On a night in which he'd go for 28 points and 18 rebounds — all while then-UA coach Sean Miller was not on the sidelines — Arizona forward Deandre Ayton (13) defends Oregon forward MiKyle McIntosh (22) in overtime during the Ducks' 98-93 win over the Wildcats on Feb. 24, 2018 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon.

 Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

This summer, each member of the Star's sports team will assemble a list of the five most memorable Arizona games they've covered since joining the beat. This week, Bruce Pascoe will reflect on five UA basketball games.

Pascoe's No. 1:

Arizona Wildcats' spirited play not enough on day of turmoil at Oregon

What went down: After ESPN reported that then-coach Sean Miller discussed allegedly paying star center Deandre Ayton $100,000 a year on Feb. 23, 2018, a Friday, Miller sat out the next day's game at Oregon. The Ducks won 98-93 in overtime despite Ayton collecting 28 points and 18 rebounds in front of Oregon student fans who jeered him relentlessly.

What we wrote at the time: Sean Miller met with the Arizona Wildcats during the day Saturday, and then took off. Maybe for good, maybe not.

Arizona's Deandre Ayton (13) blocks the shot of Oregon guard Elijah Brown (5) in the first half of the Ducks' 98-93 win over the Wildcats on Feb. 24, 2018 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon.

But without the Arizona head coach and star guard Allonzo Trier, who sat out a second game with a PED-related suspension, the Wildcats actually put together some of their most determined and efficient offense of the season before losing 98-93 in overtime to Oregon for the second straight season in part because of a barrage of Duck 3-point shots.

Oregon made 14 of 33 3-pointers, having beaten UA 85-58 last season when they hit 16 3s, and they also capitalized on 17 UA turnovers by scoring 20 points off them while turning the ball over only four times themselves.

It was a loss, but considering the controversy that has enveloped the Arizona program in the previous 24 hours, associate head coach Lorenzo Romar found a particular spirit to it.

"I was really proud of our guys with the focus we came out with," Romar said. "But we didn't finish the job."

Arizona associate head coach Lorenzo Romar talks to his team in the first half of the Wildcats' eventual overtime road loss to Oregon Feb. 24, 2018 in Matthew Knight Arena.

Individually, this all applied no more so than to forward Deandre Ayton, who had 28 points and 18 rebounds but didn't score in overtime and had only one rebound.

Ayton played 44 of the 45 available minutes, and Romar said Ayton may have tired in the overtime period after such a draining effort in regulation. Not only was there a possible fatigue factor but, of course, there was an environment Ayton had to deal with.

Miller was allegedly caught on a federal wiretap discussing a $100,000 payment to Ayton, according to an ESPN report Friday, and Oregon fans booed him nearly every time he touched the ball. Students had signs referencing the "100 Grand" candy bar and a check payable to him, while some rubbed their thumbs and fingers together in a "pay up" sort of gesture.

If anything, all that made Ayton more determined. He wasn't available for comment afterward — UA only allowed Romar and Parker Jackson-Cartwright to be interviewed — but PJC said he was impressed with Ayton's composure.

"He handled it professionally," Jackson-Cartwright said. "He really cares about his team. … he comes each day ready to work."

All that said, Jackson-Cartwright said it was "tough" to be without Miller and Romar said the same during his interview.

"It's very tough," Romar said. "Our leader isn't with us, so it's tough. But I thought our guys were phenomenal in how they came out."

- Bruce Pascoe

Arizona Wildcats forward Deandre Ayton (13) is defended by Oregon Ducks forward Paul White (13) in the first half during a game at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on Feb. 24, 2018.

Player of the game: Sometimes questioned for his motor — even today with the NBA's Phoenix Suns — Ayton played with a furious intensity, collecting 17 points and 11 rebounds before the halftime buzzer even sounded. Playing 44 of 45 possible minutes, Ayton's energy appeared to wane understandably in the overtime period, when Oregon finally pulled away from the Wildcats.

By the numbers: The biggest number was the one that surrounded the game: One hundred thousand, the number that Miller and Ayton were linked to by the ESPN story and the number that Oregon fans made fun of.

On the court, the most telling number might have been "four" — the number of shots Ayton missed in 15 field-goal attempts — and the number of shots he blocked on the other end to make up for it. As a team, Arizona shot 57.6% and held Oregon to 43.2% but, perhaps because they were so emotional, the Wildcats committed 17 turnovers while Oregon had only four.

Arizona head coach Sean Miller, pictured growing frustrated with his team in the second half the Wildcats 75-65 win Feb. 22, 2018 in Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon, wouldn't be on the sidelines for the Wildcats two days later in wake of an ESPN report that sent shockwaves through the UA program. 

The aftermath: Already playing under the shadow of the FBI's investigation into college basketball, which was made public in September 2017 after then-assistant coach Book Richardson and three other college assistants were arrested, the ESPN report brought another level of attention to Miller and the Wildcats.

The coach vowed to fight the allegation, which ultimately was not mentioned in the Independent Accountability Resolution Process ruling last December, nearly five years after that Oregon game. In the near-term, however, the news led to shockwaves that scared off UA recruits Shareef O'Neal and Brandon Williams (though Williams later re-committed) and put an even darker shadow over the end of the 2017-18 season.

Miller wound up sitting out three more days of practice with the Wildcats while Romar continued to serve as acting head coach, before returning for a memorable Thursday night home game against Stanford on March 1. Before that game, he read from a statement saying that ESPN's report was "false and defamatory" but took no questions.

UA beat Stanford 75-67 and beat Cal 66-54 on March 3 to close out the regular season. The energized Wildcats then went on to beat Colorado, UCLA and USC to win the Pac-12 Tournament, with Ayton, not surprisingly, becoming the tournament MVP.

Then their season ended, surprisingly and abruptly, in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Buffalo.

Miller coached three more seasons with the Wildcats, including a surprisingly effective 17-9 season in 2020-21 that might have gotten UA in the NCAA Tournament had the school not levied a self-imposed postseason ban. Then he was fired in April 2021 for what UA said were for both on and off the court reasons.

Arizona Wildcats guard Rawle Alkins (1) passes the ball over Oregon Ducks forward Troy Brown (0) in the second half during a game at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on Feb. 24, 2018. Oregon won in overtime 98-93.

Personal reflections: There are a lot of doors out of the convention area at the hotel formerly known as the Hilton Eugene. I showed up there on Friday night, just after the ESPN report surfaced, seeking comment from Miller, who was holding team meetings inside a ballroom. Then I saw nearly every member of the UA traveling party walk out, past me and the numerous "Knob Creek" whiskey signs. But not Miller. Later, I was told, not surprisingly, that Miller went out a different way where I wouldn't see him.

It was hard to blame him. If Richardson's arrest felt like the darkest morning in Arizona basketball history, this might have been UA's darkest evening — and the Oregon game on Saturday might have been its darkest afternoon.

Or so it might have seen at the time.

In the end, while it took over five years for the FBI and NCAA storm clouds to clear, Miller was ultimately not linked to wrongdoing and the head coach responsibility charge against him was thrown out.

Meanwhile, Miller and the Wildcats both eventually moved on to happier circumstances. Returning last season as Xavier's head coach, a post he held before joining UA in 2009, Miller even wound up lasting longer (the Sweet 16) in the NCAA tournament than the Wildcats, who lost in the first round.

So, maybe, in the end, the Oregon game meant little. But our series is about memorable games. Not just the many, many buzzer-beating or otherwise classic games that Arizona has played in over its proud basketball history. And the Feb 24, 2018, Oregon game was like no other.

It was a day Miller, Ayton and anyone who watched it closely will probably never forget.

Arizona Wildcats dismissed Sean Miller has head coach on Wednesday after 12 seasons at the helm. Miller led the Wildcats to 302 victories, five Pac-12 championships and three Elite Eight appearances.

Arizona parted ways with head coach Sean Miller on Wednesday after 12 seasons. Miller, who led the program to three Elite Eight appearances and five Pac-12 championships, won 302 games at Arizona. UA athletic director Dave Heeke held a virtual press conference Wednesday to explain the decision and what's next for the Wildcats.

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Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On Twitter: @brucepascoe