Arizona notes: Wildcats celebrate Pac-12 title; Benn Mathurin possibly plays last game at McKale

Saturday wasn’t just Senior Day for graduate transfer Justin Kier. It was quite possibly the last home game second-year UA guard Bennedict Mathurin has played at McKale Center.

Mathurin, who was named a finalist for the Wooden Award ballot on Saturday, is widely projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA draft. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony projects Mathurin to be the No. 11 pick in the draft by the Washington Wizards, while NBADraft.net has the 6-foot-6-inch wing going sixth overall to the Sacramento Kings.

Mathurin finished Saturday afternoon with 13 points, six rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes. The most points Mathurin scored at McKale Center was on Jan. 3, when he recorded 27 points on 63% shooting in a 95-79 win over Washington.

Senior Day sendoff/cutting down nets

Arizona honored Kier before tipoff, playing a tribute video for the Wildcats’ graduate transfer from Georgia.

In the video was a montage of clips of Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd and the players reflecting on Kier’s role this season.

“Justin Kier, what a great dude,” Lloyd said in the video. “Justin has been a godsend to me in my first year as a head coach. … The spirit he brings to Arizona basketball every day is contagious and I don’t know where we’d be without him.”

The video ended with Kier thanking the UA faithful.

“I just want to say thank you to the fans and everyone who has supported me since I got here at Arizona,” Kier said. “I’ll forever be grateful for you guys.”

Following the win, Arizona cut down the net on the basket closest to the UA bench to celebrate the 2022 Pac-12 regular season championship.

Big minutes for Bal

Normally when freshman Adama Bal entered a game this season, the Wildcats were either ahead by 20-plus points late in the second half or in a pinch when Azuolas Tubelis played limited minutes with an ankle injury.

The Paris native entered the game just over minutes into the first half and contributed a career-high seven points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field, three assists, one rebound and no turnovers in 17 minutes.

Lloyd said he “wanted to reward him for having a great year of practice, behind the scenes and working.”

“I think he’s going to be a big part moving forward. … I think he’s a do-everything guard, he’s got a real good feel for the game, he’s got a high IQ, he’s a little nastier and a little more physical and he’s a shot maker,” Lloyd said.

Added Kier: “That kid is going to be really good. He’s learning every day and today you guys saw he’s getting more comfortable. He makes the older guys work hard. … That kid is going to be special. I truly believe he’s going to be an NBA player. I really do.”

By the numbers

Arizona finishes the regular season with a 28-3 record, the most wins for the Wildcats entering the postseason since the 2014-15 season, when the UA put together a run to the Elite Eight.

Put it on a poster

Fans who attended Arizona-Cal were given an Arizona Pac-12 regular-season championship poster upon arrival at McKale Center. Cardinal red Pac-12 championship T-shirts were also available for purchase at the McKale gift shop near the ticket office.

The big number 622

Assists the Wildcats ended the regular season with, which ranks fourth in program history. Arizona’s 17 assists Saturday moved this year’s team ahead of the 2004-05 and 1950-51 squads. Arizona’s top-three passing teams are the 1997-98 team (677), ’87-88 team (662) and ’90-91 team (651).

He said it

“I think Dalen Terry would’ve fit our style of play and he would’ve given us more depth at the wing similarly to Michael Dickerson and what he provided. He’s not as much of a scorer, but defensively, facilitating and bringing the energy, he would’ve fit really well with our team. He’s doing a heck of a job this year. He looks great and the past few games his offensive has really developed. I love the way he plays and the energy he brings to the court.” — Former Wildcat A.J. Bramlett, on whom he would add from this year’s UA team to bolster Arizona’s 1997 national championship roster (via ESPN Tucson).

First-round matchup set for Arizona in Pac-12 Tourney

The Wildcats secured a No. 1 seed for the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas next week, they’ll have a first-round bye and play the winner of No. 8-seeded Arizona State and No. 9-seeded Stanford at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Behind Marreon Jackson’s 18 points, six rebounds and six assists, the Sun Devils outlasted Stanford 65-56 Saturday afternoon in Tempe. Arizona is a combined 4-0 against the Sun Devils and Cardinal, with an average margin of victory of 15.8 points. ASU-Stanford is slated for 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

“It’s going to be a tough game no matter what,” Lloyd said.

“There’s no guarantees that you’re going to come out on top. We’re not going to take them lightly and I look forward to the challenge preparing for those teams.”