2024-25 Arizona Basketball

[dovecanyoncat]

We also have a glass jaw reputation.

[AZCatGirl]

I'd be in favor of this for sure.

[TheCat]

I'm watching Pitino : Red Storm rising. In it (part 3 or 4) they showed a St. John's benefactor a billionaire who has loved St. John's since he was a kid. Also had two assistance talking about the price of NIL for great players. Said it went from $500k to $1M in a year. They were astounded.
The benefactor said St. John's will never lose a player because of NIL alone. That is some commitment and why Pitino said publicly he will never be in a recruits home again but the bargaining table. That "benefactor" is committed to making St. John's the best basketball team in the country. Pretty interesting and it will be interesting to see what they do in the off season especially regarding 3 pt shooting.

[Winger]

So we played 15 guys yesterday and I think the only player who didn’t get in was DRF’s son.

Not a coincidence.

Regarding being up 5 when ADO went out: the thing folks need to consider is that it could’ve been 10. Also, he didn’t make any of the 3 initial 3’s Arizona uncharacteristically hit to build that lead. And without going back to watch I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave up both Akron buckets.

Regarding Lloyd, first he was super pissed off when someone in the reporter pool accused him of hiding Veesaar (from the NBA). Secondly, while NIL and the SEC’s accordant newfound dominance could certainly change things, one of Lloyd’s principal job requirements was a program at which you could/can dominate your conference. That will never ever be the case at Texas. CDC wouldn’t give a second’s thought to stealing Arizona’s basketball coach but Adia is far more likely to be a target than Lloyd.

Regarding Miller to Texas, first CDC knows all the issues he had at Arizona and I doubt would be willing to step into that mess. Secondly, a Miller to Texas hire would certainly meet the requirements for losing the press conference. I would wager that Miller would jump for say a doubling of his salary however. Especially if he is having NIL issues at X.

Already nervous for tonight. Hoping Arizona’s D locks in and makes life hard on the Ducks. Would love to see a rubber match against Duke, as good as I think the Devils are. Aside from the easily forecastable St John’s loss (to be fair I did have KU beating them lol) the T has been fairly chalky to date and imv without a major story line.

Maybe today will offer some madness.

[Chicat]

So we played 15 guys yesterday and I think the only player who didn’t get in was DRF’s son.

Not a coincidence.

Because we could only dress 15 guys.

Now it might not be a coincidence that Francois was the one chosen not to dress, but looking at all of our walkons, he’s obviously at the bottom of the ladder. At least the coach’s son got playing time at other schools first.

[Winger]

So we played 15 guys yesterday and I think the only player who didn’t get in was DRF’s son.

Not a coincidence.

Because we could only dress 15 guys.

Now it might not be a coincidence that Francois was the one chosen not to dress, but looking at all of our walkons, he’s obviously at the bottom of the ladder. At least the coach’s son got playing time at other schools first.

Haha I didn’t notice that he wasn’t in uniform. But fwiw what I was saying is that Lloyd wasn’t thrilled to have to create a spot on his roster for Francois.

Also should have posted that I have long felt that Clip is closer to CDC than I am and if he says CDC won’t go after Lloyd, while that would surprise me, I would believe him. I would be beyond shocked if Lloyd considered the UT job seriously, forget actually taking it, and have no reason to believe that CDC doesn’t know that (it would be a waste of his time). Miller is a different animal all-together but again he fails the press conference imo.

[Lando05]

So we played 15 guys yesterday and I think the only player who didn’t get in was DRF’s son.

Not a coincidence.

Regarding being up 5 when ADO went out: the thing folks need to consider is that it could’ve been 10. Also, he didn’t make any of the 3 initial 3’s Arizona uncharacteristically hit to build that lead. And without going back to watch I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave up both Akron buckets.

Regarding Lloyd, first he was super pissed off when someone in the reporter pool accused him of hiding Veesaar (from the NBA). Secondly, while NIL and the SEC’s accordant newfound dominance could certainly change things, one of Lloyd’s principal job requirements was a program at which you could/can dominate your conference. That will never ever be the case at Texas. CDC wouldn’t give a second’s thought to stealing Arizona’s basketball coach but Adia is far more likely to be a target than Lloyd.

Regarding Miller to Texas, first CDC knows all the issues he had at Arizona and I doubt would be willing to step into that mess. Secondly, a Miller to Texas hire would certainly meet the requirements for losing the press conference. I would wager that Miller would jump for say a doubling of his salary however. Especially if he is having NIL issues at X.

Already nervous for tonight. Hoping Arizona’s D locks in and makes life hard on the Ducks. Would love to see a rubber match against Duke, as good as I think the Devils are. Aside from the easily forecastable St John’s loss (to be fair I did have KU beating them lol) the T has been fairly chalky to date and imv without a major story line.

Maybe today will offer some madness.

Wing, CDC hired Miller thoughts?

[TucsonClip]

So we played 15 guys yesterday and I think the only player who didn’t get in was DRF’s son.

Not a coincidence.

Because we could only dress 15 guys.

Now it might not be a coincidence that Francois was the one chosen not to dress, but looking at all of our walkons, he’s obviously at the bottom of the ladder. At least the coach’s son got playing time at other schools first.

Haha I didn’t notice that he wasn’t in uniform. But fwiw what I was saying is that Lloyd wasn’t thrilled to have to create a spot on his roster for Francois.

Also should have posted that I have long felt that Clip is closer to CDC than I am and if he says CDC won’t go after Lloyd, while that would surprise me, I would believe him. I would be beyond shocked if Lloyd considered the UT job seriously, forget actually taking it, and have no reason to believe that CDC doesn’t know that (it would be a waste of his time). Miller is a different animal all-together but again he fails the press conference imo.

Less that CDC wouldn't go after him, and more he already knows is a no. Like you said, no need to waste time.

[TheCat]

Lloyd is not leaving Arizona. His parents and in-laws have all moved here. He has been very successful here but resources (NIL) will be the commitment that coach's contracts in the future guarantee.
Their will be some fans that will not be able to adjust to the fact this is not the PAC where a 1-2 finish was expected/guaranteed. I think one of the new powerhouses in the Big 12 will be BYU. They play a great style of basketball, have great fan support and a top 3-5 NIL and that will probably increase with the success they have shown this year.
Sean is going to Texas where he will kill it imo. He is behind but will catch up quickly (2-3 years) but will be competitive immediately. Happy for Sean but don't want him close to our recruiting grounds. Watch who he pulls in this late in the cycle.

[Winger]

Wing, CDC hired Miller thoughts?

Lots of them lol.

First off, not surprised that he took it (see above).

I never thought it was a given that he’d kill it at X and posted so OTOS often. I’d call this a high floor hire for CDC especially in this new SEC $$$ era. I dunno about the height of the ceiling. Gut says its not that high. But if he can stockpile elite talent it could be. But … he definitely needs that kind of talent level as his coaching at Arizona frequently reflected.

Miller did not prove he has the NIL-transfer era nailed at X and not by a long shot. His initial season was very good but the last 2 have been decidedly mid. And Miller did not replicate his experience at both X and Arizona where his teams got better and better defensively each season and while his offense were a bit more all over the map (both in terms of tempo and efficiency) it also improved at both schools as he got settled in. That did not happen at X and his past 2 teams ended up with a worse end of season kenpom c/w where they started.

He is a bit different on the sideline and folks talk about how much he “matured” as a coach during that season off but I don’t know how different his coaching is nor why he would change it. If he is running a bunch of different things offensively they haven’t been working all that well.

I have baggage from his years at Arizona that I can’t set aside. Lots of baggage. But, the lazy take is going to be “its a perfect job for Sean, lots of resources and its a football school so less pressure”. Those things might be true but UT has been through lots of coaches in my life and has always been a football school, and none of those coaches had sustained high level success. Is Miller at Texas going to be better than Cal at Arkansas? Oats at Bama? Pearl at Auburn? Barnes at Tennessee? Golden has been pulling a Miller at Florida where the Gators have become better each season. Not sure on Pope yet but Texas aint no Kentucky. MSU aint Kentucky but would you rather have Beard or Miller, or are they the same guy/coach?

Same folks who said, wrongly, that he’d kill it at X I am sure are saying he will kill it at Texas. Because they are fanboys and don’t learn from their mistakes.

I’d be surprised if Miller kills it in Austin. And I’d also be surprised if he ends up failing. I wouldn’t be shocked to see a FF run but I’d would be to see more than 1 and I’d also be surprised to see Texas at the very top of the SEC season in and out.

But, there is a reason they play the games!

I wanted Miller to kill it at X. Don’t feel exactly the same way about Texas. Not sure why.

[Winger]

Less that CDC wouldn't go after him, and more he already knows is a no. Like you said, no need to waste time.

Roger that.

CDC obviously chose to look past Miller’s issues so it’s not like I can read his mind lol. Some of the recruiting stuff has been mitigated by the NIL era and maybe the transfer era will be better for Miller as well. Maybe Texas doesn’t care if you’re a paranoid prickly recluse.

I don’t hate the hire. If I was CDC I would have gone in a different direction. But UT ain’t no Arizona.

[TucsonClip]

Less that CDC wouldn't go after him, and more he already knows is a no. Like you said, no need to waste time.

Roger that.

CDC obviously chose to look past Miller’s issues so it’s not like I can read his mind lol. Some of the recruiting stuff has been mitigated by the NIL era and maybe the transfer era will be better for Miller as well. Maybe Texas doesn’t care if you’re a paranoid prickly recluse.

I don’t hate the hire. If I was CDC I would have gone in a different direction. But UT ain’t no Arizona.

You and I are, and have been, in the camp camp regarding Miller for years. Thought he should have been axed 1-2 years earlier. Axed sounds bad, because I think both parties would have breathed a sign of relief.

Still not entirely sure what to make of the "new" Miller, his offense, what a Miller player is, ect. I think it's an ok hire. My immediate reaction if I were a Texas fan is... Meh, ok.

[Winger]

Less that CDC wouldn't go after him, and more he already knows is a no. Like you said, no need to waste time.

Roger that.

CDC obviously chose to look past Miller’s issues so it’s not like I can read his mind lol. Some of the recruiting stuff has been mitigated by the NIL era and maybe the transfer era will be better for Miller as well. Maybe Texas doesn’t care if you’re a paranoid prickly recluse.

I don’t hate the hire. If I was CDC I would have gone in a different direction. But UT ain’t no Arizona.

You and I are, and have been, in the camp camp regarding Miller for years. Thought he should have been axed 1-2 years earlier. Axed sounds bad, because I think both parties would have breathed a sign of relief.

Still not entirely sure what to make of the "new" Miller, his offense, what a Miller player is, ect. I think it's an ok hire. My immediate reaction if I were a Texas fan is... Meh, ok.

Texas peeps I know aren’t thrilled. I get stuff like “he doesn’t have the advantage of locking up elite recruits with money any longer”. Their reaction is basically what yours is only followed with a “this isn’t football so whatevs” lol. Was also told that CDC doesn’t/didn’t care about any of Miller’s issues so I was wrong on that assumption as well.

[AZCatGirl]

Well at least our game against Duke isn't last...

6:39 Tucson time on Thursday.

[Alieberman]

Who said that this was 1 of their least favorite AZ teams?

I could not disagree more

[EastCoastCat]

21 sweet sixteens. We ARE Arizona!

[IndianaZonaFan]

Team full of dawgs!!!

[Djcat]

Team could have folded when we could go up by 9 on a 3 vs 1 fast break with 1:45 to go. But a fumble by KJ led to a 3 by Ducks to cut it to 4. And then Henri missing the two FTs and UO cut it down to 2. But these guys toughen up and hung on. Super effort.

Btw if you told me we would win with 50 percent 3PT shooting vs Ducks only shooting 3s at 35%, I would call bullshit!

[AZCatGirl]

Love how Tommy went with ADO to take the shots. He knew Oregon would be all over Caleb.

And the best part is ADO rose to the challenge. Dude was fucking nails.

[84Cat]

Love how Tommy went with ADO to take the shots. He knew Oregon would be all over Caleb.

And the best part is ADO rose to the challenge. Dude was fucking nails.

ADO is our best ft shooter at 89%

[TheCat]

Going back to Wingers analysis, if ADO couldn’t play against Akron, he can’t play against anyone left in this tournament

There have been very few teams he could play against this year. He needs a total reset on his game next year if we want to do anything of significance with him getting significant minutes.

Really? He is certainly limited because of his defense but there appears to be a role for everyone on this team.

[AZCatGirl]

Love how Tommy went with ADO to take the shots. He knew Oregon would be all over Caleb.

And the best part is ADO rose to the challenge. Dude was fucking nails.

ADO is our best ft shooter at 89%

Yeah but free throws in March are a little different.

[Chicat]

Going back to Wingers analysis, if ADO couldn’t play against Akron, he can’t play against anyone left in this tournament

There have been very few teams he could play against this year. He needs a total reset on his game next year if we want to do anything of significance with him getting significant minutes.

Really? He is certainly limited because of his defense but there appears to be a role for everyone on this team.

Notice I said “next year” and “significant minutes”. If he’s getting 25+ minutes a game, it’s because he dedicated himself to getting better on defense and at creating his own three point shot. Because if he is the same guy as this year in those aspects, and he’s playing starters minutes, we will be mediocre at best.

[Djcat]

Crediting this to 84cats on the game thread but this needs to be seen


Jason Scheer
@jasonscheer
Tommy Lloyd said he had a text from Steve Kerr after the game:

“What the hell was that three on one?”

Us too, Steve. Us, too.

[Djcat]

That would have iced the game with 1:42 left to go and up 9….

[TheCat]

Oregon brought a lot of their dudes back. Assume that is NIL-related. Team has experience playing with each other and for Altman. Who is good at designing and calling offensive sets to get his guys the shots he wants. Which means: ADO and Townsend are in more trouble. I don’t think ADO could have played worse yesterday and his presence in Arizona’s lineup continues to baffle me and this would be a good game to not concede 5-8 points at the beginning of each half and start someone else.

Game may come down to Arizona’s D vs the Ducks’ O.

Was bummed to see Miller/X go down. I am on record that folks shouldn’t have expected Miller to “kill it” at X because it isn’t nearly the same situation but I have been surprised at how not good his first teams have been. Last season the excuse his apologists made for the losses was “injuries”. Not sure what they were saying this season. Next season is a big one for him. If X isn’t Top 25 and ranked all season the writing will be on the wall imo.

Lot of blowouts 1st round. More than I remember. If that is the case I am not certain what that says. Maybe nothing. In this era (NIL + free transfer) I expected to see more parity and different teams having success and the blowouts seem to not fit that narrative.

Hard to pick upsets but I think folks calling for the Zips over Arizona understood neither team this season.

X Not good? He made the tournament so that means you are pretty good. Hard to believe you are so bad at predictions especially of Miller. The guy was one of the few teams that beat UCONN multiple times. Writing is on the wall alright. Miller now the coach of Texas with unlimited NIL and I bet there is nothing he wants more than to make a splash by grabbing the 5 star guys we want.

I agree ADO is a liability on defense but tonight he was at least average. Scored in double figures and made pressure free throws. There is no one I wanted more at the line at the end of the game than him. A team of misfits but they are our misfits.

[AZCatGirl]

Amazing stat about today's game.

And an amazing quote from KJ.

[Postmaster]

Crediting this to 84cats on the game thread but this needs to be seen


Jason Scheer
@jasonscheer
Tommy Lloyd said he had a text from Steve Kerr after the game:

“What the hell was that three on one?”

Us too, Steve. Us, too.

He also said "dramond would have done the same thing and Steph would have just pulled up for the three"

[84Cat]

[VegasCatFan]

A bunch of kids having fun. Love to see that!

[CalStateTempe]

Let Caleb channel some of that Derrick Williams energy from the last S16 game w Duke.

[azgreg]

[g32knights]

Anyone else not feeling any nerves for this game? Not expected to win, zero expectations.

[UAdevil]

Almost like UA vs KU in 97. UA not expected to do much against maybe the hottest team in the tourney... let's send em home.

[scumdevils86]

Yeah I'm just happy we didn't have a first weekend exit after the ups and downs of this season

[pc in NM]

SO, here is my BIG QUESTION for this week:

Which opponent is/was more intimidating for Arizona entering the Sweet 16?

• KU in 1997?

• Duke this week?

[Alieberman]

Anyone else not feeling any nerves for this game? Not expected to win, zero expectations.

I really feel like we are a really good team... but not an elite team. Duke is an elite team. To win... so much has to go right and some things certainly need to go wrong for Duke.

We have no pressure in this game... so as Tommy preeches... Let 'er Rip!

[pc in NM]

Anyone else not feeling any nerves for this game? Not expected to win, zero expectations.

I really feel like we are a really good team... but not an elite team. Duke is an elite team. To win... so much has to go right and some things certainly need to go wrong for Duke.

We have no pressure in this game... so as Tommy preeches... Let 'er Rip!

Exactly the same as EVERY Arizona fan (except, of course, Josh Pastner! ) felt on Sweet 16 Monday in 1997

[LuteIsGod]

Let Caleb channel some of that Derrick Williams energy from the last S16 game w Duke.

I am hoping Henri can channel DWill, considering his height.

[SabinoDrifter]

Duke is really good. They've lost one game since November 26 and are winning by an average of 22.3 points. They have one win by three point or less, so it will be interesting to see how they respond in a close game. And the last player they want to see is Caleb Love, so let's hope we get the Caleb version from last night because that's our chance to pull the upset.

[g32knights]

Duke is really good. They've lost one game since November 26 and are winning by an average of 22.3 points. They have one win by three point or less, so it will be interesting to see how they respond in a close game. And the last player they want to see is Caleb Love, so let's hope we get the Caleb version from last night because that's our chance to pull the upset.

I think this is the key. Keep the game close and let Duke get tight. All of the pressure is on them.

[Beachcat97]

SO, here is my BIG QUESTION for this week:

Which opponent is/was more intimidating for Arizona entering the Sweet 16?

• KU in 1997?

• Duke this week?

KU

[MrKyle]

definitely feels like the pressure is off and we are playing with house money.

Duke is a really strong team no doubt. The positive is that we played them this year already so at least have some kind of idea how our guys match up (minus the fact Krivas was still playing limited minutes for us then)

[Beachcat97]

definitely feels like the pressure is off and we are playing with house money.

Duke is a really strong team no doubt. The positive is that we played them this year already so at least have some kind of idea how our guys match up (minus the fact Krivas was still playing limited minutes for us then)

I’ll just say it: we’re better without Krivas.

[AllHailArizona]

SO, here is my BIG QUESTION for this week:

Which opponent is/was more intimidating for Arizona entering the Sweet 16?

• KU in 1997?

• Duke this week?

KU. Their fans still remember that one.

[UAEebs86]

SO, here is my BIG QUESTION for this week:

Which opponent is/was more intimidating for Arizona entering the Sweet 16?

• KU in 1997?

• Duke this week?

KU. Their fans still remember that one.

There's a certain poster here who still hasn't gotten over it.

[Winger]

Yeah I'm just happy we didn't have a first weekend exit after the ups and downs of this season

Agree. In a way this was sort of a big week/weekend for Lloyd. I remain scarred from what I saw in person vs Duke earlier this season but it's almost April and there is a reason they play the games. ESPN reporting that UT and Miller have an agreement but not going so far as to say he is the new Longhorn coach. Not certain what, if anything, that means.

[pc in NM]

The last time we played Duke in the Sweet 16, Arizona was a 9.5-point underdog...

NCAA Tournament: Opening odds, TV info, tip time for Arizona’s Sweet 16 matchup vs. Duke

By Brian J. Pedersen Mar 24, 2025, 5:00am PDT

In the past two seasons, Arizona and Duke have faced off on each other’s home courts, both pulling out a road victory with Duke’s win in Tucson coming back in November.

It’s been a little longer since they’ve met in the NCAA Tournament—14 years, to be exact—but now the Wildcats and Blue Devils will square off for a spot in the Elite Eight. And like the last time that scenario played out, the UA will be a sizable underdog.

Fourth-seeded Arizona (24-12) has opened as a 9.5-point underdog against top-seeded Duke (33-3), per FanDuel Sportsbook, for Thursday’s East Region semifinal in Newark, N.J., with an initial over/under of 152.5. KenPom.com projects an 81-73 win for the Blue Devils, giving the UA a 22 percent chance of victory.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:39 p.m. PT and air on CBS, though its actual start time will depend on when the first East Region semifinal between No. 2 Alabama and No. 6 BYU is over.

The 9.5-point spread would be the largest Arizona has been an underdog since 2018 and the biggest dog in the NCAA Tournament since 2011 when it was a 9.5-point dog against Duke in the 2011 Sweet 16 in Anaheim. The Wildcats won that game 93-77 behind a monster performance from Derrick Williams.

[MrKyle]

definitely feels like the pressure is off and we are playing with house money.

Duke is a really strong team no doubt. The positive is that we played them this year already so at least have some kind of idea how our guys match up (minus the fact Krivas was still playing limited minutes for us then)

I’ll just say it: we’re better without Krivas.

I agree - I think him going down solidified our rotation and let guys get comfortable in roles. Did not see a lot from him in those first few games he was playing, not sure if that was due to the foot injury or not.

[FreeSpiritCat]

Arizona is so athletic and talented but they play with a low IQ. We make great plays, and it is fun to watch. But follow it up with head scratchers. This is who Arizona is as a team. If they could play smarter basketball they could be one of the best teams in the country.

I think of the 97 team playing Kansas, where we were supposed to get creamed. Duke is at the same level as that Kansas team. Unless the Cats play smarter I believe that the Cats will lose by at least 20 points. Duke will convert those mistakes.