Seen and heard: On Alex Barcello and Dylan Smith's 3s, Sean Miller's flex and McKale's streak
- Justin Spears Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The top sights and sounds from McKale Center on a night when the Arizona Wildcats recorded their 51st consecutive nonconference home win.
Ending droughts
UpdatedArizona guards Dylan Smith and Alex Barcello both went scoreless at the Maui Invitational and entered Thursdayβs game shooting under 22 percent from 3-point range. Barcello responded with a career-high 16 points on 2 of 3 shooting from beyond the arc while Smith scored 10 points with a pair of 3s.
It marked a happy end to an ugly drought. Barcello last hit a 3-pointer in the season opener versus Houston Baptist, and Smithβs struggles dated back to the Cal Poly game. He shot 0 of 9 from deep during the stretch.
Tweak to the intro video
UpdatedUpdate to the McKale Center intro video. Letβs see if you can spot it. Hint: It was from this weekβs Sean Miller press conference. pic.twitter.com/XDVEKqDwik
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) November 30, 2018
Earlier this week, UA coach Sean Miller introduced four of the Wildcatsβ five incoming recruits for 2019: Phoenix point guard Nico Mannion, five-star wing Josh Green, four-star shooting guard Terry Armstrong and three-star Cameroonian center Christian Koloko.
In the added clip, Miller counts off the national letters of intent at a recent press conference.
βOne β hold on β thereβs two, thereβs three, thereβs four,β Miller said.
The clip of Miller counting down the NLIs was picked up by Sports Illustrated and other national media. The UAβs video team added it to the pre-game hype video played right before tipoff. Miller was wearing (superimposed) sunglasses in the McKale Center version.
Notable Georgia Southern alumni
UpdatedGeorgia Southern, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, has produced few notable athletes. Former Chicago Bears running back Adrian Peterson β no, not that Adrian Peterson β won the Walter Payton Award in 1999, which is given to countryβs top rusher each year.
However, what Georgia Southern lacks in athletes, it makes up for in food. Daniel Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A, is an alumnus; so is Hala Moddelmoog, the former CEO of Arbyβs.
The big number
Updated100
Number of points Arizona scored against Georgia Southern. The last time UA scored 100 points was against Washington State on Jan. 31, 2018.
Big Baller vs. Armstrong
UpdatedA pair of Arizona recruits will take center stage at next weekβs Hoophall West, a showcase held at Scottsdaleβs Chaparral High School.
Armstrong, a UA commit, will play against the Spire Academy team that features LaMelo Ball, the youngest brother of Lakers guard and former UCLA standout Lonzo Ball. LaMelo joined Spire after a brief stint overseas in Lithuania, followed by playing in his father LaVarβs Junior Basketball Association. Several nationally recognized high school programs have refused to play against Spire, questioning LaMeloβs amateur status. Among them: powerhouse Oak Hill Academy.
Ballβs team will take on Armstrongβs Bella Vista Prep at 7 p.m. Dec. 7, after Mannion and Phoenixβs Pinnacle High take on San Joaquin Memorial High School (Calif.) at 7 p.m. Dec. 6. Mannionβs game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Honoring the champs
UpdatedThe national champs were honored at halftime. π β³οΈ @ArizonaWGolf pic.twitter.com/MyNWAgbwPR
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) November 30, 2018
Arizonaβs NCAA champion womenβs golf team was honored at halftime Thursday. Haley Moore, Bianca Pagdanganan and others carried the national championship trophy onto the floor. A video tribute of the Wildcatsβ heroics played over the McKale Center video board.
Coach Laura Ianello wiped away tears as she watched highlights of the UAβs first womenβs golf title since 2000.
The biggest number
Updated2,564
Days since Arizona lost a regular season nonconference game at McKale Center. The date: Nov. 23, 2011, against San Diego State. Arizonaβs starting lineup in that game was Jordin Mayes, Kyle Fogg, Solomon Hill, Jesse Perry and Kyryl Natyazhko. The loss came the day after Rich Rodriguez had been introduced as the new UA football coach.
Tags
More information
- Watch: 8 best things Arizona Wildcats said after cruising by Georgia Southern
- Bench comes alive for Arizona Wildcats in rout of Georgia Southern
- Photos: Arizona Wildcats 100, Georgia Southern 70
- College basketball scoreboard: Arizona Wildcats vs. Georgia Southern Eagles
- UA paid $1.2M to deal with fallout from federal investigation into Wildcats hoops
- Couple accused of blackmailing ex-Cat Josh Pastner to go on trial in August
- Night of career-highs leads Arizona Wildcats to easy 100-70 win over Georgia Southern
- Arizona Wildcats basketball: On Jeter's consistency, Barcello's confidence and Maui lessons
- Teamwork, confidence helped Alex Barcello hit career-high as sophomore finds his rhythm
- With lessons learned from dad and Bobby, Dan Hurley is attacking life as UConn's head coach
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