LOS ANGELES β Some of the adjustments shorthanded Arizona had to make against Gonzaga on Saturday were obvious: Kadeem Allen at the point, Lauri Markkanen at small forward a lot, and just about everybody soaking up minutes in the 30s.
But another thing struck UA coach Sean Miller in the Wildcatsβ 69-62 loss to Gonzaga: He had to ask Keanu Pinder to defend the small forward position for the first time this season.
βAnd it just so happened he guarded a perimeter player against Gonzaga,β Miller said. βThatβs not in our best interests. But these are the circumstances.β
Miller tried to look ahead, saying heβs hopeful that the Wildcats will get βa couple of guys backβ (since Parker Jackson-Cartwright is the only injured one who can return, that may mean Miller is still hopeful of getting Allonzo Trier, too).
βWeβre at seven but the hard part for us is a lot of times teams suffer through some injuries and adversity but some teams suffer adversity but you look at the calendar and itβs February or January.
βBut for us weβve really been hit with these things at the beginning. I think the good news for us is that itβs allowing these types of guys to have a lot on their plates, a big role, a lot of experience.β
Considering Jackson-Cartwrightβs absence, UAβs early struggles on offense were no surprise. Over the first six minutes Saturday, the Wildcats had five turnovers and shot just 2 for 6 from the field.
βNo question, (PJCβs absence) really affects everything and everybody,β Miller said.
βRawle (Alkins), for example, has played mostly the three. Weβve given him some reps at the two and he played as many at two as three. Lauri -- God bless him -- Iβve never seen a freshman play three positions like he has. He played mostly the small forward, which is very difficult if youβre 7-foot.
βIt affects everything and everybody. Our zone offense, our underneath out of bounds offense. Defensively it really affects you.β
Wondering why Miller didn't double-team Gonzaga center Przemek Karnowski much Saturday?
Miller was asked if the way he guarded Karnowski had to do with Gonzaga's early three-point shooting, but indicated that he wasn't a fan of doubling the big man under almost any circumstance. Karnowski, after all, has no problem giving the ball up if he is heavily defended, dishing 15 assists over Gonzagaβs first seven games.
Instead, Miller said he wanted UA to crowd the low post, and that they did a βvery poor jobβ of that.
βDoubling him, trapping Karnowski, in my opinion I think itβs a disaster,β Miller said. βMaybe another team out there that can do it better. But when you watch him, heβs such a terrific passer.
βIn my opinion when theyβre really clicking is when you double him, because heβs a great passer and the guys he passes to on this yearβs team are all excellent 3-point shooters. When they have their big run, a lot of times itβs because of the 3-point shot. We have a lot of young players who were for the first time in their career supposed to crowd in the low post. We did a very poor job of that. β
So as it turned out, UA paid by letting Karnowski create his own offense. The big man from Poland was 9 for 13 from the field.
βToday he beat us with our own scoring,β Miller said. βHe had timely baskets. Our one-on-one defense needs to get a little better. I thought Chance (Comanche) and Dusan (Ristic), that was a tough task for both of those guys. Now that theyβve played against somebody like him hopefully theyβll be ready for the next time.β
Miller said the two UA players brought to the interview podium, Alkins and Markkanen, were probably the best two Wildcat players in the game.
βI think all of our freshman have done a good job adjusting,β Miller said. βCertainly, Lauri has played three positions; heβs done everything. Thatβs usually what you ask a senior to do, like Kadeem Allen. And really ditto for Rawle. Rawle has done a lot of great things.β
Markkanen was just 4 for 14 from the field β dragging down a field-goal percentage from 54.1 to 50.0 in just one game -- but said he remains βvery confident in my shot.β
There were only brief podium interviews granted Saturday, so not a whole lot of other comments of note that werenβt in our full game coverage, which is attached to this post.
The box score and updated stats are attached as PDFs.