Some great news concerning UofA basketball, including Bayless starting at Houston

[Lefty]

Bayless will start tomorrow against Houston.
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/wildcats/220133.php


Lute will return next year. He was at McKale today.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/sports/73894.php


ESPN says the Cats would make the NCAA tournament as of right now. The selection committee will take into account the UofA losses without Bayless.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bubblewatch?id=61

 

[green machine]

He's back and looking pretty good against Houston. Amazing how one player can make that much of a difference for this squad.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Those one on one isolation sets KO is running for Bayless are exactly why he is going to be a stud in the NBA. If he keeps playing like this with a bad knee his draft stock is going to soar through the rest of the season. I just hope a shot at a title next year brings he and Chase back, I think Jordan leaves.

 

[green machine]

Those one on one isolation sets KO is running for Bayless are exactly why he is going to be a stud in the NBA. If he keeps playing like this with a bad knee his draft stock is going to soar through the rest of the season. I just hope a shot at a title next year brings he and Chase back, I think Jordan leaves.

I think (nothing to base this off of, just an idea) that Hill, Bayless, and Budinger will all stick around one more year barring a ridiculous tournament run. Having Jennings come in, to go with those three, would likely make this an instant Final Four team. That would be tough to pass up.

 

[Lefty]

Welcome back Bayless!!! The Cats would of beaten Oregon and ASU if he would of played, he is that important to this offense. Luckily the NCAA committee does look at that.

As for next year, I hope Bayless comes back but I don't know. Hill definitely will be back. The experts right now are predicting him to be a mid-first round pick in the 2009 draft.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

33/9/5 on the road against a borderline Tourney team.

Yeah, he wouldn't have made a difference against Oregon, ASU, and Memphis.

 

[Lefty]

33/9/5 on the road against a borderline Tourney team.

Yeah, he wouldn't have made a difference against Oregon, ASU, and Memphis.

I can't wait to see them play ASU next month when both teams are at full strength.

 

[SO91]

Bayless was so impressive today, the team looks so different with him in the lineup.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

2008 Final Four Starting 5

1. Brandon Jennings
2. Bayless
3. Chase
4. Hill
5. Whitey

With a nice bench. And hopefully Lute on that bench.

Although looks like Bayless is playing his way into a Top 10 pick.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Welcome back Bayless!!! The Cats would of beaten Oregon and ASU if he would of played, he is that important to this offense. Luckily the NCAA committee does look at that.

As for next year, I hope Bayless comes back but I don't know. Hill definitely will be back. The experts right now are predicting him to be a mid-first round pick in the 2009 draft.

Of the three, Hill is the last one I would say comes back for sure. He has a child he is supporting and he wants to get to the NBA as soon as possible. If he keeps this play up the rest of the season and performs well in the camps and workouts he will get 1st round attention and in my opinion would leave. Obviously the coaching staff is going to tell him he needs to come back one more year to work on some things, but in his situation I wouldnt be upset if he bolted after this year.

 

[AsUdUdE]

if Bayless keeps this kind of play up (Eric Gordan-esce) and is a lck for the top 7--8, Why the HELL would bayless come back, the same for budinger....

If you forget your a fan of the team, and think of it from his prospective barring injury, why would he come back, when hes got a guarantee of 3-4 million plus endorsements...

And if you are being unbias... if the rule about no HS players wasn't in effect, do you really think Bayless would even go to college..I think it would have been 50/50 depending on how he worked out....

If I were a Cats Fan I would almost root for him not to average 20/5/5 because if he does, he is as good as gone next year...

ofcourse the counter argument and wild card to this whole thing is he wants to be coached by Lute, and if Lute gives his players a promise that he will DEFINENTLY be back next year to coach them... I could absolutely see all them returning, and have a SCARY team next season....

 

[Mr. Boldin]

If Bayless is a lock for the top 8, that would mean some of the top freshman would have to not declare, nobody blows up at the hoop summit (I see you Nicholas Batum), and Bayless puts on a show the rest of the season.

The fact of the matter is Bayless right now is a combo guard. While a lock in the top 8 is a very real possibility, he needs to work on his handles and PG skills. I dont doubt he could leave this year and go lottery, my question is what teams are looking at him? How does he perform at the pre draft camp and workouts? (Which he will be attending). How does Lute's return and the possibility of a championship run (If Chase and/or Hill return) impact his decision?

It all comes down to if he wants to make a run at a title, which could push him into the top 5 and who else comes back.

 

[Gee!]

Bayless is not leaving this year.. Ive heard that since the summer last year.. But, I guess we'll have to see..

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Wildcat fans - a Quick retort for those obnoxious Devil fans. Per Seth Davis on CNNSI.com

Here's another example of how injuries affect my voting: Arizona had lost two of its last three games when I voted last week (and eventually lost three out of four), but the Wildcats were without their best player, Jerryd Bayless. So I left them at No. 21. Not only did my fellow voters drop the Wildcats completely out of the poll, but Arizona's grand total of points in "others receiving votes" this week is five. Four of those five points are coming from me. I voted how I did last week because I knew Bayless was coming back soon, and in fact he returned last Saturday and had 33 points and nine assists in a win at Houston. You think he's not important to this team?

Frankly, I don't understand how Arizona State can be ranked 22nd on the basis of beating Arizona at home in overtime without Bayless, yet Arizona remains unranked. Yes, the Sun Devils blitzed Xavier at home, but Arizona has beaten Texas A&M at home and Illinois and Houston on the road. Arizona State has only played two games away from home (against Illinois Nebraska) and lost them both.