Arizona forward Ira Lee (11) hugs head coach Sean Miller as he’s honored on senior day before the game against Washington at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 27, 2021.

 Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Senior Day

The last home game of the season is always bittersweet.

The three players honored before Saturday’s 75-74 win over Washington β€” forward Ira Lee, graduate transfer guard Terrell Brown Jr. and walk-on Matt Weyand β€” took different paths to the UA.

Lee joined the Wildcats as a four-star forward in 2017, part of a recruiting class that included star big man Deandre Ayton, four-star guard Brandon Randolph, five-star wing Emmanuel Akot and four-star Phoenix-area combo guard Alex Barcello.

Lee is the only one to play all four seasons with the Wildcats, and the rare fourth-year UA player to make it to Senior Day. The last time Arizona honored four-year scholarship seniors was 2018, when Serbian center Dusan Ristic and point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright finished their UA careers in McKale Center.

Since then, Arizona’s Senior Day has been focused on players who arrived as transfers: Ryan Luther, Justin Coleman, Max Hazzard, Stone Gettings, Dylan Smith, Chase Jeter β€” and now Brown, who joined the Wildcats from Seattle University.

Arizona’s seniors were allowed to bring four members of their families to McKale Center for Senior Day. Lee’s tickets were given to his mother Chi Tucker and cousin Keara Felix; Brown’s attendees were father Terrell Brown Sr., mother Chalayia Jackson and brother Jazel Brown. Weyand’s father Robert, mother Julie and brother Tony all attended.

Reverse retro

Arizona forward Jordan Brown (21), left, and guard Dalen Terry (4) tangle with Washington guard Erik Stevenson (10) and center Riley Sorn (52) for control of a rebound in the first half of their game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 27, 2021.

The Huskies wore black and gold uniforms, a β€œreverse retro” look to honor the 1984-85 Pac-10 championship squad led by Detlef Schrempf.

UW’s throwback unis had the name β€œHuskies” emblazoned across the chest and a basketball splashing into a hoop on the left leg of the shorts.

Kerr returns

Freshman guard Kerr Kriisa returned to the rotation after missing Thursday night’s game against Washington State with a groin injury.

Kriisa came off the bench and finished with three points in 23 minutes.

Arizona inducts McCray, Fleming into Ring of Honor

During halftime, former Wildcats greats Al Fleming and Ernie McCray were officially β€” albeit virtually β€” inducted into the Ring of Honor. (The UA plans to hold an in-person ceremony next season, when fans are allowed).

Fleming, who played for the Wildcats from 1972-76 under Fred β€œThe Fox” Snowden and was later inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, still holds a McKale Center record for points scored in a game (41) and remains the program leader in double-doubles with 53.

McCray, a Tucson native who lives in San Diego as a retired school teacher, scored a program-record 46 points against Cal State Los Angeles on Feb. 6, 1960. McCray became the first Black player in program history to graduate from the school.

McCray called the induction β€œan honor of a lifetime” on a Zoom conference call on Tuesday.

β€œTo me, it honors not only my athleticism, but it honors my life,” he said. β€œIt puts my life in historical perspective.”

The big number

Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin, left, and center Christian Koloko smother Washington forward Nate Roberts during the teams' February game in McKale Center. COVID-19 issues within the Huskies' program forced Washington to postpone Thursday's scheduled Pac-12 opener. The teams will instead play Jan. 25 in McKale Center.

61

Days since UA center Christian Koloko scored in double figures. Koloko tabbed 11 points on Saturday, his first double-figure outing since Arizona’s win over Colorado on Dec. 28.

He said it

β€œSay, we’re all asleep, right? It’s 11 a.m., after everyone had breakfast, and he only has class on certain days, so I’ll be in class, right, and he’s just playing a game and you can hear him. If he kills someone in (Call of Duty Warzone), he’s getting turnt, he yells so loud. I’ll be on the phone with someone and they ask, β€˜What is that in the background?’ I’m like, β€˜Oh, that’s just my roommate.

β€œThat boy Terrell is always in his room playing that game. If anyone asks what Terrell is doing, he’s in his room playing that game.”

β€” Arizona freshman Dalen Terry, on his one-year experience living with Terrell Brown

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β€” Arizona freshman Dalen Terry, on his one-year experience living with Terrell Brown

β€” Justin Spears