2023-2024 Arizona Basketball

[84Cat]

Not sure where to post this but it's really interested to watch. It kind of tells you why CTL uses the drop coverage instead of hedging the pnr. I think we could use the Houston defense though when we go small just to change things up and stop these teams that have gone off on us with 3 pointers



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjiEoU2_igQ&t=2s

[TheCat]

were you going to post a link?

[Lute4God]

Not sure where to post this but it's really interested to watch. It kind of tells you why CTL uses the drop coverage instead of hedging the pnr. I think we could use the Houston defense though when we go small just to change things up and stop these teams that have gone off on us with 3 pointers



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjiEoU2_igQ&t=2s

Thanks 84. That's one of the best Bball Xs and Os videos I've seen in a long while

[U.P. Zona Fan]

I thoroughly enjoyed that, and now I understand it better, or at all.

[dovecanyoncat]

Here's hoping our game against Furd is like our game in Eugene: on top for 18 minutes with consistent separation and maturity, no great lapses, no runs followed by face-melting complacency. A blowout would be cool, but I don't think it teaches us much.

[TheCatInTheHat]

With a 20 point second half lead, it wasn't that big a deal. But kind of classic that the problem originated in San Ramon where they're down to a skeleton crew for staffing. That may or may not have had anything to do with it, but it also may foreshadow more "technical difficulties" down the stretch, or maybe even a cancelled broadcast or two during their "going out of business" sale. I assume we're relatively safe, as the advertisers expect their commercials to be played, but at some point, it's possible somebody might have to write out some rebate checks to them, rather than more expensive options to get some games televised if they're left in the lurch with insufficient personnel. Baseball and softball season may be even more vulnerable.

[TheCatInTheHat]

As we know, Stanford's got a whole team of 6-9 senior forwards, and only one of their top 8 scorers shoots under 33% from 3 point range. Kind of a Jekyll & Hyde team. They started out in non-conference play losing at home to Santa Clara, losing on the road to San Diego State, and losing all three games (Arkansas, Michigan, and Northern Iowa) in the Bahamas. Then they lost their conference opener at home to ASU before knocking us off (by 18 and scoring 100) in Palo Alto. From that game forward, they've been 6-3, adding home wins over Utah and Washington to road conquests of UCLA, Oregon State, and now ASU. Their losses have been at home to WSU, and at USC and at Cal. I don't care enough about them to have any particular thoughts about getting any regular season "revenge", but we can't afford any home losses with 5 potentially tough road games remaining.

[Beachcat97]

Think we're going to destroy them tomorrow.

[Chicat]

Think we're going to destroy them tomorrow.

Sunday

[azgreg]

Think we're going to destroy them tomorrow.

Sunday

We can do it then as well.

[Alieberman]

If we are the team I think we are- we will rip their hearts out on Sunday

[Beachcat97]

If we are the team I think we are- we will rip their hearts out on Sunday

That’s my feeling as well. They had the best shooting game of their lives last time. That’s not happening again.

[TheCat]

They are a matchup problem for everyone. If they are hitting their shots they can beat anyone. If they aren't they will be in trouble.

[Beachcat97]

They’re not making 16 threes tomorrow. I’d be surprised if they made half that many.

[dovecanyoncat]

A good old fashioned skullfucking would be nice.

[PHXCATS]

They’re not making 16 threes tomorrow. I’d be surprised if they made half that many.

I guarantee they make 0 tomorrow

[Chicat]

If we are the team I think we are- we will rip their hearts out on Sunday

If we are the team I fear we are- we will piss down our leg and fall over

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Top 10 in kenpom O&D

Only team top 10 in both. #4 overall.

Before games today anyway.

Crazy thing here,
Houston #1 D, 84.7
Tenn #2 D, 91
Duke #30 D, 97.5
That is wild!!!!
Houston is almost as much better than #2 D than #2 is better than #30!

[Beachcat97]

Top 10 in kenpom O&D

Only team top 10 in both. #4 overall.

Before games today anyway.

Crazy thing here,
Houston #1 D, 84.7
Tenn #2 D, 91
Duke #30 D, 97.5
That is wild!!!!
Houston is almost as much better than #2 D than #2 is better than #30!

Would prefer to avoid Houston in the tournament.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Then Kansas kills them in transition and makes them look like a jv team.

[pc in NM]

Then Kansas kills them in transition and makes them look like a jv team.

KU shot 68% for the game.

IMNSHO, fear both of these teams...

[Beachcat97]

Then Kansas kills them in transition and makes them look like a jv team.

KU shot 68% for the game.

IMNSHO, fear both of these teams...

Increasingly, I’m convinced that great offense beats great defense at the college level. Kansas is an elite offensive team and merely above average defensively. Houston is an elite defense and very average on offense.

Sean Miller lost to several hot shooting teams in the tourney while at AZ, typically in seasons when our defense was very highly ranked.

Look at Tennessee yesterday. Not a great defense, but they put up 100 vs UK and won comfortably.

[Chicat]

Mountain schools are undefeated at home. This next trip might be a monster.

[Alieberman]

We are going to be the 1st team this year to come out of the mountain school trip with a win

[TheCat]

If we play defense the way we did in the second half we will get a split at a minimum.

[IndianaZonaFan]

KJ and Bradley give us so much defensive energy off the bench. Love to see it!!!

[84Cat]

[TheCatInTheHat]

Utah has some similarities to Stanford, with an experienced team with size that can shoot the three. Non-conference, they went 1-2 at a tournament in South Carolina, with a win over Wake Forest and losses to Houston and St. John's. They won at St. Mary's and beat BYU in Salt Lake. In the Pac-12, they've got road losses to the Arizonas, Stanford, and the Washingtons, and at home, they've beaten the Washingtons, UCLA, the Oregons, and most recently, Colorado.

[Beachcat97]

I'm so ready to be done with the Pac.

There probably isn't a single team remaining on our schedule that will get us many points on Selection Sunday. But if we should happen to LOSE any of these games, it'll count against us a lot.

[AzCatFan2]

I'm so ready to be done with the Pac.

There probably isn't a single team remaining on our schedule that will get us many points on Selection Sunday. But if we should happen to LOSE any of these games, it'll count against us a lot.

Both Colorado and Utah are top 35 in current NET rankings (https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... kings/net/). A win at either would be considered quad 1 by the NCAA Selection Committee. And would remain Q1 unless either falls out of the top 75 in NET, which doesn't seem likely.

The other top NET PAC schools are WSU at 40 and Oregon at 57. Beating the MTN schools or WSU in Vegas would also be Q1, and Oregon could be Q1 too in Vegas if they can crack the top 50.

There's no question the BIG12 is a better basketball conference. Argument could be made they are the best. But it's also simply not true we have no Q1 games left on our schedule. We have two big ones coming up this week.

[Beachcat97]

I'm so ready to be done with the Pac.

There probably isn't a single team remaining on our schedule that will get us many points on Selection Sunday. But if we should happen to LOSE any of these games, it'll count against us a lot.

Both Colorado and Utah are top 35 in current NET rankings (https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... kings/net/). A win at either would be considered quad 1 by the NCAA Selection Committee. And would remain Q1 unless either falls out of the top 75 in NET, which doesn't seem likely.

The other top NET PAC schools are WSU at 40 and Oregon at 57. Beating the MTN schools or WSU in Vegas would also be Q1, and Oregon could be Q1 too in Vegas if they can crack the top 50.

There's no question the BIG12 is a better basketball conference. Argument could be made they are the best. But it's also simply not true we have no Q1 games left on our schedule. We have two big ones coming up this week.

Count me among those who think the whole quadrant system is suspect af.

So yes, ACF, technically we do have upcoming opportunities for Q1 wins, and these matter for seeding. But the irony is that some of these teams won't even reach the NCAA tournament. The Pac is either getting 3 or 4 teams in, and it's going to be AZ, Utah and some combination of Colorado, Oregon and/or WSU. If someone other than these 5 wins the Pac tourney, then there's a very remote chance of getting 5, but I seriously doubt that.

Here's how I think the rest of the reg season goes (wins in bold):

@Utah
@Colorado
WSU
UW
@ASU
Oregon
@ucla
@USC

[ASUHATER!]

Winning at Utah and Colorado are good wins, but outside of that nothing left on our schedule is really impressive of a win

[PHXCATS]

Per Bracketmatrix (combines all projected brackets from across the web into one giant bracket without matchups)

Utah is an 8 seed
Colorado is an 11 seed
Washington State is a 12 seed
Oregon is close and is in the field in about a third of the projections

So there are more chances at good wins

[TheCat]

I think Gabe Madsen is the best shooter in the league by far when he is on. If he isn't I think we can beat Utah at home. Realize neither Co. or Utah has a home loss so we will have our work cut out for us. Win them both.......

[Alieberman]

We are going to be the 1st team this year to come out of the mountain school trip with a win

Yep

[pc in NM]

Gotta hand it to the Utes - that was a very tough test. We passed!!

[Chicat]

Really could have used FiliB and Paulias playing some minutes late in the first half when we were up double digits, and Krivas in the second half. Tommy puckers and shrinks the bench. Let the kids play.

[Alieberman]

Yeah I loved how Tommy was subbing people in and out frequently in the 1st half to keep everyone fresh…. Then it all went out the window in the 2nd

[UAEebs86]

Yeah I loved how Tommy was subbing people in and out frequently in the 1st half to keep everyone fresh…. Then it all went out the window in the 2nd

Well they couldn't miss a 3 in the 2nd half so I'm sure he was afraid to go deep into the bench.

Then again, could they have done any worse on 3 point D?

[Chicat]

Honestly, we needed Krivas out there with a paw in the face of some of those shooters on switches. Ballo can’t get out fast enough and Keshad is too short. I know it’s a gamble but they were hitting everything anyway. Get that 7’2” kid out on the perimeter if you know they aren’t going to take the ball to the hoop.

[Postmaster]

Load management is something CTL needs to work on. Pelle and Love are logging a lot of minutes.

I thought Ballo and Love stepped up in the OTs with rebounds.

[AZCatGirl]

[Chicat]

[Merkin]

Load management is something CTL needs to work on. Pelle and Love are logging a lot of minutes.

And why the Cats get early exits. Last season Lloyd's rotation was 7. Zu was gassed after the Pac tourney, and Krissa was really banged up.

[pc in NM]

Honestly, we needed Krivas out there with a paw in the face of some of those shooters on switches. Ballo can’t get out fast enough and Keshad is too short. I know it’s a gamble but they were hitting everything anyway. Get that 7’2” kid out on the perimeter if you know they aren’t going to take the ball to the hoop.

Ballo had 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 5-9 FG's, 0 TO's, and played the last 18 minutes without committing his fifth foul.

No way Krivas replaces that load this season. He wasn't really stopping three's when he was in...

Yeah, the Utes made 11 threes (38%), but the 'Cats made 9 (34%). And, in the OT's, Utah was not making three's anyway!!

Meanwhile, Utah was 10/21 FT's, Arizona was 24/32 FT's

[Chicat]

Honestly, we needed Krivas out there with a paw in the face of some of those shooters on switches. Ballo can’t get out fast enough and Keshad is too short. I know it’s a gamble but they were hitting everything anyway. Get that 7’2” kid out on the perimeter if you know they aren’t going to take the ball to the hoop.

Ballo had 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 5-9 FG's, 0 TO's, and played the last 18 minutes without committing his fifth foul.

No way Krivas replaces that load this season. He wasn't really stopping three's when he was in...

Yeah, the Utes made 11 threes (38%), but the 'Cats made 9 (34%). And, in the OT's, Utah was not making three's anyway!!

Meanwhile, Utah was 10/21 FT's, Arizona was 24/32 FT's

I wasn’t advocating for benching Ballo altogether obviously. But when they were on fire at the beginning of the second half we needed better three shot defense from our center.

[TheCat]

Their center wasn't shooting 3's. They presented a matchup problem with their size that had shooting ability. It wasn't their center and I think Ballo was needed for rebounding which wasn't going great.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Auburn is top 10 in both.

[azgreg]

Auburn is top 10 in both.

There are three metrics in that tweet.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

Ahhhh, missed the 3rd.