Win over Utah is the best win of the year

[eoe]

Sure, Gonzaga will look better on paper. However, this was a dismantling of a legitimate top 10 team.

We matched up very well and our defense was the best it has been going back to last season. Incredible close-outs, very aggressive on the hedges, best post-D of the year by both Zeus (no shock) and Ristic (huge performance for him).

Incredible penetration by the guards and spacing on offense was another major plus. We can still work on the finishes in the post (mostly Zeus).

Stanley was unstoppable in the 2nd half. I can't recall a freshman with the ability to be a bully with the ball like Stan can. Only problem that continues is he gets lax on D when his O isn't on-track and he pays the price by sitting on the bench.

McConnell MUST continue playing like this. Nothing he did was outside of his offensive prowess, he just altered his approach. All those under and over turnarounds, driving banks, FT float shot; that's his game.

This team has a championship level ceiling. The defensive energy just needs to hold.

[billk78]

Nice points.

If TJ can keep playing like this he makes everyone around him step up and play better. It's much needed.

One of the best aspects of this game IMO is that Stanley Johnson was shut out the first half. Got in foul trouble. Had no points. Miller pulled him late in the half. He comes out in the second half and has a bad stretch to start. Ugly turnover, looks a little lethargic. But Miller kept him in.

Now normally a freshman (or any other year player for that matter) might get to the point where they start to sulk and write it off as a bad game for them. But Stanley showed me something tonight by bouncing back and really being our best player in the second half. Very mature player. Very talented player. Good attitude. Nice to see.

[CBCat]

Have to admit I really watched the D tonight. From the Stanley try for the steal fail and foul on Tarc early on, from then on the D was a thing of beauty. Stan sat after that and that second half. oh my.

[Merkin]

Eastern SPorts Network doesn't know diddly about Utah, yet everyone knows the Zags and SDSU. Best win for sure, most important not so much.

[gumby]

40-19 on the boards. Massive, muscular performance

Last two against Utes: 69-51. 71-39.

Miller 8-0 against Larry K.

TJ set the tone when it looked bad. Stan 18 and 10, all in the second half. Ashley aggressive!

Rondae with the shutdown D. Wright had a putback and a free throw after scoring the first 7.

Loved this game.

[CBCat]

40-19 on the boards. Massive, muscular performance

Last two against Utes: 69-51. 71-39.

Miller 8-0 against Larry K.

TJ set the tone when it looked bad. Stan 18 and 10, all in the second half. Ashley aggressive!

Rondae with the shutdown D. Wright had a putback and a free throw after scoring the first 7.

Loved this game.

Man Gumby. I loved this game too.

[ASUHATER!]

Utah fan says that this is the best game Arizona has played in years and the best game of McConnell's career and that we aren't capable of playing this way again

[cats101]

Utah has fans? Is it the 90s?

[Harvey Specter]

Utah fan says that this is the best game Arizona has played in years and the best game of McConnell's career and that we aren't capable of playing this way again

Is "Utah Fan" code name for "ASUHater"?

Given your prognostication for this game, it sounds like it might be.

[ASUHATER!]

Utah fan says that this is the best game Arizona has played in years and the best game of McConnell's career and that we aren't capable of playing this way again

Is "Utah Fan" code name for "ASUHater"?

Given your prognostication for this game, it sounds like it might be.

how little you know about reality...if you can't catch on to what's happening I can't help you.

[Alieberman]

I've never understood why you think it's funny or whatever.... It's just really annoying

[Harvey Specter]

I've never understood why you think it's funny or whatever.... It's just really annoying

Is it the "double jinx" thingy that my middle school aged niece and her friends do all the time? That's adorable.

PS - Tell Utah fan we are a better 3 point shooting team than we showed tonight. As awesome as it was, it could have been even better.

[Bangkok Wildcat]

Back to topic, this was the best game that I've seen us play....against a really good Utah Team loaded with studs, hell yeah, IMHO this was the best so far....especially after those two turds we layed at UNLV and Oregon State!

Utah is for real and I'm sure I'm not the only one nervous about Feb. 28.....they are going to be out for blood and we better be ready.

Anyways, let's enjoy these wins (even with the ASSU win vs Rado....geeeeez, easy to see that one coming). Maybe Herbie deserves another extension to celebrate his first Pac win of this year? Lol.

[KaibabKat]

By far. Utah isn't exactly chopped liver but we sure made them look like it tonight. On to the Bay Area.

[gumby]

Utah fan says that this is the best game Arizona has played in years and the best game of McConnell's career and that we aren't capable of playing this way again

Tell Utah fan 71-39 last time the teams met.

[scumdevils86]

Watch now Utah will lose 4 of 5 games and fall out of the national discussion just to spite us. Typical Pac...

[RichardCranium]

Sure, Gonzaga will look better on paper. However, this was a dismantling of a legitimate top 10 team.

Gonzaga is 'a legitimate top 10 team' too.

[EOCT]

A couple of unheralded players:

Pitts. Terrific growth in his defense. Noteworthy tonight was his D share with RHJ on Wright.

Brandon Ashley. Terrific movement/aggressiveness tonight in both directions. Pulled eight boards including 3 offensive boards. Aggressive and effective offense in the paint. Really caught the energy tonight. We need this kind of game from the big guy.

[Machina]

Great job guys and really great job Coach Miller. Keep it up!!

[dcZONAfan]

Great job guys and really great job Coach Miller. Keep it up!!

Machina sneaks in early morning to hope his praise goes unnoticed!

[Chicat]

Great job guys and really great job Coach Miller. Keep it up!!

Yeah, keep it up or else Machina will put you back on the List of Disdain.

[Olsondogg]

If you guys can't read between the lines when Miller says that the Mckale crowd is sophisticated and that it is a "special" place to coach...then that's on you.

I'm with Machina...I'm sick of him saying that the fans cost us games.

[EastCoastCat]

I would say it was the most needed win of the year so far (the best win will hopefully come in April ).

As Miller said, this game was all about effort and the 'Cats showed everyone around the country they should still be part of the Natty discussion.

[CBCat]

Lol at Coach Miller. Without a doubt that was the "happiest" I've seen him ALL season in both the halftime Q & A and end of game presser.

[IndianaZonaFan]

Wish I could find a GIF of Miller yelling at the ref, "What The Fuck Are You Talking About?!!!" when they said SJ stepped out of bounds.

[CalStateTempe]

Wish I could find a GIF of Miller yelling at the ref, "What The Fuck Are You Talking About?!!!" when they said SJ stepped out of bounds.

lol, that was awesome.

[luteformayor2]

Not just our best win, I think this was the best win by any top tier team this year.

Duke over Wisconsin is second, but that game was close. We simply shut Utah down.

Kentucky had some nice romps over overrated teams but none of their wins were with such pure force over a legitimate elite 8 team. UCLA, Kansas, and Lville are not elite 8 caliber teams.

[Harvey Specter]

Not just our best win, I think this was the best win by any top tier team this year.

Duke over Wisconsin is second, but that game was close. We simply shut Utah down.

Kentucky had some nice romps over overrated teams but none of their wins were with such pure force over a legitimate elite 8 team. UCLA, Kansas, and Lville are not elite 8 caliber teams.

Our win over Utah was outstanding, but you're feasting on home cookin' if you don't believe UK's complete destruction of the Jayhwaks was a better win than ours yesterday.

If Kansas (who beat Utah) is not an elite 8 team, than neither is Utah. I am not sure either one is... but they are both in the conversation, and Kentucky ran KU off the court for 40 minutes.

[Alieberman]

Granted I haven't watched a lot of Utah before last night... but are they really a top 10ish team? I kind of get the feeling they will lose their share of games on the road this season.

[Longhorned]

Granted I haven't watched a lot of Utah before last night... but are they really a top 10ish team? I kind of get the feeling they will lose their share of games on the road this season.

More than other top 10ish teams?

[Olsondogg]

Granted I haven't watched a lot of Utah before last night... but are they really a top 10ish team? I kind of get the feeling they will lose their share of games on the road this season.

It's normally February when I start thinking of seedings and less about rankings. I would think that Utah would be in the 4-5 seed range, when all is said and done.

[ASUHATER!]

Granted I haven't watched a lot of Utah before last night... but are they really a top 10ish team? I kind of get the feeling they will lose their share of games on the road this season.

Before our game they had been destroying everyone.