Bennedict Mathurin

[EastCoastCat]

He had a strong game. Didn’t force too much on offense, played very good D and hit the boards.

[97cats]

hit the boards.

loved this part - yes

energy was on high alert from the get go and Lloyd did a great job sticking with him and running plays his way. Arizona made it a point to get him going, and as you said, he had a good game.

[Olsondogg]

Seemingly every player has a slump. Glad to have had Mathurin go through his when he did.

[EastCoastCat]

He's also doing a great job running that back pick for easy layups. At least or 1 or 2 a game.

[97cats]

He's also doing a great job running that back pick for easy layups. At least or 1 or 2 a game.

yes agree id like to see more of that down low off the rubs - the double screen on the wing is nice too, Lloyd inserted that a few times last night, first play of the game if i remember correctly as well.

[Olsondogg]

Took a buddy to the ucla game, a zags fan who loves Lloyd and by proxy AZ.

He was raving about Mathurin. How he looks like a pro, the way he moves. He said it was sacrilege to say, but it was Jordan-esque

[97cats]

for my guy, Chi who posted about Mathurin's home vs away performance so far this year -

Two Neutral Site Games: Mathurin is 15 for 28 from the floor shooting 53.5% and averaging 20.5ppg

Seven True Away Games: Mathurin is 48 for 104 from the floor shooting 46.1% and averaging 21.1ppg

Thirteen Home Games: Mathurin is 63 for 143 from the floor shooting 44% and averaging 13.4ppg

Mathurin loves playing in Pullman

[EastCoastCat]

Nice breakdown ‘97. I think he just tries to do too much - be a highlight reel - at home and the stats back that up.

That Pullman game will be tough as the Cougs need some signature wins for a chance to sneak in the Tourney.

[97cats]

i def think he presses at home youre spot on with that...last night was the first time in about seven games where i saw a fire under his ass and engaged and 'feelin it'

perhaps he can relax on the road??? i dont know. but he was two threes away from piercing 20pts again, and if last night was any indication, i would say the next time he steps on the floor is gonna be another good one.

[UAEebs86]

Does anybody ever like playing in Pullman?

[Bangkok Wildcat]

Does anybody ever like playing in Pullman?

HELL NO! And all of us ‘old-timers’ know how dangerous that place can be with the tough travel, possible trap game, etc…..I’m a bit nervous for this one considering how frequently we’ve been playing this past week plus. Hope we come out sharp and ‘do what we do’. BTFD.

[RichardCranium]

Does anybody ever like playing in Pullman?

I used to like playing in Pullman.

I played with my sisters dog and her neighbour's peahens and goats and the horses at the stable across the road.

Of course that was in 1962.

[97cats]

Pac-12 Conference

Johnny Juzang, UCLA Bruins

The Pac-12 Player of the Year race is complicated. You could make the case for four or five other players: Arizona has three contenders, and Washington's Terrell Brown Jr., and USC's Isaiah Mobley can't be overlooked, either. Even with the Bruins' back-to-back losses entering the week though, Juzang has been the most consistent player, and he's carrying the heaviest load for a legit Pac-12 contender. His 18.8 PPG and 37% clip from beyond the arc in Pac-12 play can't be ignored.

Top Competition: Bennedict Mathurin, Arizona Wildcats (15.8 PPG in league play)
Mathurin, Azuolas Tubelis or Christian Koloko could all win this award for a squad that entered the week in first place in the league's standings in Tommy Lloyd's first year at the helm.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... conference

[Beachcat97]

It's funny: on paper, Johnny Ju-clang looks the part, but man is he streaky (and has had cold shooting games every bit as bad as Benn's worst this year). He's not the guy I'd pick first if I were building a team comprised of only Pac players. I know that's not what this award recognizes, but still. I actually think Jaquez is a more valuable player for ucla than Ju-clang.

Anyway, the award should go to the best player on the best team. We'll see what happens.

[Chicat]

If one of Benn or Zu goes off in most of the games we’ve got left they’ve got a really good chance of winning it. But if they mirror each other it will probably go to someone not in an Arizona uniform.

[Beachcat97]

If one of Benn or Zu goes off in most of the games we’ve got left they’ve got a really good chance of winning it. But if they mirror each other it will probably go to someone not in an Arizona uniform.

Ju-clang can have it.

Just want a FF.

[84Cat]

[dovecanyoncat]

He will rule in Pullman. Because I didn't pick him he will once again be Benn As Fuck.

[97cats]

34mins - 20pts - 7-12fg - 3-6(3pt) - 3-3ft - 5rb - 4a - 1st - 0blk - 3to

mins played this game vs his teammates was interesting to me on the box and his free throws perfect. i know im nitpicking but in the middle of his seven(ish) game kinda funk he missed his first free throw and both twice to start the game four games in a row. he was just a tad off... scorers need to see the early ones go in the bucket sometimes.

thats two good ones in a row now......

[Alieberman]

[dovecanyoncat]

34mins - 20pts - 7-12fg - 3-6(3pt) - 3-3ft - 5rb - 4a - 1st - 0blk - 3to

mins played this game vs his teammates was interesting to me on the box and his free throws perfect. i know im nitpicking but in the middle of his seven(ish) game kinda funk he missed his first free throw and both twice to start the game four games in a row. he was just a tad off... scorers need to see the early ones go in the bucket sometimes.

thats two good ones in a row now......

I think it's the same for Kriisa, hence my comment about Tommy teaching Kerr to get fouled. He's pretty much $ at the stripe, so get him the fuck going and let him rip.

[Beachcat97]

34mins - 20pts - 7-12fg - 3-6(3pt) - 3-3ft - 5rb - 4a - 1st - 0blk - 3to

mins played this game vs his teammates was interesting to me on the box and his free throws perfect. i know im nitpicking but in the middle of his seven(ish) game kinda funk he missed his first free throw and both twice to start the game four games in a row. he was just a tad off... scorers need to see the early ones go in the bucket sometimes.

thats two good ones in a row now......

You called it, 97! Your "he likes to play in Pullman" line was in my head a lot last night. Feel free to keep the prognostications coming!

[EastCoastCat]

Haven’t we had a lot of scorers go off at Hec/AA arena in the past?

Guys like Trier, Hassan.

[YoDeFoe]

34mins - 20pts - 7-12fg - 3-6(3pt) - 3-3ft - 5rb - 4a - 1st - 0blk - 3to

mins played this game vs his teammates was interesting to me on the box and his free throws perfect. i know im nitpicking but in the middle of his seven(ish) game kinda funk he missed his first free throw and both twice to start the game four games in a row. he was just a tad off... scorers need to see the early ones go in the bucket sometimes.

thats two good ones in a row now......

I think it's the same for Kriisa, hence my comment about Tommy teaching Kerr to get fouled. He's pretty much $ at the stripe, so get him the fuck going and let him rip.

I watched a JJ Reddick / Chris Paul discussion about drawing fouls... specifically Paul's favorite foul-baiting move: the rip through.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4BKdCT95h0

I love his answer on this. He calls drawing fouls a mental skill and he talks about how a good offensive player will identify when a defender has put themselves into a position where the ball handler can draw a foul.

Kriisa, besides just attacking the rim and taking contact in his shooting motion to draw a foul, could learn from CP3's lesson here. The defensive scheme to combat Kriisa seems to be to have his defender play way up on him - especially in aggressively icing our ball screens that he's involved in. When the defender plants their top foot too high in trying to force Kriisa to the baseline, Kriisa should use the rip through to create contact and get the whistle. It's a legit basketball move.

Now I'm not sure Kriisa will get the whistles that CP3 gets, but that's an example of how Kriisa can take advantage of how defenders choose to play him. All about Kriisa learning and knowing the game, recognizing his opportunities and taking advantage of them.

[YoDeFoe]

Kier pulled the triple threat head fake to get his man in the air and get the foul to end the first half

[97cats]

31mins - 25pts - 8-11fg - 3-5(3pt) - 6-9ft - 5rb - 3a - 1st - 0blk - 0to

thats three in a row...

[KaibabKat]

32.4 Bird Score. KenPom MVP - his 5th overall and 2nd in a row.

Benn really likes the blue uniforms.

[97cats]

32.4 Bird Score. KenPom MVP - his 5th overall and 2nd in a row.

Benn really likes the blue uniforms.

thank you for this - he had 14 really good ones to start the season and then 8 in between games.

now 3 more excellent games in a row, i feel like hes on the front end of another terrific streak toward the back quarter of the season

[EastCoastCat]

31mins - 25pts - 8-11fg - 3-5(3pt) - 6-9ft - 5rb - 3a - 1st - 0blk - 0to

thats three in a row...

And 3 interesting dunk attempts. 1 mess up - 1 miss but with a lucky bounce goes in - 1 gets called for a T for hanging on the rim.

The only criticism I could think of.

[97cats]

he does have a tendency to want to hang on the rim to protect himself and gets carried away sometimes

[Alieberman]

If that’s our biggest current criticism of Benn… I’m good

[97cats]

If that’s our biggest current criticism of Benn… I’m good

playing like an All-American again his last three games:

32.6mpg - 21ppg - 60%fg - 46.6%3pt - 77.7%ft - 3.3rpg - 3.3apg - 1spg - 0bpg - 1.6tpg

look for him to keep it going at home against the Oregon schools

[Alieberman]

He is playing like an All-American right now... and so is AT right along side of him.

[Beachcat97]

Benn did more than any other player to make a case for Pac POY this weekend.

TB was ridiculous yesterday, but he lost.

Ju-clang was clanging shots at an impressive pace yesterday, even for the league’s biggest chucker.

It’s Benn’s to lose if he keeps this up.

[EastCoastCat]

So was looking at the pre-season all Pac list and they will choose 10 on the first team and 5 on the second.

Benn and AT are locks for first team. Do you think we get 1 more? Koloko?

DT feels like a second team just because he’s so under appreciated. Pelle should be honorable mention.

[Olsondogg]

I think Christian is a first team all pac as well.

[97cats]

So was looking at the pre-season all Pac list and they will choose 10 on the first team and 5 on the second.

Benn and AT are locks for first team. Do you think we get 1 more? Koloko?

DT feels like a second team just because he’s so under appreciated. Pelle should be honorable mention.

in my opinion

1st Team = Mathurin - Tubelis - Koloko
2nd Team = Terry
Honorable mention = Larsson - Ballo

[wyo-cat]

That would represent a truly dominant team in conference play. Like one with a 3 game lead in the loss column.

[97cats]

That would represent a truly dominant team in conference play. Like one with a 3 game lead in the loss column.

exactly - and the schedule is set up for a clean AZ finish and more blood elsewhere, but i still think the Cats loss at USC on the 5th.

[Beachcat97]

Yeah, the USC game at Galen will potentially mean more to them than to us at that point, but this AZ team keeps surprising me. Had we shot our normal percentage at Pauley, think we win that one too and flirt with an undefeated Pac season. But even with that one bump in the road, we remain the clear top team in the Pac and a near lock for a #1 seed.

Also, Benn deserves Pac POY.

[ChooChooCat]

I think Christian is a first team all pac as well.

Looking forward to the Pac-12 voting Terrell Brown as the DPOY over Koloko, because he has the most steals or something.

[Olsondogg]

I think Christian is a first team all pac as well.

Looking forward to the Pac-12 voting Terrell Brown as the DPOY over Koloko, because he has the most steals or something.

Which would be something considering he will be the pac poy already.

[97cats]

1-8 when it counted

[Beachcat97]

I think Christian is a first team all pac as well.

Looking forward to the Pac-12 voting Terrell Brown as the DPOY over Koloko, because he has the most steals or something.

Which would be something considering he will be the pac poy already.

You actually think TB is ahead of Benn?

[RondaeShimmy]

1-8 when it counted

PELLE LARSSON

[97cats]

agree hes gonna play more and more

[Olsondogg]

Some of y’all are naive when you can’t remember how these votes play themselves out.

[ChooChooCat]

Some of y’all are naive when you can’t remember how these votes play themselves out.

Yup. Gary Payton Jr over Aaron Gordon for DPOY as well as Joe Young as POY over TJ McConnell. Pac-12 are literally stat whores when it comes to this.

[97cats]

the Gordon thing still irritates me to no end

[ChooChooCat]

the Gordon thing still irritates me to no end

He didn't even make the all defensive team that year. Absolutely unbelievable malfeasance.