The Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball team (12-6, 3-2) made a valiant attempt at a comeback Saturday in a game they never should have been down in but still came up two points short against the Oregon Ducks.
Arizona overcame a 17-point deficit to take the lead with 2:59 remaining.
Back-to-back buckets by the Ducks and three missed shots on the last possession by the Wildcats later, Arizona found themselves on the wrong side of a 57-59 loss at home.
The Wildcats will need to carry over their second half moment from the weekend into this week's Rocky Mountain road-trip starting tonight (6:30 p.m) against the Utes of Utah (4-13, 1-4) and ending Saturday night in Colorado.
Coming off of a 36-point loss to Cal on the road, the Utes return home where all four of their wins have come this season.
Currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, Utah has lost five of its last six games.
Desperate is an understatement for the style of play Arizona is going to see from the Utes tonight.
Here are three themes to watch for tonight…
You’re fired
As if they weren’t already struggling enough, Utah’s first year head coach Larry Krystkowiak dismissed the team’s lone senior and leading scorer, Josh Watkins for an undisclosed team rules violation.
Up until yesterday the guard was also leading the Utes with 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
He even hit the overtime game-winner against Washington State in Utah’s only Pac-12 win so far this year.
Having already been suspended one game this season for being late to practices and missed meetings, Watkins obviously didn’t get with the zero tolerance policy.
Arizona will be seeing a much different team than the one on tape.
Watkins also led the team in shot attempts and turnovers, nearly doubling that of anyone else on roster in both categories.
The Wildcats needs to be on-guard from the tip, something they failed to do against Oregon.
The way Arizona has been playing, it might not take much more than a unified team playing inspired basketball to beat the Wildcats.
No time for breaks
Although the bench has been missing in action for weeks, one of Arizona’s top scorers and let’s face it…only scorers, senior forward Jesse Perry saw his numbers take a major dip during last week’s home stand.
After five consecutive games scoring at least 13 points or more, Perry failed to hit double digits against either of the Oregons.
Teams have been focusing more on Perry in the post during conference play, mainly not letting him get starter with the ball and making sure to get a body on him during rebounds, but he’s too good and too important to the Wildcats to be limited to a couple of baskets per game.
Similar to the momentum swings Derrick Williams’ hustle-plays had on the team last year, Perry’s energy is contagious.
Arizona can’t win without it.
Find a way or we’ll find someone who can
Just as the Wildcats have been searching for some additional scoring…they could also use help in the rebounding department.
With two 6’6” starting big men it’s no secret Arizona is giving up a ton of size down low.
Of the Wildcats 36 rebounds per game, starting junior forward Solomon Hill and the above mentioned Perry are pulling down a combined 15 of those boards.
No one else is averaging more than three per game.
Hill and Perry are already expected to do a third of the scoring…but to continue forcing them to pull down 40 percent of the boards as well is asking a little much.
Be sure to check out tonight game…
Time: 6:30
TV: Ch. 58, FSAZ (686 DirecTV)
Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM
Spread: Arizona by 14 ½
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