Official 2006 Arizona Wildcats Basketball Thread

[Mrh182]

If there are 64 teams that get into the dance... Arizona has a top 3-5 SOS and a VERY high RPI... on top of being ranked 1/2 the season, there is no way in hell they don't make the dance unless they totally mail it in for the season and lose from here on out

 

[Russ Smith]

For UA fans what's your take on this post game quote from Shakur?

"They're a good team, but at the end of the day I still feel like we're a better team," Arizona point guard Mustafa Shakur said. "Not to take anythingaway from Washington State, but I still feel like we're better than a lot of theteams we're losing to."

A bunch of UCLA fans are all over this today saying this is why UA has lost 6 of 8 games, the players believed all the press early in the season and simply aren't understanding why they're struggling right now?

I suppose the one good thing if you're UA is while close losses hurt, at least it shows there's not a huge gap between them and the teams in front of them in the Pac 10? The only real blowout was UNC, in conference they've been in virtually every game.

My take as an outsider is the problem is obvious, it's defense. They lead the conference in FG%, they lead the conference in FT attempts, they have no problem scoring or drawing fouls, but they simply can't stop people consistently.

I still say they turn it around and get into the tournament Lute is too good of a coach and they have too much talent to just go in the tank.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Shakur is right. We have much more talent than Wazzu and it's not even close. There is however other factors that determine an outcome of a basketball game in which Wazzu is superior.

And yes, the defense is pretty bad but that's only part of the reason Arizona is losing. Arizona is losing because they are shooting poorly and do not have the type of defense to make up for bad shooting nights like UCLA does. The conference stats Russ brings up include the OOC schedule when the Cats were hitting everything. The Cats have been absolutely abysmal from the field since the Washington game (except against ASU) and it's reflecting in the loss column.

 

[Dback Jon]

When does www.fireluteolson.com get going?

 

[Russ Smith]

Shakur is right. We have much more talent than Wazzu and it's not even close. There is however other factors that determine an outcome of a basketball game in which Wazzu is superior.

And yes, the defense is pretty bad but that's only part of the reason Arizona is losing. Arizona is losing because they are shooting poorly and do not have the type of defense to make up for bad shooting nights like UCLA does. The conference stats Russ brings up include the OOC schedule when the Cats were hitting everything. The Cats have been absolutely abysmal from the field since the Washington game (except against ASU) and it's reflecting in the loss column.

Nope I'm talking conference stats only, their FG% is down but they still lead the Pac 10 in FG% and FT attempts and assists. Really turnover margin is about the only thing they're noticeably worse than UCLA on. Obviously the bench hurts but to me the problem is they play a lot of close games and as you said they don't have the defense to fall back on so they're dependent on hitting shots to win. If Harmeling misses that 3 last night, maybe UA wins, same thing the first game Harmeling hit a huge 3 in that one too IIRC.


http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2006-2007/confonly.html

I think talent wise and coaching wise, UA is there, but I gotta wonder does shakur realize there's more to winning than McDonald's AA's and draft rankings? They've lost 6 of 8 games at some point they have got to look in the mirror and say we gotta fix this defense?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

When does www.fireluteolson.com get going?

He'll obviously never get fired, the court is named after him for God's sake. His assistants on the other hand...

 

[Renz]

Boy, playing UW was just what the doctor ordered. Now the Cats have to string a few wins together and keep their confidence up.

What happened to Romar and the Huskies? Wasn't Ernie Kent supposed to get canned and Romar the new shining star? Now Kent is a COY candidate and UW is in free-fall.

 

[Future1984]

I never thought RAT fans would be in 7th heaven for just beating an 8th place team in the PAC-10.

UofA basketball has really fallen off the map

 

[Renz]

I never thought Cat fans would be in 7th heaven for just beating an 8th place team in the PAC-10.

UofA basketball has really fallen off the map

Who said anything about being in "Seventh Heaven"? BTW, a Scum Devil fan ragging on U of A hoops is just too funny.

I think I hear your momma calling, junior.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Future1984]

I dont CLAIM ASU as a basketball school.

Like Rat fans think UOFA is basketball Mecca.

So celebrate like you just won a Title, when really, your just beating a 8th place PAC-10 team. CONGRATS

 

[green machine]

I dont CLAIM ASU as a basketball school.

Like Rat fans think UOFA is basketball Mecca.

So celebrate like you just won a Title, when really, your just beating a 8th place PAC-10 team. CONGRATS

Who are the Rats? Never heard of a school with that nickname, seems like a bad one to have anyways.

Oh, and not one Wildcat fan has said that beating Washington is a great accomplishment. Winning Pac 10 games against the bottom of the barrel doesn't do much for us. How about for ASU? Wouldn't it be grand if they won a game in the Pac 10? Maybe?

 

[Renz]

I dont CLAIM ASU as a basketball school.

Like Rat fans think UOFA is basketball Mecca.

So celebrate like you just won a Title, when really, your just beating a 8th place PAC-10 team. CONGRATS

This is a UA basketball thread. Go spam somewhere else, troll.

 

[abomb]

I cant recall the last time my Wildcats were out of the Top 25.

 

[green machine]

I cant recall the last time my Wildcats were out of the Top 25.

I think it happened last season and if it didn't it really should have.

 

[Renz]

I cant recall the last time my Wildcats were out of the Top 25.

We're still ranked 24th in the AP.

 

[Russ Smith]

We're still ranked 24th in the AP.

Yep 6 pac 10 teams in the AP.

Agree with others they may be on to something with Jordan Hill although he appears to be up and down right now, he's talented.

So far Nic Wise has been a huge disappointment but I guess that doesn't really matter for next year.

 

[Renz]

Biggest win of the year. Coming back from down 10 at halftime at MacArthur Court is pretty impressive.

The Cats showed a lot of heart today.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Huge W for the Cats. It should be a fun weekend in Tucson no matter the outcomes. Budinger was simply spectacular today. He'll be one of the five best players in college next year with an offseason to improve.

Like Rat fans think UOFA is basketball Mecca.

I must have looked past this nugget of brilliance last time I was around. Arizona was ranked two years ago as the 14th greatest basketball program of all-time. That's significantly better than your basketball program and your football program.

 

[Lefty]

I dont CLAIM ASU as a basketball school.

Like Rat fans think UOFA is basketball Mecca.

So celebrate like you just won a Title, when really, your just beating a 8th place PAC-10 team. CONGRATS

Jealousy, pure and simple. The UofA is easily a top-10 basketball power. Just look at all the players in the NBA representing the UofA in the past twenty years. Also, a national title(ASU has zero in a major sport), four Final Fours, six Elite Eights and a bunch of Sweet 16's.

Moreover, when Lute does retire the Cats will replace him with a guy with a great resume, not someone like Evans or Sendek.

If ASU's basketball program had half the success that Lute has had, I know you guys would be ecstatic. Like Lute said, if the ASU fans don't support and fill the arnena night in and night out, Sendek will not succeed because the recruits will go elsewhere.

 

[Skkorpion]

Nice win by UA. I got to watch the second half.

 

[Mrh182]

Simply Huge. Great Win. Great Showing by Chase.

Now we need Mustafa to pull his head out of his and get back to being a great pointguard.

 

[Russ Smith]

Huge W for the Cats. It should be a fun weekend in Tucson no matter the outcomes. Budinger was simply spectacular today. He'll be one of the five best players in college next year with an offseason to improve.


.

He's going to have to REALLY improve his defense to get to that level in one year IMHO. Every time I've seen UA play I've come away with the same conclusion, when his shot is falling he's very tough to stop, but he's a really mediocre defender.

The talent is there though. For both UA and UW is appears they have finally realized they're going to have to play defense, I watched UW hold Stanford to 4 points in like 12 minutes to start the 2nd half yesterday, even Marques Johnson said that's usually a slow minute for a team against them. UA seems to have woken up since the UNC debacle, and UW since getting hammeredy by UA.

Jordan Hill seems to be keying the UA turnaround because he gives them a legit shotblocker inside.

Should be an interesting weekend for sure. Too early to know on UCLA the initial report is neither Collison nor Mata will start against ASU due to injury, neither may play.

 

[Russ Smith]

Latest update is both Collison and Mata are expected to play against ASU, it's unclear yet if they start.

Good news for UCLA at least. Apparently both Shipp and Luc were getting extra treatment for their injuries after the game though so UCLA effectively has 4 injured starters.

 

[devilfan02]

Now we need Mustafa to pull his head out of his and get back to being a great pointguard.

When has Shakur ever been a great PG? Last I checked he's completely average at best

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

He's going to have to REALLY improve his defense to get to that level in one year IMHO. Every time I've seen UA play I've come away with the same conclusion, when his shot is falling he's very tough to stop, but he's a really mediocre defender.

I guess the result of Ben Howland coming to UCLA is Bruin fans becoming defense snobs. I know the air is thick over there in Westwood but looking around the country you will notuice there is ways to win other than playing lights-out defense. Powerhouse offenses with serviceable and crafty defenses has been the MO of guys like Lute Olson, Roy Williams, Coach K, and Dean Smith for decades now.

The reality is the majority of the best basketball players in the world are mediocre or worse defenders. And great collegiate defenders like Arron Afflalo, Prince Luc Richard, and Lorenzo Mata will be stuck watching mediocre defenders such as Chase Budinger and Marcus Williams every Sunday on ABC for the rest of their lives from Motel 8's in Bakersfield as they wrap up their NBDL road trips.

And Mustafa Shakur has never been a great PG even this year which has been his best. He still outplays inferior talent, but he gets destroyed every time out by the Sean Singletary's, Aaron Brooks', and Darren Collison's of the world. At Arizona, that is unacceptable. I really hope he finally accomplishes a first and puts together a good game against UCLA on his Senior Night. His family will be in the stands and the McKale crowd will be thirsty to send him off right.