Scouting report: No. 9 Arizona Wildcats vs. Stanford Cardinal
- Updated
Prepare for Arizona's game against Stanford on Wednesday with Bruce Pascoe's in-depth scouting report.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Matchup: Stanford (12-11, 4-7 Pac-12) at No. 9 Arizona (21-3, 10-1)
Location: McKale Center, Tucson
Time: 9 p.m.
TV: FS1
Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Cardinal has only won four Pac-12 games, but is coming off a home win over Utah and remains aggressive offensively and defensively under first-year coach Jerod Haase. Stanford leads the Pac-12 in turnovers by conference opponents (15.7), factoring in the 19 turnovers UA had against the Cardinal in their Jan. 1 meeting at Maples Pavilion. Stanford has a little more mobile look inside than they did on Jan. 1, starting power forwards Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey at the two post spots instead of Grant Verhoeven at center, and their guard play has improved. Stanford has been getting steadier play at the point with Robert Cartwright, while Marcus Allen is an aggressive shooting guard and Dorian Pickens is a big shooter on the wing. But Stanford isn't a great shooting team overall. The Cardinal makes 43.4 percent of its shots in Pac-12 play and just 33.0 percent from 3-point territory, the second-worst mark in conference play. Stanford made only 3 of 16 3-pointers against Arizona on Jan. 1.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
“They are playing better. Their guard play has gotten better and there’s been some consistency. They’ve solidified who comes off the bench. Reid Travis has been hurt and Michael Humphrey was coming off a concussion when we played them before but now they’re going to be at full strength. I feel like they’re clicking better (under first-year coach Jerod Haase). They have a better understanding of their offense and defense. When they’ve started Humphrey, that gives them a little more firepower, another added dimension. They do an excellent job with their pace and they turn you over. They get you to play faster.” — UA assistant coach Book Richardson, who scouted the Cardinal.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
To UA assistant coach Book Richardson, it’s no surprise that Tyler Dorsey went 6 for 6 from 3-point territory and Casey Benson added three more 3s during Oregon’s destruction of Arizona last Saturday.
Dorsey is a former UA commit who backed off after the Wildcats offered a scholarship to Allonzo Trier, while Benson is a Tempe Corona Del Sol grad who wasn't recruited by UA.
Now comes Dorian Pickens and Michael Humphey, two Stanford starters from Phoenix who both received recruiting attention from the Wildcats.
“Dorian Pickens and Michael Humphrey are both from Arizona, so you know those guys are going to give you their best,” Richardson said. “Casey Benson is from Arizona and Tyler Dorsey almost came here. Those guys play with a chip on their shoulder, and if you don’t match their intensity, it can be a problem. If you’re not responsible against any of those guys they can go off on you.”
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Financially, Derrick Williams’ decision to leave UA as a sophomore in 2011 has proven immensely profitable. He was taken No. 2 in the NBA Draft that June and will surpass $30 million in total career earnings at the end of this season.
However, finding a good home has been an issue. The Miami Heat waived Williams on Monday, meaning Williams will be now seeking his fifth NBA team in six seasons.
While Williams appeared grateful for the chance to become a free agent — tweeting that Heat president Pat Riley was a “man of his word” — he was cut so that Miami could keep forward Okaro White, who went undrafted out of Florida State in 2014.
The Heat signed Williams to a one-year, $4.6 million contract, though a team that picks him up would pay the remainder of this season’s portion.
"It didn't work out exactly how we wanted to," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale. "But now it's an opportunity for him to move on and find a place where he can be maximized."
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
UA coach Sean Miller was asked on Tuesday’s Pac-12 teleconference call if he’d have to pay special attention to his team’s mood after losing big at Oregon, and if he was concerned they might figure Stanford would be a cakewalk.
After all, Stanford has never beaten a Miller-coached team at UA, and the Wildcats clobbered Stanford 91-52 on Jan. 1 at Maples Pavilion.
But… Miller indicated they’re not in a position to overlook anyone now.
“No, that’s the furthest thing from it,” Miller said. “The way we got beat at Oregon, you worry about confidence and togetherness because we got killed. … They outclassed us from top to bottom. But that happens over a long course of a season and you have that one game maybe you have to learn from and that’s clearly what we’ve tried to do.
“It’s now about defending our homecourt, defending a much-improved Stanford team and trying to put that loss behind us.
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
With the “At All Costs” documentary about the basketball recruiting world having been released to a broad audience via Netflix two months ago, UA guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright keeps getting more recognition for his prominent role in it.
Jackson-Cartwright said he mostly gets asked about it by other UA students, and some players, too.
“Basketball players come up to me a lot and the positive feedback they give me is overwhelming. It’s good to hear,” Jackson-Cartwright said. Also, he said, “it’s pretty cool just to see that people who don’t know anything about AAU or don’t necessarily watch or play basketball, have such a positive feedback.”
- Bruce Pascoe Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Cal brings a four-game winning streak into Arizona this week, but Bears coach Cuonzo Martin clearly hasn’t forgotten about that 67-62 loss the Wildcats handed his team back on Dec. 30 at Haas Pavilion.
Martin was asked on the Pac-12 call which Wildcat player he was most concerned about heading into a rematch Saturday.
“Not to be sarcastic, but everybody who steps on the floor,” Martin said. “I mean, you look at that team from 1-5 with (Lauri) Markkanen, and Rawle (Alkins) did a great job of rebounding against us. He had five offensive rebounds from the wing and that’s tough to go against him. Kobi (Simmons) played a great game (14 points). Parker was just getting back (from an ankle sprain) and played a great floor game. It’s a team. If you focus on one guy, you're in trouble."
The Cardinal has only won four Pac-12 games, but is coming off a home win over Utah and remains aggressive offensively and defensively under first-year coach Jerod Haase. Stanford leads the Pac-12 in turnovers by conference opponents (15.7), factoring in the 19 turnovers UA had against the Cardinal in their Jan. 1 meeting at Maples Pavilion. Stanford has a little more mobile look inside than they did on Jan. 1, starting power forwards Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey at the two post spots instead of Grant Verhoeven at center, and their guard play has improved. Stanford has been getting steadier play at the point with Robert Cartwright, while Marcus Allen is an aggressive shooting guard and Dorian Pickens is a big shooter on the wing. But Stanford isn't a great shooting team overall. The Cardinal makes 43.4 percent of its shots in Pac-12 play and just 33.0 percent from 3-point territory, the second-worst mark in conference play. Stanford made only 3 of 16 3-pointers against Arizona on Jan. 1.
“They are playing better. Their guard play has gotten better and there’s been some consistency. They’ve solidified who comes off the bench. Reid Travis has been hurt and Michael Humphrey was coming off a concussion when we played them before but now they’re going to be at full strength. I feel like they’re clicking better (under first-year coach Jerod Haase). They have a better understanding of their offense and defense. When they’ve started Humphrey, that gives them a little more firepower, another added dimension. They do an excellent job with their pace and they turn you over. They get you to play faster.” — UA assistant coach Book Richardson, who scouted the Cardinal.
To UA assistant coach Book Richardson, it’s no surprise that Tyler Dorsey went 6 for 6 from 3-point territory and Casey Benson added three more 3s during Oregon’s destruction of Arizona last Saturday.
Dorsey is a former UA commit who backed off after the Wildcats offered a scholarship to Allonzo Trier, while Benson is a Tempe Corona Del Sol grad who wasn't recruited by UA.
Now comes Dorian Pickens and Michael Humphey, two Stanford starters from Phoenix who both received recruiting attention from the Wildcats.
“Dorian Pickens and Michael Humphrey are both from Arizona, so you know those guys are going to give you their best,” Richardson said. “Casey Benson is from Arizona and Tyler Dorsey almost came here. Those guys play with a chip on their shoulder, and if you don’t match their intensity, it can be a problem. If you’re not responsible against any of those guys they can go off on you.”
Financially, Derrick Williams’ decision to leave UA as a sophomore in 2011 has proven immensely profitable. He was taken No. 2 in the NBA Draft that June and will surpass $30 million in total career earnings at the end of this season.
However, finding a good home has been an issue. The Miami Heat waived Williams on Monday, meaning Williams will be now seeking his fifth NBA team in six seasons.
While Williams appeared grateful for the chance to become a free agent — tweeting that Heat president Pat Riley was a “man of his word” — he was cut so that Miami could keep forward Okaro White, who went undrafted out of Florida State in 2014.
The Heat signed Williams to a one-year, $4.6 million contract, though a team that picks him up would pay the remainder of this season’s portion.
"It didn't work out exactly how we wanted to," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale. "But now it's an opportunity for him to move on and find a place where he can be maximized."
UA coach Sean Miller was asked on Tuesday’s Pac-12 teleconference call if he’d have to pay special attention to his team’s mood after losing big at Oregon, and if he was concerned they might figure Stanford would be a cakewalk.
After all, Stanford has never beaten a Miller-coached team at UA, and the Wildcats clobbered Stanford 91-52 on Jan. 1 at Maples Pavilion.
But… Miller indicated they’re not in a position to overlook anyone now.
“No, that’s the furthest thing from it,” Miller said. “The way we got beat at Oregon, you worry about confidence and togetherness because we got killed. … They outclassed us from top to bottom. But that happens over a long course of a season and you have that one game maybe you have to learn from and that’s clearly what we’ve tried to do.
“It’s now about defending our homecourt, defending a much-improved Stanford team and trying to put that loss behind us.
With the “At All Costs” documentary about the basketball recruiting world having been released to a broad audience via Netflix two months ago, UA guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright keeps getting more recognition for his prominent role in it.
Jackson-Cartwright said he mostly gets asked about it by other UA students, and some players, too.
“Basketball players come up to me a lot and the positive feedback they give me is overwhelming. It’s good to hear,” Jackson-Cartwright said. Also, he said, “it’s pretty cool just to see that people who don’t know anything about AAU or don’t necessarily watch or play basketball, have such a positive feedback.”
Cal brings a four-game winning streak into Arizona this week, but Bears coach Cuonzo Martin clearly hasn’t forgotten about that 67-62 loss the Wildcats handed his team back on Dec. 30 at Haas Pavilion.
Martin was asked on the Pac-12 call which Wildcat player he was most concerned about heading into a rematch Saturday.
“Not to be sarcastic, but everybody who steps on the floor,” Martin said. “I mean, you look at that team from 1-5 with (Lauri) Markkanen, and Rawle (Alkins) did a great job of rebounding against us. He had five offensive rebounds from the wing and that’s tough to go against him. Kobi (Simmons) played a great game (14 points). Parker was just getting back (from an ankle sprain) and played a great floor game. It’s a team. If you focus on one guy, you're in trouble."
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