Arizona Wildcats basketball: On PJC's hot streak, wardrobe change, Rondae's support
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Seen and heard at Wells Fargo Arena during Arizona's 73-60 win over rival Arizona State.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Lost in the Arizona’s recent offensive struggles has been the development of Parker Jackson-Cartwright. The point guard has been the Wildcats’ most consistent 3-point shooter, and its not close.
Jackson-Cartwright made both of his 3-point attempts in Saturday’s win over Arizona State. The rest of the Wildcats combined to shoot just 2 of 10 from long distance.
Before Saturday, Jackson-Cartwright had hit 16 of his previous 25 3-point attempts. That’s a 64 percent clip.
The sharp shooting is nothing new — Jackson-Cartwright is a career 38 percent shooter from deep.
Don’t be surprised if PJC is weaponized more as the Wildcats move deeper into March. Lauri Markkanen has hit just 5 of his previous 31 3-point attempts, and Kobi Simmons — once the team’s most-dynamic scoring threat — has scored in double-figures just once in his last eight games. Simmons didn’t even attempt a shot against the Sun Devils.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
0: for 11 from 3-point range in Arizona’s last two games for Markkanen.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
ASU coach Bobby Hurley is well-known for his sideline antics. He’s prone to pouting, pacing up and down the sideline, screaming at officials. He’s a frequent recipient of technical foul calls.
It’s a sweaty life, so Hurley often removes his suit jacket during games. He did it less than two minutes into Saturday’s game, with the Sun Devils trailing 3-0.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The UA-ASU games at McKale Center always favor Arizona crowd-wise. (No way! Thanks Captain Obvious!)
It’s usually more of an even split when the two teams face off at Wells Fargo Arena, and Saturday was no different.
By our (very unofficial) calculations, the crowd at tipoff was at about 50 percent ASU fans, 40 percent Arizona fans and 10 percent empty.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
With a minute left in the game, Arizona leading by double digits, ASU’s fans started filing for the exits.
Arizona fans chanted ,“Just like football!”
That would be, of course, in reference to Arizona’s dominant Territorial Cup victory in November. The Wildcats won that game by 21 points despite not attempting a pass in the second half.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
ASU’s student section has become famous for its quirky “Curtain of Distraction,” used to disrupt opponents’ free-throw attempts at that side of the court.
The curtain has featured celebrities, including Olympian Michael Phelps and comedic actor Charlie Day of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
There were no guest stars of note on Saturday, and it wasn’t particularly effective, either — Arizona made eight of its first 10 free throws facing the curtain in the second half. By then, the game was out of reach.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
New UA athletic director Dave Heeke wasn’t present at Saturday’s game, but the Wildcats were well-represented nonetheless. Former interim AD Erika Barnes attended; so did her brother-in-law, PGA Tour golfer Ricky Barnes.
Arte Moreno made a rare appearance. The Los Angeles Angels owner made the short trip from Tempe Diablo Stadium, where the Halos train, to Wells Fargo Arena to watch his alma mater. He also attended the UA-ASU game at Wells Fargo in 2015.
Moreno’s return is telling. He kept his distance from the UA, at least publicly, while Greg Byrne was the Wildcats’ athletic director.
The Sun Devils brought stars of their own to Saturday’s game. Former basketball standout “Jumpin’” Joe Caldwell was in attendance.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
At halftime, ASU showed a video where two Sun Devils — Torian Graham and Jethro Tshisumpa — competed to see who could bobble their heads more times. (Insert your own joke here).
Tshisumpa won, 52-49.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
“I see we got the scums today!! Let’s get this W #BearDown” — Ex-Wildcat Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (@RondaeHJ24), before Saturday’s rivalry game.
@APlayersProgram I see we got the scums today!! Let's get this W #BearDown
— R.HollisJefferson (@RondaeHJ24) March 4, 2017
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Lost in the Arizona’s recent offensive struggles has been the development of Parker Jackson-Cartwright. The point guard has been the Wildcats’ most consistent 3-point shooter, and its not close.
Jackson-Cartwright made both of his 3-point attempts in Saturday’s win over Arizona State. The rest of the Wildcats combined to shoot just 2 of 10 from long distance.
Before Saturday, Jackson-Cartwright had hit 16 of his previous 25 3-point attempts. That’s a 64 percent clip.
The sharp shooting is nothing new — Jackson-Cartwright is a career 38 percent shooter from deep.
Don’t be surprised if PJC is weaponized more as the Wildcats move deeper into March. Lauri Markkanen has hit just 5 of his previous 31 3-point attempts, and Kobi Simmons — once the team’s most-dynamic scoring threat — has scored in double-figures just once in his last eight games. Simmons didn’t even attempt a shot against the Sun Devils.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
ASU coach Bobby Hurley is well-known for his sideline antics. He’s prone to pouting, pacing up and down the sideline, screaming at officials. He’s a frequent recipient of technical foul calls.
It’s a sweaty life, so Hurley often removes his suit jacket during games. He did it less than two minutes into Saturday’s game, with the Sun Devils trailing 3-0.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
The UA-ASU games at McKale Center always favor Arizona crowd-wise. (No way! Thanks Captain Obvious!)
It’s usually more of an even split when the two teams face off at Wells Fargo Arena, and Saturday was no different.
By our (very unofficial) calculations, the crowd at tipoff was at about 50 percent ASU fans, 40 percent Arizona fans and 10 percent empty.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
With a minute left in the game, Arizona leading by double digits, ASU’s fans started filing for the exits.
Arizona fans chanted ,“Just like football!”
That would be, of course, in reference to Arizona’s dominant Territorial Cup victory in November. The Wildcats won that game by 21 points despite not attempting a pass in the second half.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
ASU’s student section has become famous for its quirky “Curtain of Distraction,” used to disrupt opponents’ free-throw attempts at that side of the court.
The curtain has featured celebrities, including Olympian Michael Phelps and comedic actor Charlie Day of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
There were no guest stars of note on Saturday, and it wasn’t particularly effective, either — Arizona made eight of its first 10 free throws facing the curtain in the second half. By then, the game was out of reach.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
New UA athletic director Dave Heeke wasn’t present at Saturday’s game, but the Wildcats were well-represented nonetheless. Former interim AD Erika Barnes attended; so did her brother-in-law, PGA Tour golfer Ricky Barnes.
Arte Moreno made a rare appearance. The Los Angeles Angels owner made the short trip from Tempe Diablo Stadium, where the Halos train, to Wells Fargo Arena to watch his alma mater. He also attended the UA-ASU game at Wells Fargo in 2015.
Moreno’s return is telling. He kept his distance from the UA, at least publicly, while Greg Byrne was the Wildcats’ athletic director.
The Sun Devils brought stars of their own to Saturday’s game. Former basketball standout “Jumpin’” Joe Caldwell was in attendance.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
“I see we got the scums today!! Let’s get this W #BearDown” — Ex-Wildcat Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (@RondaeHJ24), before Saturday’s rivalry game.
@APlayersProgram I see we got the scums today!! Let's get this W #BearDown
— R.HollisJefferson (@RondaeHJ24) March 4, 2017
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