Sean Miller determined to remedy Arizona Wildcats' sub-standard mid-game play

Over his near-decade at Arizona, coach Sean Miller has emphasized what he calls the “first war,” or the four-plus minutes before the first media timeout of each half.

That’s been going pretty well recently, too.

The Wildcats jumped to a 7-4 initial lead at UConn before the first media timeout and took a 10-6 lead Sunday at Alabama. They even went ahead 15-9 over the first four minutes against Utah Valley during a potential letdown game played at McKale Center in between those road contests.

It’s the second war that’s been a problem.

And the third.

Over their last four games, the Wildcats have been outscored between the first and third media timeouts, a stretch of about eight minutes in which Miller typically begins mixing in his substitutes.

No doubt that points to issues with the bench, which scored only six points at Alabama. But it is also true that the Wildcats do much better between the first and third timeouts of the second half with basically the same guys on the floor.

So Miller is examining the entire trend.

“We’ve dug ourselves a hole,” he said. “Maybe it’s just a two-game shot. But we’re well aware of being outscored in the first half and who’s in the game when that happens.”

Miller typically waits until just before or at the first media timeout to begin substituting. In the last four games, Miller has brought in Ryan Luther for starter Emmanuel Akot and has moved guard Dylan Smith in for Justin Coleman, with Brandon Williams then assuming more of a point guard role.

Against UVU, though, Miller put Alex Barcello in for Coleman. Smith went in for Williams against UConn, leaving Coleman in the game for another two minutes.

Miller indicated this week he might shake that plan up, possibly inserting one or two players earlier and others at a later time. It could lead to better continuity among a core of key contributors who remain in the game.

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“We’re kind of looking at that combination of maybe not subbing as much, and subbing earlier,” Miller said, later adding: “We tend to wholesale sub two, three, four guys. Sometimes not doing that at that point would be part of the solution.”

Nine players have appeared in every UA game for at least eight minutes — except Ira Lee, who was suspended for the regular-season opener — and Miller could tighten up his rotation by expanding Lee’s average of 13.9 minutes.

Miller played Lee just five minutes at Alabama, including only a 22-second appearance in the second half, removing Lee for good after an early second-half foul.

That quick hook, and Miller’s comments this week, indicate Lee needs to improve to earn more time. But Lee’s absence might have been costly on the glass during a game in which Wildcats were outrebounded 40-38 overall and gave up five offensive rebounds that led to 10 points over the final six minutes.

Lee is Arizona’s second-leading rebounder per minute (.27), behind Chase Jeter (.31). Lee also leads the Wildcats in offensive rebounding opportunities by collecting 9.5 percent of Arizona’s missed shots when he’s on the floor.

“We need him,” Miller said. “He’s definitely part of the solution. He and Chase are our top two rebounders together every day. Being able to play them together some, and being able to play Ira for some longer stretches and rest Chase, that does two things — it keeps an active rebounder in the game and it also allows Chase to play the minutes that he’s the most comfortable playing so he can be his best.

“Ira’s gonna improve. I’m confident of that. Certainly slowing down, not setting illegal screens, not fouling, those are all things that are under his control. We’re really trying to show him the areas that we can help him, coach him, teach him and have him carry it into the game. He’s a big part of our future.”

MORE: Wildcats hope they can rebound (and defend) following uneven performance against 'Bama

Lee will have three more home games before the Pac-12 season to show if he’s deserving of additional minutes.

And Miller has three more home games, starting Saturday against Baylor, to keep tweaking his rotation to see how it can be maximized.

“That’s what the nonconference season is about,” Miller said. “You’re trying to win every game for sure but no matter who you are, you don’t know your team nearly as well until you get to about this time. (There’s been) 10 games, over 40 practices and the entire fall semester you’ve been together.

“As you get ready for Christmas and conference play, I think at that point you’re pretty sure of who you are or what you have and maybe some things you need to do better.”