Seen and heard: Kerr Kriisa can't catch a break, Beavers revamp arena for TV, Cats want to play Monday

The Star's Bruce Pascoe checks in with the newsmakers, notes and quotes from Thursday night's game between Arizona and Oregon State.

Tough break

Freshman Kerr Kriisa did not make the Wildcats' trip to Corvallis after breaking his nose in Wednesday's practice, a UA spokesman confirmed Thursday.

Kriisa isn't be eligible to play until Feb. 6 anyway, and it's not known if he'll be healed or will have to wear a protective mask at that point. But the Wildcats will need Kriisa to help out with perimeter depth after guard Jemarl Baker broke a bone in his wrist last Saturday against UCLA.

Spaced out ‘fans’

In order to fill up the entire midsection of Gill Coliseum facing the television cameras, OSU placed out its cardboard "fans" in every other seat.

But there was a good representation of Beaver pride, at least.

Besides the usual fans and animals — including a lady whose Beaver orange T-shirt read “Just Married 65 Years Ago" — the Beavers also put at one end of the court a spirit section of sorts featuring band members, cheerleaders and immobile “dancers.” At the other end stood cardboard of all OSU’s head coaches.

Behind both team benches hung a giant “The Beaver State” banner, featuring the Beavers logo at one end and the state of Oregon,with a heart in the middle, at the other end.

Manic Monday?

Because Oregon canceled Saturday's game because of COVID-19 issues, the Wildcats were scheduled to fly back to Tucson on Friday morning. They don't know when their next game might be.

However, basketball operations director Ryan Reynolds said Thursday there was slightly better than a 50% chance that the Wildcats could find a nonconference opponent for Monday. The Wildcats had a nonconference opening left after San Diego canceled a Dec. 21 appearance at McKale Center.

UA coach Sean Miller said he was interested in filling it this weekend if possible but it would most likely be against a regional opponent that could easily make the trip to Tucson.

Beats the alternative

The Ducks’ postponement meant Arizona had to make a 2,000-mile round trip to play just one conference game. Usually the Wildcats make an efficient trip by facing OSU and Oregon within two or three days; the two campuses are less than an hour apart.

But playing once is better than playing no games, according to UA assistant coach Jason Terry — especially after Arizona was swept at home by USC and UCLA last weekend.

“After losing two in a row, everybody’s trying to compete,” Terry said before Thursday’s game. “We’re just trying to get that taste out of our mouths.”

Thursday marked OSU's first game in 10 days thanks to COVID-19 issues.

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But again, Beavers coach Wayne Tinkle wasn’t complaining.

“To be completely honest, there's been days where they kind of drag in” to practice, Tinkle said. “Because they've had to get up early to come in and test and then go get breakfast, come back, lift, go get a little bit of a break, maybe go handle some classwork online and then come back for practice but that's what we have to do in order to play.

“So it might be easy for some of us that are in the middle of all that to say, 'Well, if that's what it takes to get the reward of playing, it's a reward.' And it's just the new normal. That's what we have to deal with … there should be no excuses or, or no explanations of why. Just get it done. We've said the same thing from day one, that teams that handle this the best and stay together throughout are getting to enjoy success. So we've just got to stay focused on that.”

Go away, 2020

Portland-area freeway drivers are greeted these days by massive black-on-yellow billboards pleading for them to take COVID-19 seriously by wearing masks.

“Let’s Not Make This 2020, Part Two” said one, with smaller text saying “masks save lives.”

Another billboard was even blunter.

“Do you love your family enough to wear one?” it asked.

Smooth transition

Terry might have known Terrell Brown throughout the UA guard’s life, but by the time he coached him this season, Brown was something of a grizzled veteran, a grad transfer who had already starred last season for Seattle U.

As a result, Terry said Brown’s move into the starting lineup Thursday wasn't much of a transition. Brown had already been a veteran presence off the bench, entering the OSU game averaging the third-most minutes per game of any UA player (23.8) behind only James Akinjo (34.6) and Jemarl Baker (29.4)

“I think all season we've looked at Terrell as a sixth starter, so I think the adjustment will be seamless for him,” Terry said. “One thing about him, he's a smart player. The calming effect of having a grad transfer who has played a lot of basketball, his experience, is kind of the strength of our team. And if you start two freshmen like we do and Jemarl is out, he gives you some security in the backcourt, another decision maker, another guy that takes care of the basketball.”

On Thursday, Brown played 13 minutes in the first half, scoring four points while dishing three assists to no turnovers.

The big number

8:20

Time elapsed before Oregon State scored a point Thursday.

He said it

“We’ve had a lot of time on our hands. It’s not all been great.“ – OSU coach Wayne Tinkle, on assessing the Beavers’ struggles during the team’s weeklong pause.

— Bruce Pascoe