LAS VEGAS — Seen and heard from the opening day of the Pac-12 Tournament at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Posterized
🏀 It’s time. #Pac12Tournament pic.twitter.com/VBS5j8Su9n
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) March 11, 2020
Each player from a Pac-12 school is displayed on the exterior of T-Mobile Arena, home of the Pac-12 Tournament. Arizona’s selection, freshman point guard Nico Mannion, joins Remy Martin (Arizona State), Matt Bradley (Cal), Tyler Bey (Colorado), Pac-12 Player of the Year Payton Pritchard (Oregon), Tres Tinkle (Oregon State), Oscar da Silva (Stanford), Onyeka Okongwu (USC), Timmy Allen (Utah), Nahziah Carter (Washington) and CJ Elleby (Washington State).
Faces in the crowd
Great to see our guy @raysmith2297 out here supporting the fam! #APlayersProgram pic.twitter.com/bgJ1SBtmb7
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) March 11, 2020
The Pac-12 tourney attracts celebrities and notable basketball icons. Last year, NBA legends Gary Payton and Julius Erving were in attendance. The year prior, then-Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson sat courtside. Wednesday was no different: Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, a former Phoenix Suns player and executive, sat directly across from Arizona’s bench. Former Wildcat Ray Smith, a Las Vegas native, sat behind Arizona’s bench. He wore his own jersey.
The big number
6-10
The height of both Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle and Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak, who coached against each other in the thrilling first game of the Pac-12 Tournament. Oregon State won thanks to game-winning 3-pointer by Jarod Lucas. Tinkle and Krystkowiak were college teammates at Montana in the 1980s.
Jeter returns
Chase Jeter returned to Arizona’s rotation on Wednesday, playing five scoreless minutes in his first game action since the Wildcats’ loss at UCLA late last month. Jeter logged two rebounds and committed two fouls and a turnover. Graduate transfer guard Max Hazzard, however, was held out for the fourth time in five games for what the UA called personal reasons. Hazzard traveled to Las Vegas, per the UA, but was not seen in the arena.
These jackets aren’t for sale
✈️ Tucson ➡️ LV⌚️ #Pac12Tourney tomorrow #BearDown pic.twitter.com/jDRhkjayWV
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) March 11, 2020
Arizona flew to Las Vegas on Tuesday sporting new zip-up Nike jackets sporting the UA’s old-school cactus logo. Fans on social media practically waved their money at the UA but got bad news: The jackets are team-issued only, per Arizona equipment manager Brian Brigger.
The big number
22
Games it took for Josh Green to make at least three 3-pointers in a game. Green finished Wednesday’s game shooting 3 of 4 from beyond the arc. The last time Green reached that mark was Arizona’s win over Pepperdine in the Wooden Legacy on Thanksgiving.
Arizona target sinks game-winner in state playoffs
Ziaire Williams with the game-winner at the buzzer to send Sierra Canyon to the State Championship game! 😱(via @Tarek_Fattal) pic.twitter.com/xbGDjndroA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 11, 2020
UA recruiting target Ziaire Williams sunk a game-winning step-back jump shot and lifted national powerhouse Sierra Canyon over Etiwanda in the California high school state playoffs Tuesday night. Sierra Canyon trailed by 11 points, but ended the game on a 13-0 run.
Sierra Canyon has won 18 straight postseason games and advanced to its third straight CIF state championship.
Plummer’s hot hand
In Utah’s 71-69 loss to Oregon State to kick off the Pac-12 Tournament, Utes guard Alfonso Plummer shot 11 of 16 from 3-point range and broke the Pac-12 record for made 3-pointers in a game, including Klay Thompson’s Pac-12 Tournament record from 2011.
He said it
“That would be terrible. Terrible. I’ve never had to play with nobody there really, except in Pullman, Washington, I guess. But there’s some people there, at least. If there’s none, that would kill the whole vibe of the game for sure.”
— USC guard Jonah Matthews on the coronavirus taking away fans from the Pac-12 Tournament