Arizona Basketball 2019-2020

[Mainstreet]

I think Hurley might be a better coach than you’re giving him credit for... though, his recruiting thus far leaves a ton to be desired.
ASU certainly doesn’t attract consistent top-tier talent. But it’s fair to expect much better in this area than what Bobby has produced thus far. Especially with regard to bigs... White notwithstanding and who, if he was healthy certainly would’ve made the game a bit tighter...
Along with the inability to secure quality bigs, I’ve been shocked at Hurley’s inability to grab, at least a few, consistent shooters. He was able to bring Shannon Evans to Tempe from Buffalo when he first came to ASU... but that’s it when it comes to shooters. And this season the Devils just might break historically pathetic shooting and free throw shootings records!

It’s gonna be a long, painful PAC-12 season for Bobby this year...

Congratulations to Arizona.

82CardsGrad, your analysis is on target.

 

[GatorAZ]

The previous two seasons, ASU had been feeding off high energy and high excitement, which is what propelled its victories over Kansas twice. This season’s team, though talented, is very stale. Almost listless. Even Remy looks like he cant wait for the season to end.

My criticism of Bobby Hurley has been that he’s more of a cheerleader than a tactician, which explains the histrionics on the sideline. If he has to game plan, he’s screwed.

Maybe it’s a different game if White were healthier and able to keep Arizona off the boards, but ASU was not only overmatched, but was playing a pissed off, embarrassed Arizona team.

Hurley and Sendek could not be more different personality and tactician wise but their results couldn’t be more similar. They’re both incredibly mediocre for different reasons. ASU basketball like UA football is just impossible to sustain any kind of success.

 

[GatorAZ]

Nice win to start the conference season, and great to see Nnaji, Green, Koloko and even Smith look so effective.

At what point do we call Mannion's freshman campaign a bust? He seems to be getting worse and worse.

I’m not closing the book on him but he’s been disappointing given the hype. I think he can turn it around.

My hopes for Zeke coming back are waning.

 

[1Sun]

I’m not closing the book on him but he’s been disappointing given the hype. I think he can turn it around.

My hopes for Zeke coming back are waning.

The Suns could use Zeke right now...

 

[Russ Smith]

I’m not closing the book on him but he’s been disappointing given the hype. I think he can turn it around.

My hopes for Zeke coming back are waning.

It will be interesting to see his matchup with UW. Stewart is an absolutel beast, said it here a few weeks back I think he's the best big in the conference, he dominated Okongwu, Mobley and Rakocevic last night, they could not guard him and McDaniels had 6 blocks in the first half.

if I had to rank the freshman bigs in the conference right now I'd go Stewart, Nnaji/Okongwu, McDaniels and then I guess Mobley although so far he's exactly what i said when he was being recruited, skilled, big and very soft. At one point he got his shot blocked 4 consecutive times in the 2nd half, he went 2-13(Rakocevic was 2-14).

Okongwu is 18 and 9 with 3 blocks a game shooting 62% on a terribly coached team that doesn't get him the ball, Nnaji 16 and 8 with 1 block. Nnaji is more efficient on offense, 69%, and he's a little less physically developed so probably has more room to get better. I think Okongwu is probably the better player but because Miller is a better coach than Enfield, I rank them equal.

You can make a case for Zeke to go pro, he's not physically ready but he looks like a late lottery to mid first round guy and could move up if he continues to play well during conference games.

 

[GatorAZ]

It will be interesting to see his matchup with UW. Stewart is an absolutel beast, said it here a few weeks back I think he's the best big in the conference, he dominated Okongwu, Mobley and Rakocevic last night, they could not guard him and McDaniels had 6 blocks in the first half.

if I had to rank the freshman bigs in the conference right now I'd go Stewart, Nnaji/Okongwu, McDaniels and then I guess Mobley although so far he's exactly what i said when he was being recruited, skilled, big and very soft. At one point he got his shot blocked 4 consecutive times in the 2nd half, he went 2-13(Rakocevic was 2-14).

Okongwu is 18 and 9 with 3 blocks a game shooting 62% on a terribly coached team that doesn't get him the ball, Nnaji 16 and 8 with 1 block. Nnaji is more efficient on offense, 69%, and he's a little less physically developed so probably has more room to get better. I think Okongwu is probably the better player but because Miller is a better coach than Enfield, I rank them equal.

You can make a case for Zeke to go pro, he's not physically ready but he looks like a late lottery to mid first round guy and could move up if he continues to play well during conference games.

I forgot about Washington’s freshman duo. Stewart’s stats are very impressive and he’s pretty strong. McDaniels has upside but raw... This also looks like one of the worst drafts in history. There’s not one guy who you can will be productive right away.

 

[Russ Smith]

I forgot about Washington’s freshman duo. Stewart’s stats are very impressive and he’s pretty strong. McDaniels has upside but raw... This also looks like one of the worst drafts in history. There’s not one guy who you can will be productive right away.

Yep as a Warrior fan I was excited about Cole Anthony and Wiseman, I still like both but Cole has a ways to go as a shooter and is hurt now, Wiseman is not playing so can't scout him. I love Stewart 7'4" wingspan, not a great athlete but not a bad one either, but I haven't seen him make a shot beyond 10 feet which is not a great fit on the Warriors although I'd still take him. There are some other kids of course I love Anthony Edwards, RJ Hampton and there's some claiming LaMelo Ball might go first overall(not buying it). But yeah looks like a pretty weak draft. I looked at a mock that doesn't have Stewart in the top 10 but has McDaniels 6th I think. Jaden is skilled but very skinny and immature, multiple T's this year, got a flagrant against SC, etc.

 

[Russ Smith]

Forgot to say that's an argument for Nnaji to turn pro in a weak draft he'll presumably go higher.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Typical miller mistake trying to kill clock in final few possessions with such a slim lead.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Man the cats have no hands in rebounds. They’ve turned rebounds into turnovers all half.

 

[1Sun]

This is why Coach Miller will never get a team to the Final Four. He over-coaches, has his teams play not to lose, and frightens his players to the point where they tighten up and choke games away. He just isn't a good coach...at all...

 

[1Sun]

Absolute heartbreaker that falls entirely on Sean Miller for his run-out-the-clock crap and stubborn insistence on keeping Smith and Jeter on the floor in regulation.

At least Mannion appears to be out of his shooting slump (well, other than 3-point shooting, which was awful), and he played decent defense, though his passing and decision-making were still terrible.

Hard fought game. The players deserved better than to have Coach Miller snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

BTW, Josh Green was by far our most reliable scorer tonight. Why didn't Coach Miller run a play for him at the end of regulation or OT?

 

[Russ Smith]

Typical miller mistake trying to kill clock in final few possessions with such a slim lead.

I was saying exactly that when Mannion fed Nnaji for that jumper to go up 6. Live and on replay I thought Pritchard got ball, slow mo harder to say but Nnaji didn't react like he thought he was fouled until after Miller went nuts. I did think UA got the short end of the officiating stick overall and especially in the OT.

Miller has to be pretty down, as Walton said they are usually going to win when the role players like Smith and Gettings play that well.

 

[Russ Smith]

Absolute heartbreaker that falls entirely on Sean Miller for his run-out-the-clock crap and stubborn insistence on keeping Smith and Jeter on the floor in regulation.

At least Mannion appears to be out of his shooting slump (well, other than 3-point shooting, which was awful), and he played decent defense, though his passing and decision-making were still terrible.

Hard fought game. The players deserved better than to have Coach Miller snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

BTW, Josh Green was by far our most reliable scorer tonight. Why didn't Coach Miller run a play for him at the end of regulation or OT?

I only watched part of it but we watched different games. Mannion IMO outplayed Pritchard head to head, the guy shot 6-21 guarded almost entirely by Mannion. Oregon stayed close and made plays when they had to. I didn't like the floater by Mannion late in the game as I said a few weeks ago, when he goes right he goes all the way to the rim, when he goes left he usually pulls up for the jumper or the floater, that's why IMO Oregon had 3 guys on that play they knew he wasn't going all the way.

I actually thought Smith played well(for him), Gettings seemed to play better than the box said he did he just seemed to be making good decisions and plays the whole time I watched. From the box my question would be why only 5 minutes for Lee, 4 points 3 assists no fouls, did he get hurt?

 

[AZCrazy]

Well, at this rate maybe Nico sticks around another year.
I just think the program hasn't recovered yet from the scandal a few years ago. Hurts recruiting in a way that UA never had to deal with before.
Sweet 16 every year was a birthright.

 

[1Sun]

I only watched part of it but we watched different games. Mannion IMO outplayed Pritchard head to head, the guy shot 6-21 guarded almost entirely by Mannion. Oregon stayed close and made plays when they had to. I didn't like the floater by Mannion late in the game as I said a few weeks ago, when he goes right he goes all the way to the rim, when he goes left he usually pulls up for the jumper or the floater, that's why IMO Oregon had 3 guys on that play they knew he wasn't going all the way.

I actually thought Smith played well(for him), Gettings seemed to play better than the box said he did he just seemed to be making good decisions and plays the whole time I watched. From the box my question would be why only 5 minutes for Lee, 4 points 3 assists no fouls, did he get hurt?

This games looked to me like a carbon copy of the Sweet Sixteen loss to Xavier and the three Elite Eight losses. Sometimes, Miller just needs to let his freaking players play down the stretch of games.

 

[GatorAZ]

This games looked to me like a carbon copy of the Sweet Sixteen loss to Xavier and the three Elite Eight losses. Sometimes, Miller just needs to let his freaking players play down the stretch of games.

They’re not mentally tough enough to make a run when it matters. Plays out of timeouts, losing 50/50 balls, unforced errors... A team takes after their coach and every close game is a mentally obstacle now.

Also Chase Jeter is one of the bigger busts I can remember.

 

[TJ]

They’re not mentally tough enough to make a run when it matters. Plays out of timeouts, losing 50/50 balls, unforced errors... A team takes after their coach and every close game is a mentally obstacle now.

Also Chase Jeter is one of the bigger busts I can remember.

Jeter lost so much athleticism from what he had in high school. I've heard that he's been dealing with chronic back issues since his days at Duke, and I would surmise that the reason he's gone so finesse is he doesnt want to get hurt again. Either way, he's been a liability on the floor and from what Miller had to say yeterday, it sounds like his PT is about to diminish.

As for the 50/50 balls, next to the garbage officiating, this infuriated me. There were like three jump balls that couldve gone our way had we been more aggressive diving on the floor. There was an missed rebound in the closing minutes of the 2nd half where had Zeke put in even a tiny bit more energy, he would've corralled it instead of the more motivated Oregon guard.

This is the caveat of having your three best players be freshmen. Maybe it all clicks come March, but it's starting to get to a point in which we're running out of time.

 

[TJ]

Well, at this rate maybe Nico sticks around another year.
I just think the program hasn't recovered yet from the scandal a few years ago. Hurts recruiting in a way that UA never had to deal with before.
Sweet 16 every year was a birthright.

Nico's not coming back. It was never an option when he came and it wont be an option come April. This is why Miller is going after guys like Akinjo and will also heavily pursue either the transfer market again or the overseas market for another point guard.

 

[TJ]

I was saying exactly that when Mannion fed Nnaji for that jumper to go up 6. Live and on replay I thought Pritchard got ball, slow mo harder to say but Nnaji didn't react like he thought he was fouled until after Miller went nuts. I did think UA got the short end of the officiating stick overall and especially in the OT.

Miller has to be pretty down, as Walton said they are usually going to win when the role players like Smith and Gettings play that well.

Funny is Smith and Gettings played fine, but Dylan Smith had his usual Dylan Smith f-up, which impacts the whole game.

If I'm Nnaji and that happens again, I'm acting like Pritchard just cut my hand off with a lightsaber.

 

[TJ]

Game sucked, but at least we got this gem from Bill Walton:

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Also Chase Jeter is one of the bigger busts I can remember.

this is the biggest shock of the season to me.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

This games looked to me like a carbon copy of the Sweet Sixteen loss to Xavier and the three Elite Eight losses. Sometimes, Miller just needs to let his freaking players play down the stretch of games.

Miller tried that with Alonzo Trier. He let Trier play down the stretch and it cost the team a likely final four appearance

 

[1Sun]

Miller tried that with Alonzo Trier. He let Trier play down the stretch and it cost the team a likely final four appearance

I'm not saying take the reins off entirely. I am saying strike a balance between instructing/teaching and being a blustering, yelling control freak.

 

[1Sun]

Team just quit in the second half tonight. It's time to fire Sean Miller. Right now.