Game 25, vs UCLA (2017-2018)

[billk78]

Trier was definitely the only one who gave a damn tonight. His defense is lacking but Im not so sure it's about lack of effort as it is just him not being a very good defender.

[AZCatGirl]

No idea how a team could look this disinterested playing a conference rival at home. That was abysmal.

Miller doesn't make a big deal about rivalries. UCLA and ASU are just another game to him.

[billk78]

No idea how a team could look this disinterested playing a conference rival at home. That was abysmal.

Miller doesn't make a big deal about rivalries. UCLA and ASU are just another game to him.

They look disinterested pretty much every game this year.

[Frybry02]

What a pathetic effort all around. It just looks like they don't care to be honest. 5 minutes left in the second half and down by 12 and theyre walking it around in slow motion with no intensity or purpose. Why can't they create any shots whatsoever? Everything is forced after a slow milking of the shot clock. I hate this offense so much. keep saying the defense is bad (it is) but the offense is just as pathetic at times. We can't get it to Ayton. Although even when we did tonight he couldnt shoot. Alkins just isnt the same. PJC is a bench player. Man I want this team to succeed it's just so hard to watch right now. Miller has to consider giving in and changing the damn offensive style up a little bit.

We dont have the shooters to beat the zones teams throw at us so you beat that by scoring off of turnovers. The problem is that we dont create any because our defense sucks.

3pt shooting is the least of my worries with this team. I believe the cats are 28th in nation for 3P%.

[CalStateTempe]

All I'm saying is trier plus minus is pretty low for such prolific production on offense.

Could work on his D game a bit more, thats all.

[84Cat]

Trier 7 of 13, Radio guys named him VIP of the game

[zonagrad]

3 players that can't play defense (pjc the midget, Trier with no lateral speed, Ristic with feet of clay)
1 guard who is very very rusty (Alkins)
1 coach who doesn't know what to do against a zone.

A very bad combination

I'll agree with the assessment of the first two points. The other is so off base it's not even funny.

I watched us do exactly what we're supposed to do against UCLA's zone. And then I watched Ayton missed easy fucking shots, over and over. I watched us miss wide open threes that we normally make. Ayton played like garbage tonight. And I refuse to credit UCLA's defense. Ayton just simply was stumbling over himself, letting contact bother him and was awful. And you know what, I can't be angry with him. He may have hit a bit of a freshman wall. He's playing a ton of minutes this season and has carried this team. He'll have to push through this rough patch, which I think he will. He's not Superman. He had a really bad game and hopefully it's not a fatigue issue, mental or physical.

[Longhorned]

Trier was definitely the only one who gave a damn tonight. His defense is lacking but Im not so sure it's about lack of effort as it is just him not being a very good defender.

Trier is pretty heavy-footed. It's a natural limitation, and it's the biggest reason why he's in college for 3 years. I don't get the hate he's getting.

[84Cat]

Can’t wait to hear what Sean says!

Basically said it boiled down to lack of defense and we had no answer for Holiday

[CalStateTempe]

Christ...I don't hate the guy, I fully recognize he is an awesome scorer and we are lucky to have him. I don't understand what the problem is with pointing out that with his level of talent and athleticism and pro potential that I wish his defense as a bit more solid?

If he was shitty and had limitations, such as PJC, well you can say its because of this and that and he's trying but thats where the buck stops.

But Trier IS a stud. His shot is right on and has come along consistently the past 2 weeks. I wish he worked on the other side of is game as well, but it appears that is not as important to him (and I surmise, because its less likely to be apparent on a stat sheet).

But go along, keep thinking its hate just for pointing out that his help defense is trash and has been for three seasons.

[zonagrad]

Miller laid it out. Said he's not blaming players but simply describing the problems. Says it is somewhat a personnel problem. Couldn't agree more.

[TatetheGreat]

Ayton is having a hard time playing the game the refs are calling. He is having to play more like Ristic.

[pc in NM]

Trier was definitely the only one who gave a damn tonight. His defense is lacking but Im not so sure it's about lack of effort as it is just him not being a very good defender.

Trier is pretty heavy-footed. It's a natural limitation, and it's the biggest reason why he's in college for 3 years. I don't get the hate he's getting.

The players do not (and have not - e.g., Mustafa Shaker) deserved the disrespect...

... that's nothing more than the venting of over-entitled fans - reminiscent of the post-Wooden era uclans. F__k them!!

The coach is paid the big bucks, and, let's face it, Miller has not, as of this point, lived up to so-called "Arizona" expectations. That's now a fact-of-life....

... and, if Miller leaves, it's unlikely that Arizona will land another up-and-comer of his quality. He was a great hire; he's had an awesome production; he's recruited beyond all expectations. Those too are "facts-of-life".

I've always really appreciated Miller. I'm a fan. But, he, and we, appear to be in dire straights at the moment....

[PHXCATS]

Ayton is having a hard time playing the game the refs are calling. He is having to play more like Ristic.

He needs to shut and play. Let the coaches work and talk to the officials

[zonagrad]

Trier was definitely the only one who gave a damn tonight. His defense is lacking but Im not so sure it's about lack of effort as it is just him not being a very good defender.

Trier is pretty heavy-footed. It's a natural limitation, and it's the biggest reason why he's in college for 3 years. I don't get the hate he's getting.

The players do not (and have not - e.g., Mustafa Shaker) deserved the disrespect...

... that's nothing more than the venting of over-entitled fans - reminiscent of the post-Wooden era uclans. F__k them!!

The coach is paid the big bucks, and, let's face it, Miller has not, as of this pinot, lived up to so-called "Arizona" expectations. That's now a fact-of-life....

... and, if Miller leaves, it's unlikely that Arizona will land another up-and-comer of his quality. He was a great hire; he's had an awesome production; he's recruited beyond all expectations. Those too are "facts-of-life".



I've always really appreciated Miller. I'm a fan. But, he, and we, appear to be in dire straights at the moment....

Dire straits?? This team or the program? We're currently battling for a conference title. We have some personnel issues that frankly, won't fix themselves. We are what we are. But I'd hardly start calling for Miller's head. You're frustrated because you had super high expectations, which is understandable. But the weaknesses of this team can't be fixed:

PJC is not a Pac 12 caliber point guard.

Trier is an incredible offensive player. But he's not a great perimeter defender. Ordinarily that wouldn't be terrible. But the combination of Trier's poor perimeter defense, coupled with an undersized point guard who also gives up penetration is a killer.

Ristic is a really good player. He finishes well and has great touch. On a team with four other good defensive players, his shortcomings would be less of a problem. Other players could compensate. But on this team with PJC & Trier's shortcomings on defense, plus Ristic as a poor defender, it's not hard to see why we struggle the way we do. As a coach, how do you fix that? If you make a lineup change, what do you give up? Are you prepared to give up Ristic's deft touch around the rim. Or Trier's efficiency on offense? Who do you play in place of PJC? Either way you are making changes that are going to have a ripple effect. And there's no clear cut answer because the bench players haven't shown the ability to be better than what we have. And for Sean Miller, that must be terribly frustrating knowing he has a once in a lifetime player like Ayton.

[dmjcat]

3 players that can't play defense (pjc the midget, Trier with no lateral speed, Ristic with feet of clay)
1 guard who is very very rusty (Alkins)
1 coach who doesn't know what to do against a zone.

A very bad combination

I'll agree with the assessment of the first two points. The other is so off base it's not even funny.

I watched us do exactly what we're supposed to do against UCLA's zone. And then I watched Ayton missed easy fucking shots, over and over. I watched us miss wide open threes that we normally make. Ayton played like garbage tonight. And I refuse to credit UCLA's defense. Ayton just simply was stumbling over himself, letting contact bother him and was awful. And you know what, I can't be angry with him. He may have hit a bit of a freshman wall. He's playing a ton of minutes this season and has carried this team. He'll have to push through this rough patch, which I think he will. He's not Superman. He had a really bad game and hopefully it's not a fatigue issue, mental or physical.

Off base??? Why do you think that every coach in the conference throws a 2-3 zone at us?? (Even Colorado who never plays a zone?)..........Because we are good at playing against a zone???

Better take another look........the whole conference throws a zone at us because we STINK at playing against one.

[enfuego]

Great game. Big fan of UCLA and their up and down tempo.

FWIW - this isn't a Miller problem this is a player problem. If he can't get his seasoned players to play defense, he's not going to get his freshman to either.

[zonagrad]

3 players that can't play defense (pjc the midget, Trier with no lateral speed, Ristic with feet of clay)
1 guard who is very very rusty (Alkins)
1 coach who doesn't know what to do against a zone.

A very bad combination

I'll agree with the assessment of the first two points. The other is so off base it's not even funny.

I watched us do exactly what we're supposed to do against UCLA's zone. And then I watched Ayton missed easy fucking shots, over and over. I watched us miss wide open threes that we normally make. Ayton played like garbage tonight. And I refuse to credit UCLA's defense. Ayton just simply was stumbling over himself, letting contact bother him and was awful. And you know what, I can't be angry with him. He may have hit a bit of a freshman wall. He's playing a ton of minutes this season and has carried this team. He'll have to push through this rough patch, which I think he will. He's not Superman. He had a really bad game and hopefully it's not a fatigue issue, mental or physical.

Off base??? Why do you think that every coach in the conference throws a 2-3 zone at us?? (Even Colorado who never plays a zone?)..........Because we are good at playing against a zone???

Better take another look........the whole conference throws a zone at us because we STINK at playing against one.

Offense is not our problem. Attacking a zone is not our problem. Opponents play zone against us because they cannot match up with Ayton and Ristic in the paint. Because Ayton will go for 30 points on them and Ristic for 20. That's why opponents play zone against us. Tad Boyle sees a zone as the only viable alternative to getting his ass handed to him by Ayton and Ristic.

I know you love to beat a dead horse about Miller and playing against a zone. But UW's zone didn't bother us a bit in the second half. We scored 47 points on their vaunted zone. 47!!!! POINTS!!!!! Against a zone defense. 47 points in a half!!!!!

Our issue has been and will continue to be defense. We have a substandard point guard who has trouble stopping dribble penetration. We have an elite shooting guard who can score as good as anyone in the country. But he's not a good perimeter defender. On a team with other good defenders, it's not as much a liability. And we have Ristic who is also a great offensive player. But he also cannot move well to guard anyone outside the paint. DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM????? We have three players who are defensive liabilities. When they're on the court together, it's a problem. But when they're not on the court, we lose a lot offensively. THAT IS THE DILEMMA MILLER FACES. THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER, OTHERWISE MILLER WOULD HAVE FIXED IT!

[Postmaster]

What is odd to me is that against UW we attacked the zone well.
Guys dropped to the FT line, other guys cut through the lane, we had movement.
I thought AZ had finally figured it out.
Today it was back to the same old "pass around perimiter, settle for bad shot."

[dcZONAfan]

3 players that can't play defense (pjc the midget, Trier with no lateral speed, Ristic with feet of clay)
1 guard who is very very rusty (Alkins)
1 coach who doesn't know what to do against a zone.

A very bad combination

I'll agree with the assessment of the first two points. The other is so off base it's not even funny.

I watched us do exactly what we're supposed to do against UCLA's zone. And then I watched Ayton missed easy fucking shots, over and over. I watched us miss wide open threes that we normally make. Ayton played like garbage tonight. And I refuse to credit UCLA's defense. Ayton just simply was stumbling over himself, letting contact bother him and was awful. And you know what, I can't be angry with him. He may have hit a bit of a freshman wall. He's playing a ton of minutes this season and has carried this team. He'll have to push through this rough patch, which I think he will. He's not Superman. He had a really bad game and hopefully it's not a fatigue issue, mental or physical.

Off base??? Why do you think that every coach in the conference throws a 2-3 zone at us?? (Even Colorado who never plays a zone?)..........Because we are good at playing against a zone???

Better take another look........the whole conference throws a zone at us because we STINK at playing against one.

Offense is not our problem. Attacking a zone is not our problem. Opponents play zone against us because they cannot match up with Ayton and Ristic in the paint. Because Ayton will go for 30 points on them and Ristic for 20. That's why opponents play zone against us. Tad Boyle sees a zone as the only viable alternative to getting his ass handed to him by Ayton and Ristic.

I know you love to beat a dead horse about Miller and playing against a zone. But UW's zone didn't bother us a bit in the second half. We scored 47 points on their vaunted zone. 47!!!! POINTS!!!!! Against a zone defense. 47 points in a half!!!!!

Our issue has been and will continue to be defense. We have a substandard point guard who has trouble stopping dribble penetration. We have an elite shooting guard who can score as good as anyone in the country. But he's not a good perimeter defender. On a team with other good defenders, it's not as much a liability. And we have Ristic who is also a great offensive player. But he also cannot move well to guard anyone outside the paint. DO YOU SEE THE PROBLEM????? We have three players who are defensive liabilities. When they're on the court together, it's a problem. But when they're not on the court, we lose a lot offensively. THAT IS THE DILEMMA MILLER FACES. THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER, OTHERWISE MILLER WOULD HAVE FIXED IT!

I agree, obviously. But I wonder why you leave Rawle off the list. He is a really bad perimeter defender