Tonight's Line

[PHXCATS]

Am I seeing the same as you? Are the Number 8 Cats really a three point dog to an I ranked team? Bet the holiday shopping money or what do we not know or see?

[Longhorned]

I haven't watched Butler, but without Trier the Cats are pretty thin in back-to-back games.

[PHXCATS]

Thought about that but U of A should still be fine with 8 solid contributors.

Last night I thought the team played pretty good d and it was one of those nights where contested shots fell. Still early so I am not worried about the growing pains.

Maybe Vegas always favors more veteran teams early on before the elite teams work it all out?

[Spaceman Spiff]

We've had fairly unimpressive games back to back. MSU was supposed to be the big test, but they've struggled. It's a little surprising, but this is the sort of game we need to be winning go really start getting respect.

[Beachcat97]

That line feels right. Butler hasn't lost and should win tonight. If anyone really believes AZ is a top 10 team, it's possible they missed the news that Smith retired and Trier is ineligible. That ranking does not reflect these changes to our roster.

[Puerco]

That ranking came out this week, BC. What you're saying is wholly untrue.

For what it's worth this early in the season, Kenpom has Butler ranked one spot above us.

[Longhorned]

Arizona is unlikely to win another game the rest of this season.

[Spaceman Spiff]

That line feels right. Butler hasn't lost and should win tonight. If anyone really believes AZ is a top 10 team, it's possible they missed the news that Smith retired and Trier is ineligible. That ranking does not reflect these changes to our roster.

There's really no way to verify this, but if the people voting us in the top 10 don't know we don't have Trier and Ray, they really don't earn their voting keep.

[az91]

I haven't watched Butler, but without Trier the Cats are pretty thin in back-to-back games.

I think fatigue could be a factor, and Butler is a very experienced team.

[dirtbags]

we're also ranked below butler on the kenpom ratings, and they beat northern colorado by a much wider margin. butler also has a deeper bench and more balanced attack where everyone contributes. will be a great test of our guys' conditioning, and whether they have the legs to play defense for two full halves.

[Longhorned]

they beat northern colorado by a much wider margin.

I haven't watched Butler this season, but I suspect that Northern Colorado and Santa Clara both played unbelievably well against Arizona, and not because Arizona's defense was bad. And Arizona's offense is still in its November when it comes to learning how to bust a zone.

[Beachcat97]

Some serious denial in this thread. The team that began the season ranked so high is not the team we now have. Recent "power rankings" have AZ more accurately ranked, but the AP and Coaches polls generally won't ding you unless you lose a game. We are most likely the 3rd best team in the Pac.

If we do lose tonight, you may see AP voters wake up and actually notice we're missing two of who were supposed to be our best 3 players.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Some serious denial in this thread. The team that began the season ranked so high is not the team we now have. Recent "power rankings" have AZ more accurately ranked, but the AP and Coaches polls generally won't ding you unless you lose a game. We are most likely the 3rd best team in the Pac.

If we do lose tonight, you may see AP voters wake up and actually notice we're missing two of who were supposed to be our best 3 players.

Or maybe it's you.

[Longhorned]

All these people enjoying the holidays, and nobody seems worried enough that too much pie could cause a tear in one's rectum.

[CatFanOneMil]

I watched Butler play, meh...yes they have some veterans but they are not as athletic as we are and if you watched last nights game a few things should be noticed:

Rawle is playing at a much higher intelligence, he is strong and can get inside when he needs to, Butler will NOT be playing the zone all night like Herbie did.

Think about it, last nights game was "Zone 101" for the cats nothing but zone...they have not faced that before and so it was as much a learning experience as anything, it was really good for them but they won't see that again for a while.

The zone in many ways neutralizes your size advantage, that's why Herbie stuck with it Butler has one big guy...he plays the most minutes and does not foul, this game will be a battle of the bigs, I expect Ristic to be on the bench at times because of fouls...

When you go to the perimeter game it depends on guys who have quick triggers, notice that Brownridge could shoot in milliseconds, THATS how he scored +25 (and the fact that when Kadeem was not guarding him he ran Kobi like a puppy)...

Unless Butler has some guy who never scores go off on us I doubt this will happen.

Butler does not play transition D worth a hoot...

I think they got the higher guesstimate for having more maturity and the fact that we are thin...but we know how to play through our thin we've been doing it for since Ray retired...but don't over-estimate them, they are not that deep either...

I say the cats win this one by 7

[KaibabKat]

Arizona keeps winning and keeps dropping in the computer rankings. We have gone from #10 at the start of the season to #21 as of today in Ken Pomeroy's rankings. Similarly we have fallen from #13 to #32 in Jeff Sagarin's computer. RPI Forecast is predicting that Butler ends the regular season with an RPI of 16 while Arizona will be at #28.That is all due to our rather unspectacular winning margins against extremely weak competition. Through five games our strength of schedule is 295th out of the 351 D1 teams.

For tonights game Pomeroy has #20 Butler beating $21 Arizona 71-70. Sagarin is predicting #24 Butler over #32 Arizona 73-66. Las Vegas has Butler a 1 point winner.

So we had all better buckle up and bring out the good luck charms tonight as it appears that the rubber is about ready to meet the road. We should have a much better idea of just how good this years Wildcat team really is when the final buzzer sounds.

[Chicat]

100-0

[azcat49]

I think the line setters have reacted to the news ACE put out and it's inaccuracy.

I.mean everybody has to be disappointed that ACE was wrong. Cats will and have been down and that is reflected in the line

[UAdevil]

I think the line setters have reacted to the news ACE put out and it's inaccuracy.

I.mean everybody has to be disappointed that ACE was wrong. Cats will and have been down and their us a sense that is reflected in the line

I'm disappointed Trier's not playing for sure, but definitely not displeased that ACE was wrong.

[Merkin]

I haven't watched Butler, but without Trier the Cats are pretty thin in back-to-back games.

My thoughts too. As gassed as Markannan was yesterday, can't imagine him going another 36 minutes. PJC went 36 minutes too, but didn't seem as winded.

As a former big myself, envied the little guards who only went 3 point line to 3 point line. Bigs have to go basket to basket.

[Chicat]

You're delusional BC. Picking fights where there are none. Case in point: There were six posts made in between these in this thread.

That line feels right. Butler hasn't lost and should win tonight. If anyone really believes AZ is a top 10 team, it's possible they missed the news that Smith retired and Trier is ineligible. That ranking does not reflect these changes to our roster.

Some serious denial in this thread.

Two posts quibble with the idea that poll voters don't know who is out. The other four AGREE that there are good reasons why Butler would be favored. And yet you bust out the "me against the world - everyone but me is in denial" bullshit.

Your attempt to position yourself as the conscience of the community... the only one of us to face hard truths head on... is pretty transparent and childish.