SEATTLE -- The schedule finally has flipped for the Arizona Wildcats, as Sean Miller has anticipated publicly for a while now, and Allonzo Trier is along for the ride.
That, combined with a road sweep in Washington, had to have made the Wildcats’ charter flight home even nicer Saturday evening.
“Seven of 11 on the road and five of seven at home are two different things,” Miller said, referring to the Pac-12 schedule that has UA now home for five of its final seven games. “We have to take advantage of that.”
So far, UA is 2-0 in the second half of Pac-12 play, having pulled into a tie with the Huskies at 7-4. Both teams are still two games in the loss column behind Oregon, but the Ducks have to host Utah on Sunday (2 p.m., ESPN2).
Since UA doesn't get another crack at Oregon, maybe the only hope for the Wildcats to catch Oregon is to run the table in the second half.
“Coach is now talking about the second half, and we’re 2-0,” Gabe York said. “We’re trying to go 9-0. That’s our focus. We have five of our last seven at home and maybe only one other team in the Pac-12 has that so we’re very excited about that.”
Arizona will also get an extra day of rest this week, too, not facing UCLA until Friday, while they’ll also get a long off weekend following their home game with ASU on Feb. 17.
Trier had actually only undergone one full contact practice – on Friday – before he played Saturday at Washington.
And it took him 10 minutes into Friday’s practice before he realized he had to go all out.
“I decided I wasn’t going to be scared,” Trier said. “I did live stuff, was able to compete, had a really good practice, so I felt comfortable that I could help this team and be able to contribute in any way they might need me.”
Trier’s return means everyone except Elliott Pitts (non-school issue) and Ray Smith (knee) on Arizona’s roster is active again. That’s 10 scholarship players.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a lot of guys healthy playing together,” Trier said. “I’m excited to be back and bring my what I can to the team and continue to work myself in and get in a rhythm.
“I knew I wasn’t going to just hit the ground running at full speed but I did what I could to give us a little bit of a boost. That’s all we can ask for.”
Kadeem Allen had shaken off the virus that limited him Wednesday at Washington State, but that didn’t mean he was exactly himself against Washington.
Four turnovers, four fouls, 2-of-8 shooting and two rebounds in 20 minutes isn’t his normal stat line.
“Kadeem was healthy tonight but he had lost a little bit of his confidence,” Miller said. “You could tell. The first four minutes of both halves he wasn't himself. We’ve gotta get him playing like he’s capable.”
Miller said it should help to have Allen and Trier back to have a full week of healthy practices together before the UCLA game.
“Those guys will have five or six much-needed days together and they’ll be much better, I hope,” Miller said.
Arizona's two sweeps over the Washington schools this season was only the second such double sweep since 2002-03, though the Wildcats and Huskies played only once in 2013-14 and 2014-15 due to the Pac-12's unbalanced schedule.
This is the third straight season that UA has pulled off a road sweep in Washington.
Our game coverage from Saturday: A game story and a seen-and-heard notebook, and a photo gallery.
The box score is attached as a PDF.
Other games Saturday in the Pac-12:
ASU picked up its first conference road win by beating WSU 67-55.
Oregon State held off Colorado in Corvallis.
Cal rolled over Stanford.
