrote:

In the end, it's one very bad game. Even if Cats played a great game (like UCLA's)
we would probably not have gotten the win. Reminds me of Wisconsin a couple of years ago. Nothing you can do but stay in the moment.

Time to brush it off, get ready for the next game/s. The prize is in March/April boys.

The Wisconsin game was remarkable in that in spite of the onslaught, Arizona lost by 5 points or so. I kept looking at the scoreboard (then) and thinking this is amazing we are still in this thing....until we weren't. In a sense, that game personified TJ McConnell. At the game's end I was proud of Arizona.

I should add: I was also extremely proud of Arizona after the Illinois loss. That was a great Arizona team that had had some issues during the season, specifically Salim and Lute almost went separate ways. Lest we forget, Illinois had been # 1 all season. In that game Arizona reminded the nation that Arizona was always a contender, one not to be forgotten, much like they hadn't been thought of in that vein all year.

Yesterday's game was not like either of those two aforementioned games. Besides embarrassing, I can't see any silver lining. If our coach really uses the tape to good use and teach, well then perhaps. But there's also a possibility we're seeing the limitations of the squad: the digression of Lauri becoming a perimeter Euro-style player and Kadeem not having PG skills.

I certainly was not proud of Arizona.

As to Harvey Spector's comment, I do not see yesterday's loss as Sean Miller's fault. Then whose fault may it be? The players? No one's?

Harvey was surely right about one thing, however.....and its the best point being made, IMO. It is certainly better to run into a buzz saw now rather than later.

That said, the buzz saw named Oregon has got to be a top four pick to win it all. They are well coached; they play mixed and tough defense- perimeter AND interior; they have a killer shooter, one of the nation's best, all backed up with other shooters. And their bigs actually jump, whereas two of Arizona's (excepting Pinder and Chance) either can't or don't.

Login • Register