EUGENE, Ore. β The only Arizona regulars who played at Matthew Knight before Saturday were forward Azuolas Tubelis and guard Kerr Kriisa, and even they could have easily forgotten about that March 1, 2021, appearance.
Arizona skipped the Oregon road game last season, meaning that Monday evening in March 2021 was the last game the Wildcats played at Eugene. It was a fan-less, COVID-year affair that became the final game for former coach Sean Miller.
The Wildcats had been scheduled to play Oregon two months earlier, but the Ducks were on a COVID pause. So Arizona faced only Oregon State in January, then returned to the Willamette Valley for the March 1 game, which Oregon won 80-69.
For Kriisa, it was another chance to play, at least. He played in only eight late-season games as a freshman in 2020-21 because of an NCAA suspension.
βIβm happy that we still did the trip,β Kriisa said.
Double duty
UA director of development Reggie Geary is back on the road to provide radio commentary for all of the Wildcatsβ two-game Pac-12 road trips this season.
Ryan Hansen still works UA home games and select road games. Geary said making the two-game trips is a βgood fitβ in part because it also allows him to carry out his developmental work on the road.
Geary said heβs been working with UA alumni groups in the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles. The UA Foundation and βBayCatsβ of the San Francisco Bay Area are planning an event on Feb. 10 in the Bay area between UAβs games at Cal and Stanford. UA coach Tommy Lloyd has even committed to a 45-minute appearance at that event.
Repping 1997 again
If this weekend was any indication, the Wildcats will be wearing blue uniforms on the road predominately this season.
Arizona went with its 1980s-era blues on Thursday at Oregon State and on Saturday wore its late-Lute Olson-era blues, or what many around Arizona simply call the β1997sβ in reference to the Wildcatsβ national-championship run in the same blues that season.
Having worn home whites at McKale Center and in all neutral-site games so far this season, Arizona has not worn its red uniforms (aside from the Red-Blue Game preseason scrimmage).
UA equipment manager Brian Brigger said coaches, staffers and players will discuss what uniforms to wear. He added: βI try to get the 1997s on the national-TV games.β Saturdayβs game was carried to a prime-time East Coast audience on ESPN.
Wanted: UA volleyball coach
Easily the most unexpected sign Oregon students flashed at Saturdayβs game was one featuring a giant photograph of UA volleyball coach Dave Rubio wearing a cutout of a red, white and blue volleyball on his head and a 2018 Dave Rubio Volleyball Camp T-shirt.
βWANTED,β the sign said above Rubioβs picture, then below it: βReward: Clipboard.β
Thereβs a true story behind the seemingly random sign, apparently. According to Oregon freshman Jeffrey King and several other students sitting behind center court, early in Oregonβs three-set win over Arizona on Oct. 2, Rubio found himself without a clipboard. So walked over to Oregon students and asked if he could borrow one for the game.
But he never returned the clipboard.
βAnd he didnβt even use it,β King said.
Oregon fans have a beef with Arizona volleyball coach Dave Rubio, who purportedly borrowed a clipboard during a match in Eugene and never returned it.
Properly equipped
Oregon students donβt have to worry about bringing the proper gear to games at Matthew Knight Arena. Theyβll be taken care of.
βSitting behind the basket?β said a sign attached to a container full of long yellow sponges entering the seating area. βGrab a noodle!β
Similarly, upon walking into the arena, students were greeted with a sign atop a table full of yellow T-shirts that feature the green outline of a Duck.
βNot wearing yellow?β the sign said. βGrab a shirt!β
Oregon students get equipped pic.twitter.com/w1j5RAFKng
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) January 14, 2023
Free shirts too. pic.twitter.com/NGxiRXvadh
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) January 14, 2023
Raise him up
While Arizona presented analyst Bill Walton with a customized (and suitably high enough) chair before the Wildcatsβ game with Washington State last Saturday, Walton actually sat in two wood-and-fabric chairs that were stacked on each other for the game at Oregon.
Walton says he usually brings his own chairs for games at UCLA and USC, since he drives to those from his San Diego home. Heβs accommodated in some form everywhere he goes.
βThe schools are always cooperative,β Walton said.
While Walton and partner Dave Pasch were initially expected to call Arizonaβs game with UCLA next Saturday at McKale Center for ABC, a crew of Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Holly Rowe is now expected to be on hand.
Bill Walton doesnβt have a customized chair hereβ¦ but he has two of them. pic.twitter.com/fyRfIPpzvd
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) January 14, 2023
Metaphorical
The weather outside Matthew Knight Arena was typical of a Willamette Valley winter: About 50 degrees and mostly cloudy, with the occasional shower.
But atop a main entrance to the Laura J Harward Practice Court adjacent to the arena, metal letters read: βIN HERE ... ITβS ALWAYS SUNNY.β
Local buzz
Oregon is taking a local approach to the more and more widespread beer and wine sales around college sports.
At the βUncle Philβsβ concession stand, a nod to Nike boss and Oregon benefactor Phil Knight, among the beverages for sale are Oregon Pinot Noir, Oregon Pinot Gris and Hop Valley Bubble Stash, a locally produced IPA.
For anyone wondering what “Bubble Stash” is, the notes on BeerAdvocate.com state: “Our brewers reached into their secret stash of Mosaic cyro hop resin to create a tropical dankness in this new-age IPA. Take a hit of these bright, sweet fruit notes in this easy-drinkin’ bubbler.”
Young vocal talent
Oregon invited 7-year-old Kinsley Murray to sing the Star-Spangled Banner before Saturdayβs game, and fans greeted her enthusiastically.
Kinsley was cheered even during the anthem when holding notes for several beats longer than usual. She received a loud standing ovation afterward.
βSign her up for the Super Bowl!β the PA announcer said.
