Short-handed Iowa State still presents tough challenge for Arizona Wildcats

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Sean Miller stepped on a Maui Invitational logo that served as the free-throw line, lined up and let the ball go.

It was supposed to be automatic.

The Arizona coach made 88.5 percent of his free throws while playing at Pitt, won a season-long 2011-12 charity competition among coaches for free-throw shooting and hadn’t missed a single shot while winning two Maui Invitational charity free-throw championships between 2009 and 2014.

This time, the ball clanked off the rim. He shot again, and missed. And again — and missed.

Miller was 0 for 3, seemingly for the first time in his life.

“I’m out of practice, yeah,” Miller said afterward, with a slight smile. “I haven’t shot in a while.”

Some context is needed. Most of the coaches — and many of the local elementary schoolers who shot with them while trying to win money for their schools — struggled in what was hardly a conventional basketball environment.

They were firing away at temporary basket with a flimsy rim inside the Hyatt Regency Maui atrium, with cameras and palm tree leaves crowding the way.

Also, the coaches had other things on their minds.

Like having to play the games. Three top-10 teams will be playing in the Maui Invitational, and even the coach of one of them fretted about what’s next.

“We know we’re going to get exposed,” said Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, “and for three days in a row.”

Sitting between Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Gonzaga’s Mark Few on a table overlooking the Pacific Ocean during Sunday’s pre-tournament news conference, Miller stared away for much of time, but spoke respectfully when asked his thoughts.

Miller talked about the UA’s lack of depth up front, but also its increased versatility and ability to be quicker defensively by playing with less size.

But, like everyone else, Miller doesn’t exactly know what he has. At least not yet.

“I think more than anything you learn about your team” at Maui, he said. “When you leave here, you know a lot more.”

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The Wildcats will start off their Maui experience with two things in their favor: They’ll get to play at a normal time on their body clocks, at 7 p.m. Tucson time, and do so against a shorthanded opponent.

Iowa State is playing without four potential rotation players, including preseason all-Big 12 guard Lindell Wigginton, who is out with a strained muscle in his left foot. Forward Solomon Young, another returning starter, had surgery on Oct. 18 for a groin injury, while forwards Cameron Lard and Zoran Talley Jr. are out for an unspecified violation of team rules.

“I think they’re an excellent team,” Miller said. “Certainly, Steve (Prohm of ISU) is a really, really good coach. They have a great opportunity to be in this year’s NCAA tournament. When you’re playing that type of team, especially on a neutral court this early, they present a lot of challenges.”

The Cyclones have beaten Alabama State, Missouri and Texas Southern to start 3-0, pressing four freshmen into their rotation while primarily using four perimeter players around center Michael Jacobson, a transfer from Nebraska.

“That’s all we got,” Prohm said. “We just have eight, so those eight have to play at a high level. Obviously, we’re missing some big pieces for where we want to be come January and February, but I like our group. I think we’re playing pretty good basketball.”

Miller also has been busy blending guys together. His mix includes groups of transfers and sophomores along with heavy reliance on freshman Brandon Williams for a little bit of everything.

Among Miller’s latest challenges in blending the Wildcats together has been trying to get grad transfer forward Ryan Luther more scoring opportunities after Luther took just two shots against UTEP on Wednesday.

“No doubt,” Miller said. “Ryan is the consummate team player, he’s unselfish and I think in fairness to him he’s really feeling out a new system and playing with a new team and a new environment.

“That takes time, but it’s up to us to help him get more established and take advantage of him closer to the basket. That’s not only to his advantage, but it also makes our team better.”

For both coaches, though, the players’ personalities have made the challenges easier.

Miller has spoken repeatedly about the good characters he has on his roster, while Prohm said the Cyclones’ experience and leadership are better this season after his injury-riddled team won just 13 games last season and snapped a six-year NCAA Tournament appearance streak.

They aren’t where Prohm wants them to be now but, with Wigginton expected to return and the two suspensions scheduled to end next month, the Cyclones could be competitive in the Big 12 season.

“There’s that great quote: You deal in vision, not in circumstance,” Prohm said.

“That’s what I think we got away from last year. But I really like our group, the way we’re sharing the basketball, and I like our selflessness.

“We’ve got to continue to grow, and this tournament is great for that.”