Scouting report: No. 9 Arizona Wildcats vs. Cal Golden Bears
- Updated
Prepare for Arizona's game against California on Saturday with Bruce Pascoe's in-depth scouting report.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Matchup:Β Cal (18-6, 9-3 Pac-12) at No. 9 Arizona (22-3, 11-1)Β
Location:Β McKale Center, TucsonΒ
Time:Β 8 p.m.Β
TV:Β ESPN2Β
Radio:Β 1290-AM, 107.5-FM Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The last time: Arizona shot 53.3 percent in the second half to overcome a six-point halftime deficit and win its Pac-12 opener 67-62 on Dec. 30 in Berkeley, Calif. Point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright made his return from a high ankle sprain off the bench, sparking a 9-0 UA run after Cal went on an initial 15-0 run. UAβs three freshmen led the way: Kobi Simmons had 14 points, Lauri Markkanen had 13 and Rawle Alkins had 10 points and nine rebounds.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Cal may be the hottest team in the Pac-12, having won five straight games, including a 25-point smashing of ASU on Wednesday in Tempe. However, four of the five wins were against lower-division Pac-12 teams while the Bears needed double overtime to beat Utah on Feb. 2 in Berkeley. Grad transfer Grant Mullins has replaced Sam Singer in the starting lineup, giving the Bears three perimeter shooters to complement the inside production of Ivan Rabb and 7-footers Kingsley Okoroh and Kameron Rooks.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The big-one-that-got-away from Sean Millerβs 2015 recruiting efforts has now become one of the UA coachβs favorite opposing players to praise, because of the sophomore forwardβs ever-improving versatility and skills.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The load is quickly getting heavier for the sophomore guard after six games back from a 19-game suspension: Now heβs starting, playing heavy minutes and being asked to take a leadership role just as the stretch run gets going.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
"Mullins give them another shooter. Now there are three 3-point shooters around Rabb. Itβs hard to trap Rabb because theyβre great shooters. Charlie Moore is shooting better now and heβs playing well. The biggest change is theyβre playing more zone. They use a zone press into a 2-3 zone. Theyβre really going to that a lot." β UA associate head coach Joe Pasternack, who scouted the Bears. Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Lauri Markkanenβs draft stock appears to keep rising, with Jonathan Givony of Draft Express pegging him in The Vertical as the No. 6 pick in the June NBA Draft.
While the draft lottery spots have yet to be determined, Givony estimated Orlando would have No. 6 and spend it on Markkanen.
βThe Magic are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, in no small part due to their lack of shooting,β Givony wrote. βA power forward who can space the floor is a major need, and Markkanen looks like a great fit.β
However, Markkanen first has to hop over what may be a freshman wall of sorts. He was 2 for 9 from the field Wednesday against Stanford, putting him at 4 for 20 over the past three games. He also uncharacteristically missed a pair of free throws Wednesday.
βCertainly heβs affected right now,β UA coach Sean Miller said. βWhen you saw him shoot free throws β those two (he missed) -- you can tell itβs bothering him a little bit. But I have no doubt heβs gonna snap out of it. Heβs too good of a player and his work ethic is too good and we have to help him.βΒ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Miller has said repeatedly that any of his players bounced out of the starting lineup will still have largely the same role and minutes.
But that assumes oneβs defense is in order. So when Miller moved freshman guard Kobi Simmons back to a reserve spot in order to make room for Allonzo Trier on Wednesday, he wound up playing Simmons just 19 minutes β apparently in large part because Simmons was one of the guys Stanford was beating off the dribble.
βKobiβs attitude was fantastic; he told me he wants to win,β Miller said about moving him to the bench. βI donβt really look at his role changing a whole lot. He didnβt look confident down the stretch against the zone so we went with some other guys. And like a lot of our perimeter players, youβve gotta do a great job defending the ball. Gotta be in front of them, gotta be in a stance. You canβt get beat.βΒ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Thanks to the Pac-12βs media rights deals, Arizona on Saturday will be playing its eighth game of the season to start at 8 p.m. local time or later.
But turns out thatβs a good thing for the Wildcats: Theyβre 7-0 in those games, and 6-0 in 8 p.m. or later games held at McKale Center, including their 74-67 win over Stanford in a 9 p.m. game on Wednesday.
Two of Arizonaβs three losses have been day games (to Gonzaga and Oregon) while the Wildcats also lost to Butler in the final game of the Las Vegas Invitational, a game held at 7:30 p.m. local time.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
9: of Calβs 33 all-time victories over Top 10 opponents that have come against Arizona, the last on Feb. 1, 2014, when Brandon Ashley suffered a severe foot injury.Β
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
25:Β Career double-doubles already from Cal sophomore Ivan Rabb, who has 13 this season, nine of which came in Pac-12 play. Β Β
The last time: Arizona shot 53.3 percent in the second half to overcome a six-point halftime deficit and win its Pac-12 opener 67-62 on Dec. 30 in Berkeley, Calif. Point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright made his return from a high ankle sprain off the bench, sparking a 9-0 UA run after Cal went on an initial 15-0 run. UAβs three freshmen led the way: Kobi Simmons had 14 points, Lauri Markkanen had 13 and Rawle Alkins had 10 points and nine rebounds.Β
Cal may be the hottest team in the Pac-12, having won five straight games, including a 25-point smashing of ASU on Wednesday in Tempe. However, four of the five wins were against lower-division Pac-12 teams while the Bears needed double overtime to beat Utah on Feb. 2 in Berkeley. Grad transfer Grant Mullins has replaced Sam Singer in the starting lineup, giving the Bears three perimeter shooters to complement the inside production of Ivan Rabb and 7-footers Kingsley Okoroh and Kameron Rooks.Β
The big-one-that-got-away from Sean Millerβs 2015 recruiting efforts has now become one of the UA coachβs favorite opposing players to praise, because of the sophomore forwardβs ever-improving versatility and skills.Β
The load is quickly getting heavier for the sophomore guard after six games back from a 19-game suspension: Now heβs starting, playing heavy minutes and being asked to take a leadership role just as the stretch run gets going.Β
"Mullins give them another shooter. Now there are three 3-point shooters around Rabb. Itβs hard to trap Rabb because theyβre great shooters. Charlie Moore is shooting better now and heβs playing well. The biggest change is theyβre playing more zone. They use a zone press into a 2-3 zone. Theyβre really going to that a lot." β UA associate head coach Joe Pasternack, who scouted the Bears. Β
Lauri Markkanenβs draft stock appears to keep rising, with Jonathan Givony of Draft Express pegging him in The Vertical as the No. 6 pick in the June NBA Draft.
While the draft lottery spots have yet to be determined, Givony estimated Orlando would have No. 6 and spend it on Markkanen.
βThe Magic are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, in no small part due to their lack of shooting,β Givony wrote. βA power forward who can space the floor is a major need, and Markkanen looks like a great fit.β
However, Markkanen first has to hop over what may be a freshman wall of sorts. He was 2 for 9 from the field Wednesday against Stanford, putting him at 4 for 20 over the past three games. He also uncharacteristically missed a pair of free throws Wednesday.
βCertainly heβs affected right now,β UA coach Sean Miller said. βWhen you saw him shoot free throws β those two (he missed) -- you can tell itβs bothering him a little bit. But I have no doubt heβs gonna snap out of it. Heβs too good of a player and his work ethic is too good and we have to help him.βΒ
Miller has said repeatedly that any of his players bounced out of the starting lineup will still have largely the same role and minutes.
But that assumes oneβs defense is in order. So when Miller moved freshman guard Kobi Simmons back to a reserve spot in order to make room for Allonzo Trier on Wednesday, he wound up playing Simmons just 19 minutes β apparently in large part because Simmons was one of the guys Stanford was beating off the dribble.
βKobiβs attitude was fantastic; he told me he wants to win,β Miller said about moving him to the bench. βI donβt really look at his role changing a whole lot. He didnβt look confident down the stretch against the zone so we went with some other guys. And like a lot of our perimeter players, youβve gotta do a great job defending the ball. Gotta be in front of them, gotta be in a stance. You canβt get beat.βΒ
Thanks to the Pac-12βs media rights deals, Arizona on Saturday will be playing its eighth game of the season to start at 8 p.m. local time or later.
But turns out thatβs a good thing for the Wildcats: Theyβre 7-0 in those games, and 6-0 in 8 p.m. or later games held at McKale Center, including their 74-67 win over Stanford in a 9 p.m. game on Wednesday.
Two of Arizonaβs three losses have been day games (to Gonzaga and Oregon) while the Wildcats also lost to Butler in the final game of the Las Vegas Invitational, a game held at 7:30 p.m. local time.Β
9: of Calβs 33 all-time victories over Top 10 opponents that have come against Arizona, the last on Feb. 1, 2014, when Brandon Ashley suffered a severe foot injury.Β
19:Β Straight games won by Arizona at McKale Center.Β
25:Β Career double-doubles already from Cal sophomore Ivan Rabb, who has 13 this season, nine of which came in Pac-12 play. Β Β
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