The 2021-2022 Season Thread

[EastCoastCat]

I think if we can average close to 22 assists per game we can live with 13.5 TO’s. It sort of comes with the territory and it also helps us to shoot 50% from the floor.

I’ll take that.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Our style of play is going to lead to more TOs than we are used to.

Also, these guys are all underclassmen, except CLo and Kier.

I’d like us to be closer to 15 but at this point I don’t know how much better they will get.

It's more than just pace. In turnovers per possession, we're #122 in the nation.

https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-baske ... possession

In turnovers per offensive play, we're #90 in the nation.

It's off from where we were in years like 14-15 and 16-17 and even last year. Neither is really pace dependent because they're both % based.

It's not cause for panic, but bringing it down a bit would help.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Looking ahead, here are our remaining reg season games (predicted wins in bold):

Utah
@Stanford
@Cal
@UCLA
ASU
UCLA
USC
@WSU
@UW
OSU
Oregon
@Utah
@Colorado
Stanford
Cal

This doesn't include postponed games vs. USC and ASU. Not sure those will get played.

It would be pretty crazy to get through the entire Pac schedule with one loss, but avoiding road games @USC and @Oregon makes this a very real possibility. Knowing AZ, we'll probably get an unexpected loss on the road somewhere. Maybe Stanford or Colorado.

You missed one so I fixed it

[TheCat]

So what I am thankful for is an attractive form of basketball with a good winning percentage to help recruits start to take notice. I also like the way Tommy handles the press. It is clearly not a function he is fond of and he states the obvious all the time. He also sees the press as never satisfied enough and it shows. I also like that he has many individual meetings with players. While not uncommon he seems to enjoy these and keeps the report of these upbeat. Hope he gets some recruits soon and that he keeps perspective with the guys. Doing a good job.

[UAEebs86]

'Cats favored by 20 tonight

[Beachcat97]

Looking ahead, here are our remaining reg season games (predicted wins in bold):

Utah
@Stanford
@Cal
@UCLA
ASU
UCLA
USC
@WSU
@UW
OSU
Oregon
@Utah
@Colorado
Stanford
Cal

This doesn't include postponed games vs. USC and ASU. Not sure those will get played.

It would be pretty crazy to get through the entire Pac schedule with one loss, but avoiding road games @USC and @Oregon makes this a very real possibility. Knowing AZ, we'll probably get an unexpected loss on the road somewhere. Maybe Stanford or Colorado.

You missed one so I fixed it

If we win @Pauley, I'll start to believe. Imagine if Lloyd went undefeated in the Pac in his first year as coach.

[97cats]

Imagine Dragons

[TheCat]

This will do:
UA leads the nation in scoring margin (+24.5), assists per game (21.7), total rebounds per game (43.9), defensive rebounds per game (31.4), average possession length (14.4) and 2-point FG% defense (39.9).
The Cats are in the top 10 nationally in the following categories: scoring offense (2nd), blocked shots per game (3rd), total assists (3rd), field goal pct. defense (3rd), assist/turnover ratio (6th) and rebound margin (5th).

Pretty remarkable really. We need to improve in a few areas like TO's but .......

[azgreg]

[Beachcat97]

Those are some pretty lame, unimaginative predictions from Katz. He’s gotten lazier.

[phxcat23]

What’s going on with PG position tonight? Scheer tweeting stuff saying it will be interesting.

[azgreg]

[Alieberman]

So it's Jan 15.... and we are kind of a consensus #1 seed right now (Seth Davis notwithstanding)

Is this real?

[TheCat]

I think it is too early to tell if we are a one seed. We really have played the soft part of our conference schedule and we will know more soon. Next week followed by the following Tuesday will put us on the road for 3 straight games. That will be a better indication of where we are. Like our energy and flow on offense and the D was good most of the year. Big games next week.

[Alieberman]

Sounds Like Kerr's injury is nothing... will be back next week

[Beachcat97]

So it's Jan 15.... and we are kind of a consensus #1 seed right now (Seth Davis notwithstanding)

Is this real?

Let’s revisit this on 1/26.

Those #1 seeds are still very much up for grabs. Gonzaga looking like the only lock at the moment.

[Alieberman]

I’m not saying we are going to be a #1 seed come March or are really 1 of the top 4 teams currently. I’m just saying a majority of “bracketologists” are all going to have us on the top line is coming week

[azgreg]

According to bracketmatrix.com we already are.
http://www.bracketmatrix.com/

[Chicat]

We are #2 in NET rankings and we should be top-4 in both the AP and Coaches polls come Monday. And we are #3 in the Massey composite index which compiles so many different ratings including Sagarin and Pomeroy.

Smells like a 1 seed to me.

[Beachcat97]

We are #2 in NET rankings and we should be top-4 in both the AP and Coaches polls come Monday. And we are #3 in the Massey composite index which compiles so many different ratings including Sagarin and Pomeroy.

Smells like a 1 seed to me.

We haven’t even played the best teams in our own league yet.

[Alieberman]

We are #2 in NET rankings and we should be top-4 in both the AP and Coaches polls come Monday. And we are #3 in the Massey composite index which compiles so many different ratings including Sagarin and Pomeroy.

Smells like a 1 seed to me.

We haven’t even played the best teams in our own league yet.

What is your point? We are talking about where we are today... not projecting where we will be in 2 weeks, a month... or final seeding.

We are top 4.... today.

[Beachcat97]

We are #2 in NET rankings and we should be top-4 in both the AP and Coaches polls come Monday. And we are #3 in the Massey composite index which compiles so many different ratings including Sagarin and Pomeroy.

Smells like a 1 seed to me.

We haven’t even played the best teams in our own league yet.

What is your point? We are talking about where we are today... not projecting where we will be in 2 weeks, a month... or final seeding.

We are top 4.... today.

I think that’s undeniable.

Also think we’re going to see a lot of movement with these high seed projections over the next couple weeks. Lots of big conference match-ups between now and the end of January. Purdue/Illinois, Auburn/UK, MSU/Wisconsin, AZ/UCLA, KU/Texas Tech.

I care more about AZ getting a protected seed in the West than getting a #1.

[Longhorned]

Acolyte: Is Arizona a 1-seed?

Sage: No[thing]!

Acolyte: But if no four teams have a stronger case, how would Arizona not be a 1-seed?

Sage: Because there are no 1-seeds in March.

Acolyte: How will there be no 1-seeds in March?

Sage: Because March is nothing! Arizona is top-four here and now!

Acolyte: But you just said....

Sage: Breathe!

[84Cat]

If you watch the presser from last night, CTL is not that impressed with his team right now

[dovecanyoncat]

I liked Lloyd's brief look of FML at the end when the last question was set for Pascoe.

[Longhorned]

You know your team is a contender when your own team's coach tells the press they're overrated and slipping, right after yet another thumping.

[YoDeFoe]

Sounds Like Kerr's injury is nothing... will be back next week

Was Kerr actually injured? Because it sounds like he was held out by Coach - didn't dress and wasn't on the bench.

[azgreg]

Sounds Like Kerr's injury is nothing... will be back next week

Was Kerr actually injured? Because it sounds like he was held out by Coach - didn't dress and wasn't on the bench.

[YoDeFoe]

Yeah I'm still thinking Kerr was being disciplined by holding him out, because injured players still dress and sit with the team (especially the injured starting PG).

[KaibabKat]

Wouldn't pass the ketchup to Mathurin when he asked for it.

[RichardCranium]

Yeah I'm still thinking Kerr was being disciplined by holding him out, because injured players still dress and sit with the team (especially the injured starting PG).

thats probably true. grounded for putting himself in danger.

[azgreg]

[YoDeFoe]

For "one of the best coaches in basketball," Dan Hurley's teams sure have a habit of shitting the bed in the last four minutes of their games.

[RondaeShimmy]

[Beachcat97]

It’s almost like Davis doesn’t watch the games. Almost.

I actually agree with him on USC, though.

[TheCat]

He is paid by ESPN and they don't have a contract with the PAC. He will always be lower. My reservation is we have not played the tough part of our conference schedule. After this week we will know more. Stanford is playing decent and has size so will be tougher. Road in conference is always hard that is why no team has ever gone undefeated in the PAC-10 or PAC-12.

[Beachcat97]

He is paid by ESPN and they don't have a contract with the PAC. He will always be lower. My reservation is we have not played the tough part of our conference schedule. After this week we will know more. Stanford is playing decent and has size so will be tougher. Road in conference is always hard that is why no team has ever gone undefeated in the PAC-10 or PAC-12.

Agree. This is why all the talk about our being a #1 seed feels premature. It's remarkable that we're even talking about being a #1 seed since we were unranked to begin the season and largely an afterthought among national media. We're far enough into the season to say that Lloyd is doing an exceptional job in year one.

Let's see what he can do with this super tough stretch over the next couple weeks.

[Spaceman Spiff]

For "one of the best coaches in basketball," Dan Hurley's teams sure have a habit of shitting the bed in the last four minutes of their games.

Yeah, but Geno Auriemma is basically the John Wooden of women's basketball.

[Beachcat97]

Now #3

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-colleg ... tball-poll

[RondaeShimmy]

He is paid by ESPN and they don't have a contract with the PAC. He will always be lower. My reservation is we have not played the tough part of our conference schedule. After this week we will know more. Stanford is playing decent and has size so will be tougher. Road in conference is always hard that is why no team has ever gone undefeated in the PAC-10 or PAC-12.

Seth Davis?

He works for the athletic/CBS/Turner

[prh]

FWIW, an Arizona fan on Reddit said he passed Kerr on campus and Kerr said concussion. That would add up to not sitting on the bench, but not so much for expecting him back no problem. Would love to know what it was

[Beachcat97]

FWIW, an Arizona fan on Reddit said he passed Kerr on campus and Kerr said concussion. That would add up to not sitting on the bench, but not so much for expecting him back no problem. Would love to know what it was

Maybe he fell and hit his head or something. Lloyd mentioned he hurt himself playing around.

Whatever it is, pretty sure he'll be in the lineup this week.

[RondaeShimmy]

Now #3

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-colleg ... tball-poll

Guy from Oregon thinks even less than Davis

https://collegepolltracker.com/basketba ... 21/week-11

Arizona ranked #14, UCLA #16

[Postmaster]

Maybe he hurt himself at the Nitty Gritty show at Gentle Ben’s Friday night?

[Beachcat97]

Now #3

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-colleg ... tball-poll

Guy from Oregon thinks even less than Davis

https://collegepolltracker.com/basketba ... 21/week-11

Arizona ranked #14, UCLA #16

This sounds like he's undervaluing the Pac, as has become common among national media.

While I do think #3 is a little high for us, given our small number of Q1 wins, we're still #2 in NET. So according to the metrics that matter, we indeed belong in the top 5.

As we all know, the next 5 or 6 games are going to go a long way towards determining our eventual seed. We need at least a split with UCLA, and we need to take care of business vs. USC at McKale. 2/19 vs. Oregon at McKale is also a huge one.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Now #3

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-colleg ... tball-poll

Guy from Oregon thinks even less than Davis

https://collegepolltracker.com/basketba ... 21/week-11

Arizona ranked #14, UCLA #16

This sounds like he's undervaluing the Pac, as has become common among national media.

While I do think #3 is a little high for us, given our small number of Q1 wins, we're still #2 in NET. So according to the metrics that matter, we indeed belong in the top 5.

As we all know, the next 5 or 6 games are going to go a long way towards determining our eventual seed. We need at least a split with UCLA, and we need to take care of business vs. USC at McKale. 2/19 vs. Oregon at McKale is also a huge one.

We have a weird schedule. Michigan has absolutely fallen apart. Illinois is better but really hasn't beaten anyone that good. Tenn getting blasted Kentucky didn't help.

Our Pac schedule...Colorado is really the only team in NIT or CBI contention. Just hard to tell.

[Beachcat97]

Illinois could help us by beating Purdue. Just went to OT.

[RawleArenas]

I was just thinking about all of the underrated recruits that flourished over the last ten years or so. Out of all of them, which one do you think was best: DWill, Zeke or Mathurin? Both Mathurin and DWill were ridiculously underrated.

[Beachcat97]

I was just thinking about all of the underrated recruits that flourished over the last ten years or so. Out of all of them, which one do you think was best: DWill, Zeke or Mathurin? Both Mathurin and DWill were ridiculously underrated.

Gotta be D-Will, but if Mathurin does something special in March, he could catch him.

[Merkin]

TJ McConnell needs to go on that list, even though he was a transfer.

His UA two teams were "4 NBA guys and TJ".