Scouting report: No. 17 Arizona Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes
- Updated
Prepare for Arizona's game against Colorado on Saturday with Bruce Pascoe's in-depth scouting report.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Matchup:Â Colorado (10-5, 0-2 Pac-12) at No. 17 Arizona (14-2, 3-0)Â
Location:Â McKale Center, TucsonÂ
Time:Â 7:30 p.m.Â
TV:Â Pac-12 NetworksÂ
Radio:Â 1290-AM, 107.5-FMÂ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The series: Arizona has won seven of its last eight games with Colorado, but the Buffs beat the Wildcats 75-72 in Boulder last season, prompting the student âC-Unitâ section to spill on to the floor in front of the UA bench and cause UA coach Sean Miller to warn that legal implications could be next if a player retaliates out of self-defense. Millerâs comments appeared to help lead to the Pac-12âs new court-storming fines implemented for this season. Arizona then beat the Buffaloes two weeks later in the Pac-12 Tournament, charging ahead 37-20 at halftime and holding on for an 82-78 win.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Buffs have shuffled things around a bit without low-post mainstay Josh Scott, but they return nearly everyone else and have wing Xavier Johnson back from an Achilles injury. As a result, theyâre back to playing the kind of stubborn, almost Arizona-like man-to-man defense that has been a staple under coach Tad Boyle. The Buffs wonât gamble excessively for steals but they keep opponents under 40-percent field goal shooting and are allowing just 30.6 percent from three-point territory. Overall, they allow 96.8 points per 100 opponent possessions, the 54th best defensive efficiency in Division I. However, those defensive numbers rose after CU allowed ASU to shoot 46.8 percent in the Sun Devilsâ 78-77 home win over Colorado on Thursday. Wing George King, who was the Pac-12 most improved player last season, shot just 1for 9 and missed all six three-pointers he took in Tempe. Derrick White, the former Division II star, threw in 35 points for the Buffs, who lost after ASUâs Tra Holder hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Somehow, White was virtually unrecruited out of a suburban Denver high school. Then he led Division II Colorado-Colorado Springs to two NCAA tournaments, scored a school-record 1,912 points in three seasons, before dazzling on a bigger stage this season as a dynamic scorer, passer and defender for the Buffs.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
So who wants to bet against Ristic after heâs scored 22.3 percent of UAâs total points over the past three games? The Buffs are capable and experienced defensively but they donât have the size to match UAâs Serbian 7-footer.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
âThey don't have the same low-post presence that Josh Scott gave them but they now have a bunch of versatile guys around the same size who can create mismatches. Itâs not (Wesley) Gordonâs forte to score in the low post but heâs averaging almost three offensive rebounds a game and thatâs where he really hurt us last year. And theyâre different. Josh Fortune, George King, Xavier Johnson â theyâre all in that 6-5, 6-6, 7-6 range with ability to score over you with a three or drive it. Thatâs what makes them so unique on offense. They have versatility, good length, good range and good overall size and good quickness. Derrick White is as good as anyone in the league. He leads in assists by large margin, heâs second in blocks, second in scoring, heâs money from the free-throw line. Heâs won games for them all by himself.â â UA assistant coach Mark Phelps, who scouted the Buffaloes.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Arizona-ASU rivalry wonât be renewed again until Thursday at McKale Center, but ASU coach Bobby Hurley has already heated things up.
In a video of his postgame talk with the Sun Devils after they edged Colorado on Thursday, Hurley is shown telling his players to take care of themselves before facing Utah because âif anyone wants a win here (in Arizona), they gotta go to (bleeping)âĻâ
His players shouted the answer with him.
âTucson!!!â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
While UA guard Kadeem Allen was seen limping during Thursdayâs UA-Utah game, athletic trainer Justin Kokoskie said Friday he suffered only a right knee bruise and is fine.
Colorado forward Xavier Johnson, meanwhile, will play in Saturdayâs game despite being tossed at ASU Thursday because of a flagrant 2 foul.
A Pac-12 spokesman told the Star on Friday that Johnson and ASUâs Jethro Tshisumpa were assessed the flagrant 2 fouls and ejected for âextreme contact,â but that neither was deemed to have participated in a fight, which carries an additional next-game suspension.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Dusan Ristic found out Thursday morning his grandfather passed away, and he also knew there wasnât much he could do about it.
âUnlike a lot of kids on our team, itâs not like heâs gonna be able to go home,â UA coach Sean Miller said. âHe knew that and to watch him handle that heâs a special guy.â
Ristic wound up honoring his grandfather by leading the Wildcats to their 66-56 win over Utah on Thursday, collecting 18 points and eight rebounds.
Though Ristic made no mention of it during his postgame interview Thursday, he later tweeted thanks to supporters.
âThank you to everyone sending their condolences about my grandfather,â he said. âI will miss him greatly. I would like to dedicate this win to him.âÂ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
UA guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright said he hasnât really watched the âAt All Costsâ documentary on club basketball that stars him (while playing for a Nike-sponsored club) and former UA guard Gabe York (Adidas) âbecause itâs hard to watch myself on TV.â
But Jackson-Cartwright said he thought it was put well together and was glad that people have had a chance to see it. Among other things, the movie shows Jackson-Cartwright participating in endless camps, tournaments and workouts â and the passionate involvement of his father, Ramon.
Asked about his dadâs starring role, PJC smiled and said, âI get snapchats from people (about him)âĻ My dad is a big star in that movie. So itâs pretty cool.â
UA coach Sean Miller, meanwhile, said he didnât have a comment because he hadnât seen it.
âI think my wife might have seen it on an airplane,â he said. âIs that possible?â
The one comment Miller had was wondering âwho got paid for making it? That would be my concern. Whoâs making money on these guys?âÂ
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
4: Fifth-year seniors on Coloradoâs roster (Wesley Gordon, Xavier Johnson, Josh Fortune and Derrick White).Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
6.3: Number of assists Jackson-Cartwright has had for every turnover since his return from an ankle injury on Dec. 30.Â
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
14: Straight games UA has won at McKale Center since its loss to Oregon on Jan. 28, 2016.Â
The series: Arizona has won seven of its last eight games with Colorado, but the Buffs beat the Wildcats 75-72 in Boulder last season, prompting the student âC-Unitâ section to spill on to the floor in front of the UA bench and cause UA coach Sean Miller to warn that legal implications could be next if a player retaliates out of self-defense. Millerâs comments appeared to help lead to the Pac-12âs new court-storming fines implemented for this season. Arizona then beat the Buffaloes two weeks later in the Pac-12 Tournament, charging ahead 37-20 at halftime and holding on for an 82-78 win.Â
The Buffs have shuffled things around a bit without low-post mainstay Josh Scott, but they return nearly everyone else and have wing Xavier Johnson back from an Achilles injury. As a result, theyâre back to playing the kind of stubborn, almost Arizona-like man-to-man defense that has been a staple under coach Tad Boyle. The Buffs wonât gamble excessively for steals but they keep opponents under 40-percent field goal shooting and are allowing just 30.6 percent from three-point territory. Overall, they allow 96.8 points per 100 opponent possessions, the 54th best defensive efficiency in Division I. However, those defensive numbers rose after CU allowed ASU to shoot 46.8 percent in the Sun Devilsâ 78-77 home win over Colorado on Thursday. Wing George King, who was the Pac-12 most improved player last season, shot just 1for 9 and missed all six three-pointers he took in Tempe. Derrick White, the former Division II star, threw in 35 points for the Buffs, who lost after ASUâs Tra Holder hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left.Â
Somehow, White was virtually unrecruited out of a suburban Denver high school. Then he led Division II Colorado-Colorado Springs to two NCAA tournaments, scored a school-record 1,912 points in three seasons, before dazzling on a bigger stage this season as a dynamic scorer, passer and defender for the Buffs.Â
So who wants to bet against Ristic after heâs scored 22.3 percent of UAâs total points over the past three games? The Buffs are capable and experienced defensively but they donât have the size to match UAâs Serbian 7-footer.Â
âThey don't have the same low-post presence that Josh Scott gave them but they now have a bunch of versatile guys around the same size who can create mismatches. Itâs not (Wesley) Gordonâs forte to score in the low post but heâs averaging almost three offensive rebounds a game and thatâs where he really hurt us last year. And theyâre different. Josh Fortune, George King, Xavier Johnson â theyâre all in that 6-5, 6-6, 7-6 range with ability to score over you with a three or drive it. Thatâs what makes them so unique on offense. They have versatility, good length, good range and good overall size and good quickness. Derrick White is as good as anyone in the league. He leads in assists by large margin, heâs second in blocks, second in scoring, heâs money from the free-throw line. Heâs won games for them all by himself.â â UA assistant coach Mark Phelps, who scouted the Buffaloes.Â
The Arizona-ASU rivalry wonât be renewed again until Thursday at McKale Center, but ASU coach Bobby Hurley has already heated things up.
In a video of his postgame talk with the Sun Devils after they edged Colorado on Thursday, Hurley is shown telling his players to take care of themselves before facing Utah because âif anyone wants a win here (in Arizona), they gotta go to (bleeping)âĻâ
His players shouted the answer with him.
âTucson!!!â
While UA guard Kadeem Allen was seen limping during Thursdayâs UA-Utah game, athletic trainer Justin Kokoskie said Friday he suffered only a right knee bruise and is fine.
Colorado forward Xavier Johnson, meanwhile, will play in Saturdayâs game despite being tossed at ASU Thursday because of a flagrant 2 foul.
A Pac-12 spokesman told the Star on Friday that Johnson and ASUâs Jethro Tshisumpa were assessed the flagrant 2 fouls and ejected for âextreme contact,â but that neither was deemed to have participated in a fight, which carries an additional next-game suspension.Â
Dusan Ristic found out Thursday morning his grandfather passed away, and he also knew there wasnât much he could do about it.
âUnlike a lot of kids on our team, itâs not like heâs gonna be able to go home,â UA coach Sean Miller said. âHe knew that and to watch him handle that heâs a special guy.â
Ristic wound up honoring his grandfather by leading the Wildcats to their 66-56 win over Utah on Thursday, collecting 18 points and eight rebounds.
Though Ristic made no mention of it during his postgame interview Thursday, he later tweeted thanks to supporters.
âThank you to everyone sending their condolences about my grandfather,â he said. âI will miss him greatly. I would like to dedicate this win to him.âÂ
UA guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright said he hasnât really watched the âAt All Costsâ documentary on club basketball that stars him (while playing for a Nike-sponsored club) and former UA guard Gabe York (Adidas) âbecause itâs hard to watch myself on TV.â
But Jackson-Cartwright said he thought it was put well together and was glad that people have had a chance to see it. Among other things, the movie shows Jackson-Cartwright participating in endless camps, tournaments and workouts â and the passionate involvement of his father, Ramon.
Asked about his dadâs starring role, PJC smiled and said, âI get snapchats from people (about him)âĻ My dad is a big star in that movie. So itâs pretty cool.â
UA coach Sean Miller, meanwhile, said he didnât have a comment because he hadnât seen it.
âI think my wife might have seen it on an airplane,â he said. âIs that possible?â
The one comment Miller had was wondering âwho got paid for making it? That would be my concern. Whoâs making money on these guys?âÂ
4: Fifth-year seniors on Coloradoâs roster (Wesley Gordon, Xavier Johnson, Josh Fortune and Derrick White).Â
6.3: Number of assists Jackson-Cartwright has had for every turnover since his return from an ankle injury on Dec. 30.Â
14: Straight games UA has won at McKale Center since its loss to Oregon on Jan. 28, 2016.Â
View this profile on Instagram#ThisIsTucson đĩ (@this_is_tucson) âĸ Instagram photos and videos
Most viewed stories
-
This Tucson chef has been named a semifinalist for prestigious James Beard Award đ
-
A saber tooth tiger fossil, gemstone paintings, and more: Here's the low-down on 4 Tucson gem shows! đ
-
Sparkle City: Gem shows season has started â here's what to know
-
Check out these 23 exciting Tucson events, January 30 - February 1! â¨
-
Horchata lattes and breakfast burritos: Tucson's Barista del Barrio opens 2nd location
-
30 fun events happening in Tucson January 23-25! đĒŠ
-
Get ready to eat all the spicy tuna rolls you can at this viral sushi spot đŖ
-
27 exciting events to check out this weekend, January 16-18 đ
-
Nearly 50 fun events happening in the month of January! â¨
-
Community determined to regroup after loss of Tucson Pride