2024-25 Arizona Basketball

[U.P. Zona Fan]

The win at Baylor bumped us up to #10 at evanmia.com

[Winger]

Only saw the game live and haven’t done a rewatch yet but here were the storylines, in no particular order:

3. College basketball is a game of many things, but shooting is a big one, and this Arizona team simply can’t shoot. Not from 3 and it also has issues from the line at times. Imv 23 of 54 shots from beyond the arc is way too many and this is becoming a theme in Arizona’s losses this season (shooting too many 3s). Lewis in particular should never shoot another 3, as his release is broken (the last one he took was so far off it nearly missed the backboard). Hard to win games if you can’t shoot and we can’t shoot.

Lloyd said postgame that everyone thinks Arizona is going to lose Monday, Well, I don’t think that but Baylor is going to be another big/important game, I do know that.

Shoot, when it comes to seeding, they might all be from here on out.

We shoot exceptional from the line. If you are relating to one or two games sure. I think we are in the high 70%. That is good. I think Tommy was pissed we lost to Houston and I think he was trying to fire up his guys.

Yep. Last night a good example where (Veesaar aside) we hit our FTs coming down the homestretch, which was a big part of why we won.

Also: didn't start Townsend!

Threes were a bit of a problem again last night however, especially in the 2nd half (0 for 9... c/w 10 for 21 on 2FGA).

Lot of story lines last night but a big one for me is tho we coughed up a pretty big 2nd half lead we didn't lose.

Hate to go homer on something like this, but it felt to me like the announcers loved everything Baylor and sort of the opposite for Arizona.

I think we have a good chance to hold serve the next 2 at home and such that I am right on that it's game on from there.

[azcat49]

Big props to CTL and the players for being ready last night. Big ups to CTL for instilling that in them right after the end of the Houston game. Great the players had his back

[Winger]

Big props to CTL and the players for being ready last night. Big ups to CTL for instilling that in them right after the end of the Houston game. Great the players had his back

Gets big props from me for having the offense ready to slay Baylor's zone (at least in the 1st half) on short turnaround. The Cats destroyed that thing (looked like mostly a 1-3-1?) both from the middle and from the corners/baseline. In the first half it was a clinic on how to execute on offense.

[Postmaster]

Seemed like players were rotated often in first half. Foul trouble seemed to hamper the ability to sub as much in second half.

[MrKyle]

Seemed like we had quite a few different line ups and timing on subs last night compared to rest of season and it worked well

[azgreg]

1. Houston 14-1
2. Arizona 12-3
3. Iowa St 11-4
4. Texas Tech 11-4
5. BYU 9-6
6. Kansas 8-7
7. Baylor 8-7
8. TCU 8-7
9. Utah 7-8
10. Kansas St 7-8
11. West Virginia 6-8
12. Cincinnati 5-9
13. UCF 4-10
14. Oklahoma St 4-10
15. Arizona St 3-12
16. Colorado 1-14

[TheCat]

Big props to CTL and the players for being ready last night. Big ups to CTL for instilling that in them right after the end of the Houston game. Great the players had his back

Gets big props from me for having the offense ready to slay Baylor's zone (at least in the 1st half) on short turnaround. The Cats destroyed that thing (looked like mostly a 1-3-1?) both from the middle and from the corners/baseline. In the first half it was a clinic on how to execute on offense.

Best I've seen us play against a zone in a long time. The players were decisive and got the ball immediately to the right player for an easy shot or dunk. Key was no hesitation to let them regroup.

[AZCatGirl]

[dovecanyoncat]

1. Houston 14-1
2. Arizona 12-3
3. Iowa St 11-4
4. Texas Tech 11-4
5. BYU 9-6
6. Kansas 8-7
7. Baylor 8-7
8. TCU 8-7
9. Utah 7-8
10. Kansas St 7-8
11. West Virginia 6-8
12. Cincinnati 5-9
13. UCF 4-10
14. Oklahoma St 4-10
15. Arizona St 3-12
16. Colorado 1-14

Being #2 in that list is a fuck of a lot more satisfying than being #2 in the Pac-12.

[Chicat]

Being #2 in that list is a fuck of a lot more satisfying than being #2 in the Pac-12.

Being #2 in the PAC12 was an embarrassing disappointment.

[dovecanyoncat]

Being #2 in that list is a fuck of a lot more satisfying than being #2 in the Pac-12.

Being #2 in the PAC12 was an embarrassing disappointment.

Context is everything.

[Postmaster]

Isn't ASU always going to be the #2 of whatever conference they are in?

[UAEebs86]

Isn't ASU always going to be the #2 of whatever conference they are in?

[Winger]

You know how to tell when a referee is clearly terrible? When every one of my kids knows him by name. For being shitty. I literally can not believe Padilla still has a job. He makes 5 calls like the phantom call at the end of the game every time he steps on the floor. I am not a fan of the move to the B12 but the 1 thing I thought for sure I would get in return is no more calls like that one. From behind the play 20 feet away and another ref in position to call that play who appropriately swallowed his whistle.

That said, Arizona fans need to class the fuck up and stop with the nonsense at the end of games when we lose a tough one at home. That shit at the end from the crowd was way worse than Padilla’s call. Woke up embarrassed to be a Tucsonan and Arizona fan.

The vibe from this game will be about BYU hitting its 3s which, because BYU has shooters, one should expect. But, the story of the game is, after an extended layoff, Arizona clearly did not want to play defense last night. At all. At any position. Awaka aside. You could tell 10 possessions in that the Cats were not going to give effort defensively last night. Tough to coach your way out of that. Especially when you have 2 dudes on the team that can not defend at this level whatsoever.

Bad stretch from Arizona of late and would look worse if not for the Love miracle vs ISU. Feels like following a great run to open conference play the laws of averages are catching up with the Cats and this island of misfit toys roster Lloyd put together. Since Arizona can’t shoot it is only going to go as far as its defense allows and that is the key to the season the rest of the way.

[Merkin]

What happened post game? I turned the game off after that terrible pass to end the game.

Looking at the box score, I know it's a terrible stat but KJ had a +/- of -15. What the heck? Next worse was JB at -4.


EDIT:

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2530380/by ... ts-defense

Meanwhile, the on-court drama quickly spilled over into off-court incidents. Shortly after the final buzzer, a confrontation erupted between BYU’s Mawot Mag and Arizona’s Caleb Love amid an already charged atmosphere. Adding further fuel to the fire, some fans resorted to an unacceptable chant targeting the faith of BYU supporters. In response, Arizona’s vice president and director of athletics, Desireé Reed-Francois, promptly issued an apology to BYU’s community and condemned the behavior as unreflective of the institution’s values.

[UAEebs86]

I heard the Zoo was chanting Eff the Mormons.

[Merkin]

I would have said "Eff the refs". I imagine thousands of people there are very familiar with Tony Padilla and should have called him out by name. BYU played a really hard fought game.

[Postmaster]

A few years ago, the Zoo, or at least a lot of them were chanting "eff Tiger". When ucla was here. It seemed pre planned based on the number of people doing it.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basket ... 44459.html

Phantom foul is a good term to describe that.

[Chicat]

Rare that you see the mainstream media be that blunt about a call so you know it was bullshit.

[PHXCATS]

Fans chanting yesterday need to go to a conduct class like NFL teams do.

Anyone doing it from today forward should be banned for life

[Winger]

I would have said "Eff the refs". I imagine thousands of people there are very familiar with Tony Padilla and should have called him out by name. BYU played a really hard fought game.

What is one supposed to take from that tweet?

It was a horrible terrible look at me call that decided the game’s outcome, from a ref who was clearly out of position to call it.

When Miller was the coach I understood why some refs (and league coaches) took things out on him and his players. But Miller isn’t here, Lloyd isn’t that guy, and Padilla is a different animal imo. He makes bizarro look at me calls all game, every game, both ways. As Arizona fans we remember moreso the ones that go against our Cats but that dude is off the reservation all the time.

As of now it’s the worst call I think I have ever seen from any ref in any sport.

[PHXCATS]

And BYU fans are so fucking annoying and insecure

When literally every national person is saying UA got fucked, UA got fucked.

Only other time I remember seeing this is when UA played at Tennessee

But I don't think the impacts seeding and UA will be better for it. Bring the team closer. Realize it is UA vs the shitty conference and the world. Tighten things up

UA by 15 plus of they play BYU again

[PHXCATS]

I would have said "Eff the refs". I imagine thousands of people there are very familiar with Tony Padilla and should have called him out by name. BYU played a really hard fought game.

What is one supposed to take from that tweet?

It was a horrible terrible look at me call that decided the game’s outcome, from a ref who was clearly out of position to call it.

When Miller was the coach I understood why some refs (and league coaches) took things out on him and his players. But Miller isn’t here, Lloyd isn’t that guy, and Padilla is a different animal imo. He makes bizarro look at me calls all game, every game, both ways. As Arizona fans we remember moreso the ones that go against our Cats but that dude is off the reservation all the time.

As of now it’s the worst call I think I have ever seen from any ref in any sport.

Pedersen never makes a good point

[UAEebs86]

Tony Padilla is the Angel Hernandez of Scott Fosters.

[azcat49]

It doesn’t impact tournament seeding possibly but it sets us up to have at best a 4 seed in the conference tournament.

Top 4 get a bye so it’s really important and BYU and Kansas might go into that last game with the same number of losses as us and everyone playing for that 4th seed

[TheCatInTheHat]

I get that officiating is tough. I've been pressed into it a few times in baseball and softball and absolutely hated it. But the guy absolutely couldn't see any foul from way out where he was, it wasn't his call to make with another ref in perfect closer position who saw nothing to call, and late in a close game, you absolutely don't decide a game on a foul unless it's a clear and obvious call...which it obviously wasn't. It should be pretty easy: unless it's blatant and obvious, don't call a foul in a game, and NEVER call a foul on a guess. Just play on and leave it up to the players. The ref got completely deked on the untouched BYU guy putting up an awkward shot. So what else does he get deked on every game? Flops to draw a charge? The WWF flail from an elbow that misses by six inches? I hate to say it, but they need to change the rules yet again. With under a minute, a coach should be able to appeal a foul call, and all three refs have to watch the replay and unanimously agree that it's a foul, otherwise it's wiped off. Then, if they all want to protect their friend while the whole world watches the replays over and over, they can suffer the consequences. The outcome of a game is more important that some inept ref's feelings.

[Winger]

Pedersen never makes a good point

Usually the tweets I have seen posted are opportunistic cherry picking stat based homerism designed to carry the water for the Arizona AD by trying to paint its programs, coaches, and players in bright colors. This one I don’t even understand.

Regarding seed, it’s impossible imo to know what last night means for Arizona given what it has left. For sure as of today we are no longer 13th nationally in the eyes of the committee but there are 2 huge opportunities for impressive wins left plus whatever comes our way in the B12 tournament.

[PHXCATS]

Pedersen never makes a good point

Usually the tweets I have seen posted are opportunistic cherry picking stat based homerism designed to carry the water for the Arizona AD by trying to paint its programs, coaches, and players in bright colors. This one I don’t even understand.

Regarding seed, it’s impossible imo to know what last night means for Arizona given what it has left. For sure as of today we are no longer 13th nationally in the eyes of the committee but there are 2 huge opportunities for impressive wins left plus whatever comes our way in the B12 tournament.

Every team has tons of games to improve or drop

Everything moves together not in a vacuum

The committee will know UA got fucked

[PHXCATS]

It doesn’t impact tournament seeding possibly but it sets us up to have at best a 4 seed in the conference tournament.

Top 4 get a bye so it’s really important and BYU and Kansas might go into that last Gabe with the same number of losses as us and everyone playing for that 4th seed

WTF are you talking about. We 3 right now with 4 winnable games to go

[azcat49]

Let’s see how it unfolds. Certainly would love to have that 4 seed locked up before we go to Kansas

[Winger]

Pedersen never makes a good point

Usually the tweets I have seen posted are opportunistic cherry picking stat based homerism designed to carry the water for the Arizona AD by trying to paint its programs, coaches, and players in bright colors. This one I don’t even understand.

Regarding seed, it’s impossible imo to know what last night means for Arizona given what it has left. For sure as of today we are no longer 13th nationally in the eyes of the committee but there are 2 huge opportunities for impressive wins left plus whatever comes our way in the B12 tournament.

Every team has tons of games to improve or drop

Everything moves together not in a vacuum

The committee will know UA got fucked

Not every team has the opportunity to rack up a top 15 and top 10 road win the next two weeks.

Which is a reason why folks are concerned regarding being a top 4 seed in the B12 tourney and getting that 2 round bye: Arizona’s road down the stretch is significantly more difficult than any of the other contenders.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

My 11 year old was up with me last night for the game and I was complaining about Tony Padilla, this morning I was telling my wife, who was sleeping through the game, about the outcome and he was like "are you talking about Tony Bidet?" So that's his new nickname at our house now.
Only call I can remember that was worse was at Wisconsin this year Carter Bryant was standing in one spot with his hands up, Tonje hip checked Bryant and got the bucket and the foul call. They showed the replay on the jumbotron and the whole arena just started laughing at how ridiculous it was. But that didn't decide the game, it was the previous 47 free throws that Wisconsin shot that did that one.

[PHXCATS]

Pedersen never makes a good point

Usually the tweets I have seen posted are opportunistic cherry picking stat based homerism designed to carry the water for the Arizona AD by trying to paint its programs, coaches, and players in bright colors. This one I don’t even understand.

Regarding seed, it’s impossible imo to know what last night means for Arizona given what it has left. For sure as of today we are no longer 13th nationally in the eyes of the committee but there are 2 huge opportunities for impressive wins left plus whatever comes our way in the B12 tournament.

Every team has tons of games to improve or drop

Everything moves together not in a vacuum

The committee will know UA got fucked

Not every team has the opportunity to rack up a top 15 and top 10 road win the next two weeks.

Which is a reason why folks are concerned regarding being a top 4 seed in the B12 tourney and getting that 2 round bye: Arizona’s road down the stretch is significantly more difficult than any of the other contenders.

3 now. 4 winnable games. There is 0.0001% chance UA isn't a top 4 seed

[PHXCATS]

Sorry tied for 2nd

[PHXCATS]

The chant is getting tons of media attention today

[Postmaster]

The Sports Babe was talking about this morning.

[AZCatGirl]

Curious if we'll see some changes to the Zoo because of all this.

[TheCat]

Well tonight will be the only time I root for Houston.

[Alieberman]

Curious if we'll see some changes to the Zoo because of all this.

I would doubt it.

When that call was made and the crowd was going super agitated... I said to my son... "This is about to get ugly... people are going to start throwing shit onto the court"

I was relieved that didn't happen but I know something would happen. I guess the anti mormon rant was just the easiest... lowest common denominator form of protest. It was certainly a bad look that could have been even worse. Hopefully the message was received.

[dirtbags]

https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basket ... 44459.html

Phantom foul is a good term to describe that.

technical win

[AZCatGirl]

Curious if we'll see some changes to the Zoo because of all this.

I would doubt it.

When that call was made and the crowd was going super agitated... I said to my son... "This is about to get ugly... people are going to start throwing shit onto the court"

I was relieved that didn't happen but I know something would happen. I guess the anti mormon rant was just the easiest... lowest common denominator form of protest. It was certainly a bad look that could have been even worse. Hopefully the message was received.

Looks like it was:

[UAEebs86]

Any of you seen "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"?

Not saying I condone The Zoo. I understand it...

[PHXCATS]

Any of you seen "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"?

Not saying I condone The Zoo. I understand it...

Hard no

[dovecanyoncat]

Any of you seen "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"?

Not saying I condone The Zoo. I understand it...

Hard no

How 'bout "The Real Catholic Wives of Vatican City"?

[MrMeow]

Any of you seen "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"?

Not saying I condone The Zoo. I understand it...

Read, "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer.

[Fishclamps]

When your religion is founded by a notorious conman and further expanded upon by a murderous lunatic who loved polygamy, you're gonna get some shit from the general public here and there.

[cpt]

Any of you seen "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"?

Not saying I condone The Zoo. I understand it...

Read, "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer.

Under the Banner of Heaven is about FLDS. Different than LDS.

[Alieberman]

Let's move on from this in the basketball boards.

No matter what you think of a religion... it was wrong... it was a bad look... let's not repeat it again.

End of story.

Can't wait to beat the shit out of Utah tomorrow night.