While at their respective schools for the longest active period of any Pac-12 basketball coaches, Coloradoβs Tad Boyle and Arizonaβs Sean Miller have displayed a cordial relationship.
The two coaches share similarly straightforward personalities, remarkably similar defensive philosophies and they frequently compliment each other β even as their teamsβ rivalry has flared up during several past seasons.
Boyleβs Buffs havenβt beaten the Wildcats yet at McKale Center, where they will visit Thursday, but they beat them in the finals of the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament and three times in Boulder β including an 80-77 win on Jan. 6.
But things may have changed after Jan. 6, and not because Colorado won the game. Afterward, Boyle was asked if it meant more to beat Arizona because of what it went through in the offseason β meaning the FBI investigation that resulted in the arrest of and UAβs move to fire assistant coach Book Richardson.
Boyle answered by complementing Miller and USC coach Andy Enfield, whose program was also named in the probe, and then said, βTo answer your question, hell yes.β
Miller had already finished speaking to media at Colorado on Jan. 6 by the time word of Boyleβs remark spread. But when he was asked what he though of it during his weekly news conference Monday, Miller didnβt really answer.
βMy focus is just on coaching our team,β Miller said, in a comment consistent with nearly everything heβs said this season about the FBI and UA-initiated investigations.
Miller immediately pivoted into talking about transitioning the Wildcats from their win at Stanford to being ready for Thursdayβs game with Colorado. And when he was asked if his relationship with Boyle has changed, Miller answered similarly.
βLike I said, my focus is on getting ready for this week,β Miller said, then spoke immediately about how Utah, the Wildcatsβ opponent on Saturday, is βequally dangerous.β
Enfield didnβt have quite the same approach. Three days after Boyleβs remarks β and a day before his Trojans hosted the Buffaloes β he pulled out a prepared statement to read when asked about them.
βWe are disappointed in Tad Boyleβs comments and what they imply,β Enfield said, according to the Orange County Register. βNot only is it unfair for someone to comment who doesnβt have all the facts, but those comments are unfair to those of us involved in the USC menβs basketball program, most importantly to our student-athletes and their families. Theyβre outstanding young men who chose USC to receive a world-class education and compete for championships.β
The next day, when USC was polishing off its 70-58 win over Colorado, Enfield called a needless late time- out in an apparent effort to send a message. Enfield said later that βI just had some things to say to my team.β
Boyle had been outspoken since the federal investigation was made public on Sept. 26. At Pac-12 media day in October, he expressed hope that βwe can purge the system of what needs to be purgedβ and said heβs often suspected rule-breaking on the recruiting trail.
βLook, youβre in the trenches recruiting all the time. So you know,β Boyle said then. βThere are programs and coaches that do things right, and there are programs and coaches that donβt. You have a sense of that. You donβt always know for sure. So obviously some light has been shown on some programs that werenβt.β
On Monday, when Miller was asked about the remarks and whether it was difficult for him to stay quiet, he said:
βNo, thatβs the job here and thereβs always a lot going on with our team on and off the court,β Miller said. Itβs βjust making sure everybody moving in the right direction and thatβs where my focus is. Thatβs where all of our focus is: Just get ready for the next game.β
Alkins easing back
Miller said he was not aware of any soreness Rawle Alkins experienced after playing 34 minutes at Stanford on Saturday, but indicated he would continue to treat the sophomore forward cautiously.
Alkins missed the first nine games of the season after breaking his right foot on Sept. 26, then played in nine straight before feeling pain early last week. He was held out of UAβs game at Cal last Wednesday as a result.
βItβs tricky when somebody goes through the surgery that he has, because you really rely more on him than anything else,β Miller said. βThe X-rays are negative. Weβre gonna be incredibly smart with him in terms of an extra day here or there.β
Miller indicated he might hold Alkins out of selected practices but was balancing that with a need to keep him in the flow because of the time heβs missed.
βItβs just listening to him, making sure we understand what his pain is, because we want him healthy for the long haul and healthy for his future as well,β Miller said. βAnything can happen to any of our players, but the things we can control we want to do the right way.
βThatβs why we shut him down for the Cal game. It had nothing to do with who we played or anything else. It was the right thing for him and if we have to do that again every once in a while weβll do that. I know itβs not the perfect world for him and our team but big picture it is.β
Bibbins wins Pac-12 honor
Utah guard Justin Bibbins picked up the Pac-12 Player of the Week award on Monday, meaning the Wildcats will be facing the reigning winner for a second straight week after Stanfordβs Daejon Davis won it on Jan. 15.
Bibbins averaged 16.5 points and 8.5 assists in Utahβs home wins over Washington and Washington State to beat out Arizonaβs Allonzo Trier and others for the award.
Bibbins had 20 points and 10 rebounds against Washington, and at 5-foot-8 was the shortest conference player in the past 20 years to record 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in one game.
Arizona nominated Trier after he averaged 18 points and 50 percent shooting in the Wildcatsβ wins at Cal and Stanford. Trier made 10 of 12 free throws for the week, hitting 3 of 4 in the final 18 seconds to seal UAβs win over Stanford.
βYou canβt take for granted his ability to make clutch free throws at the end of games,β Miller said. βHeβs the best Iβve seen at getting there, wanting the ball, going to the line and delivering, ad his efficiency (is impressive) shooting the ball from 3 especially when he gets good looks.β
Rim shots
β’ Deandre Ayton was named to the midseason watch list of the USBWAβs Oscar Robinson player of the year award. ASUβs Tra Holder was the only other Pac-12 player on the list.
β’ Arizona moved from No. 14 to No. 11 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. ASU (21) remains the only other Pac-12 team in the poll.
β’ The Wildcatsβ RPI sits at 16 and they were projected as a No. 4 NCAA Tournament seed by both ESPN and CBS on Monday.