Seen and heard: On 'Zo's absence, Karnowski's back, luck — and Luke
- Updated
The things gleaned from Saturday's loss to Gonzaga.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
Allonzo Trier traveled with the Wildcats for the first time this season, and walked into the Staples Center on Saturday like every UA player: With a matching set of blue UA sweats, and a pair of headphones.
But he never took those sweats off, sitting out Saturday’s game as he has for every one of UA’s eight regular-season and two exhibition games so far this season.
During warmups, Trier stood alongside three banged-up teammates – Ray Smith (ACL), Talbott Denny (ACL) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (high ankle sprain).
There’s little doubt the Wildcats could have used any of those guys, especially Trier. He singlehandledly kept UA alive during a dreadful first half a year ago in Spokane, scoring six points in the final 1:23 before halftime, paving the way for the Wildcats to pull out a 66-63 win after trailing by 10 at the half.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
While UA and Gonzaga have built the West’s top nonconference rivalry by playing each other four seasons in a row with Top 25 teams, UA coach Sean Miller noted that the faces have changed over the years.
Except one.
“Unfortunately, (Przemek) Karnowski, his face didn’t change,” Miller said. “He came back.”
He came back with a vengeance, too. Karnowski caused significant trouble for UA’s Kaleb Tarczewski with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, then had another 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Wildcats at McKale Center in 2014-15.
But UA won both of those games.
This time, Karnowski had 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, becoming almost immovable in the post when the ball was in his hands. And GU won.
“That was my first win against Arizona, and I’ve been here five years,” Karnowski said. “So I’m very happy about that.”
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
Karnowski’s game Saturday was maybe the best example yet of how he’s defied the odds since having a series of back issues last season that sidelined him against Arizona, and for the rest of the season.
“At this time a year ago, it didn’t look like he was ever gonna play again,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He was flat on his back. He had disk surgery and he couldn’t even move. The prognosis wasn’t very good.
“So a year later, to see him wheeling and dealing, going left and right, jumping up to the rim, is pretty cool.”
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
Arizona was assigned the Staples locker room of the Los Angeles Lakers, whose head coach just happens to be a former Wildcat, Luke Walton.
Any good vibes didn’t translate, however. UA is still 4-6 at the Staples Center under coach Sean Miller, counting Pac-10/12 Tournament games, NCAA tournament games and Saturday’s matchup.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
Arizona made Saturday’s game its booster trip of the season, flying in 147 of the program’s top donors on a chartered 757 along with the team Friday.
Normally, that’s a good thing for the Wildcats.
The UA designates one such nonconference road trip as a booster gift, offering a free plane ride for those in its two highest donor tiers, platinum and diamond.
In past seasons, UA has brought donors along on trips to Gonzaga (2015-16), UTEP (2014-15), Michigan (2013-14) and Texas Tech (2012-13).
Arizona won all of those games. But not Saturday’s.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
As part of the trip, the donors stayed along with the team at a top Beverly Hills hotel (though they had to pay for that bill themselves), and were treated to a reception with “heavy hors d’oeuvres,” according to UA associate AD Mike Ketcham, who heads the men’s basketball portion of the Wildcat Club.
In addition, Arizona AD Greg Byrne, UA president Ann Weaver Hart and Miller gave brief talks to the group.
And at the game, since it was being held at a neutral site, the donors were able to sit in prime lower level seats right behind the UA bench.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
Despite UA’s heavy booster presence, and that of Arizona’s considerable alumni/fan base in Southern California, the stands at Staples Center were only about a third full.
It was almost reminiscent of one of those mostly empty Thursday afternoon Pac-10 Tournament quarterfinal games the building hosted through 2012, before the conference moved to the more intimate MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
However, the UA fans roughly doubled the amount of Gonzaga fans in the building, and they made the place somewhat loud when the Wildcats rallied late in the game.
- Bruce Pascoe
- Updated
“The game wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, but at the same time, we showed some toughness. It’s never easy to beat a team like Arizona that has such a winning tradition.” Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who is now 2-6 against the Wildcats.
Allonzo Trier traveled with the Wildcats for the first time this season, and walked into the Staples Center on Saturday like every UA player: With a matching set of blue UA sweats, and a pair of headphones.
But he never took those sweats off, sitting out Saturday’s game as he has for every one of UA’s eight regular-season and two exhibition games so far this season.
During warmups, Trier stood alongside three banged-up teammates – Ray Smith (ACL), Talbott Denny (ACL) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (high ankle sprain).
There’s little doubt the Wildcats could have used any of those guys, especially Trier. He singlehandledly kept UA alive during a dreadful first half a year ago in Spokane, scoring six points in the final 1:23 before halftime, paving the way for the Wildcats to pull out a 66-63 win after trailing by 10 at the half.
While UA and Gonzaga have built the West’s top nonconference rivalry by playing each other four seasons in a row with Top 25 teams, UA coach Sean Miller noted that the faces have changed over the years.
Except one.
“Unfortunately, (Przemek) Karnowski, his face didn’t change,” Miller said. “He came back.”
He came back with a vengeance, too. Karnowski caused significant trouble for UA’s Kaleb Tarczewski with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, then had another 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Wildcats at McKale Center in 2014-15.
But UA won both of those games.
This time, Karnowski had 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, becoming almost immovable in the post when the ball was in his hands. And GU won.
“That was my first win against Arizona, and I’ve been here five years,” Karnowski said. “So I’m very happy about that.”
Karnowski’s game Saturday was maybe the best example yet of how he’s defied the odds since having a series of back issues last season that sidelined him against Arizona, and for the rest of the season.
“At this time a year ago, it didn’t look like he was ever gonna play again,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “He was flat on his back. He had disk surgery and he couldn’t even move. The prognosis wasn’t very good.
“So a year later, to see him wheeling and dealing, going left and right, jumping up to the rim, is pretty cool.”
Arizona was assigned the Staples locker room of the Los Angeles Lakers, whose head coach just happens to be a former Wildcat, Luke Walton.
Any good vibes didn’t translate, however. UA is still 4-6 at the Staples Center under coach Sean Miller, counting Pac-10/12 Tournament games, NCAA tournament games and Saturday’s matchup.
Arizona made Saturday’s game its booster trip of the season, flying in 147 of the program’s top donors on a chartered 757 along with the team Friday.
Normally, that’s a good thing for the Wildcats.
The UA designates one such nonconference road trip as a booster gift, offering a free plane ride for those in its two highest donor tiers, platinum and diamond.
In past seasons, UA has brought donors along on trips to Gonzaga (2015-16), UTEP (2014-15), Michigan (2013-14) and Texas Tech (2012-13).
Arizona won all of those games. But not Saturday’s.
As part of the trip, the donors stayed along with the team at a top Beverly Hills hotel (though they had to pay for that bill themselves), and were treated to a reception with “heavy hors d’oeuvres,” according to UA associate AD Mike Ketcham, who heads the men’s basketball portion of the Wildcat Club.
In addition, Arizona AD Greg Byrne, UA president Ann Weaver Hart and Miller gave brief talks to the group.
And at the game, since it was being held at a neutral site, the donors were able to sit in prime lower level seats right behind the UA bench.
Despite UA’s heavy booster presence, and that of Arizona’s considerable alumni/fan base in Southern California, the stands at Staples Center were only about a third full.
It was almost reminiscent of one of those mostly empty Thursday afternoon Pac-10 Tournament quarterfinal games the building hosted through 2012, before the conference moved to the more intimate MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
However, the UA fans roughly doubled the amount of Gonzaga fans in the building, and they made the place somewhat loud when the Wildcats rallied late in the game.
1 — The number of Arizona 3-pointers made in eight attempts
“The game wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, but at the same time, we showed some toughness. It’s never easy to beat a team like Arizona that has such a winning tradition.” Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who is now 2-6 against the Wildcats.
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Even Keanu Pinder had to defend a perimeter player Saturday.
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