Paulius Murauskas, Arizona Wildcats reserves trying to stay ready if needed

Because they were loaded with players who went on to win Lithuania’s top pro league last season, Zalgiris Kaunas loaned Paulius Murauskas to another club so he could still gain some high-level experience.

Then Murauskas joined the Arizona Wildcats, and pretty much the same thing happened.

Except the loan part. That isn’t really a thing in college basketball.

The Wildcats have ridden an eight-player rotation that doesn’t include Murauskas to the Pac-12 regular-season title and a Sweet 16 berth, and also haven’t lost a single player from that rotation for a single game all season. Plus, they’ve only had five players foul out all season.

They’ve been full, basically.

So the Lithuanian freshman has been stuck this season, playing in just 23 of UA’s 35 games, with only a sprinkle of minutes since December when the game is on the line.

He says he’s making the best of it.

“It’s going to be really helpful in my career to just stay patient and prove every chance I get, every opportunity I get,” Murauskas said. “I’m going to stay locked in.”

Murauskas and sophomore reserve wing Filip Borovicanin both played big roles in August in Tel Aviv, leading the Wildcats in their first Middle East exhibition game, then both played double-digit minutes in several nonconference games before UA coach Tommy Lloyd settled on his firm eight-player rotation by the end of November.

But Borovicanin knew the drill; he was also a lightly-used wing as a freshman last season, having been recruited out of Serbia for his high long-term potential.

As a loaned player on the Lietkabelis roster last season, Murauskas was able to play in Lithuania’s top pro league, averaging 6.6 points while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range. He also played 18 high-level EuroCup games, averaging 4.4 points while shooting 23.3% from 3-point range.

This season, Murauskas is actually Arizona’s top 3-point percentage shooter (51.9) but he’s taken only 27 3s while averaging just 5.0 minutes in the games he gets into.

Murauskas has played spot minutes in several key games while he, Borovicanin and Spanish freshman guard Conrad Martinez all appeared in UA’s 78-65 loss at USC on March 9, when Lloyd appeared to be searching for some sort of spark.

Borovicanin has averaged 2.3 points, shooting 41.0% while missing all 12 3-pointers he’s taken, but showed flashes of promise in UA’s 100-81 win at Cal on Dec. 29, when he had six points and three assists in 14 minutes.

Borovicanin and Murauskas are the Wildcats’ two top reserves outside of the rotation, guys expected to fill in if injuries or foul trouble hit, but Martinez is on more of a long-term plan. Martinez, who said he was aware he wouldn’t play much this season as a freshman, has averaged 3.6 minutes in his 19 games.

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“I knew it was it was gonna be difficult because it’s another level,” Martinez said. “I used to play with players from my age. Now here, (players are) older and tougher.”

After the game at Cal on Dec. 29, Lloyd said all three reserves were a “huge part of our culture,” if not a huge part of the game plan.

“I want to play them all, and they’ve all earned an opportunity,” Lloyd said then. “But I don’t want to disrupt our team’s rhythm totally. … Also, this is high-level basketball and things have got to be earned.”

So in the meantime, all three UA reserves have been sharpening their games in practices against their teammates.

“For sure,” Borovicanin said. “I feel like this year’s team is really good and practicing with those kinds of guys is everyday making me a better. I really appreciate that.”

For Murauskas, it’s also been a chance to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college games, while Lloyd has said he’s also had to adjust to playing power forward in his offense instead of small forward.

“It’s different game,” Murauskas said. “You can’t compare college basketball to Europe.”

Still, there’s always a chance the Wildcats will need them the rest of the way. Maybe Thursday against Clemson or maybe, if the Wildcats beat the Tigers that night, during an Elite Eight matchup that stands in the way of the Wildcats’ first Final Four in 23 years.

“I just stay ready every time,” Borovicanin said. “You don’t know what’s gonna happen in the game. Players are going to get fifth foul or whatever. So you need to be ready always to jump in and do your best to help the team win the game.”

Murauskas says he’s ready, too. Maybe more than that.

“I’m really confident in myself,” Murauskas said. “I think my time will come and we’ll see.”

Photos: Arizona edges Dayton 78-68, NCAA Men's Tournament 2nd Round, Salt Lake City

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