Game Thread: Arizona @ UCLA

[Arizona_Sting]

This is going to be a good test for Arizona on the road. Looking forward to it! BEAR DOWN!

PS- Bill Walton is calling the game... here we go.

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

fuck Bill Walton and his speech impediment

 

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Game day. Time to take it to the teddy bears. My prediction is 78-74 Zona. BTFD

 

[dcZONAfan]

It's fucking GAME DAY BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's BTFD

 

[gordontrue]

"I see 5,000 fans at Pauley," Vitale said, "5,000 fans at a school and team of that caliber in Southern California, that's just humiliation."
Dick Vitale calls UCLA basketball attendance humiliating - latimes.com


Somehow, I suspect more than 5,000 will show up tonight.

 

[azchamps]

I think there will be at the least, 5000 WILDCAT fans there tonight.

GO CATS! BEAR DOWN!

 

[The Derski]

BTFD

 

[GumbySquad]

The real question is... how good is UCLA's offense? With all due respect to Adams, Slo-mo, Levine and company, who are obviously very skilled offensive players... the stats are a bit skewed. Sure, UCLA averages 87 points a game on the season, but in the only two games they've played against top-25 caliber teams (Missouri and Duke) they scored 71 points and 63 points in losses.

If you look at their high scoring games (90+ points), they have all come against weaker teams:

91 vs 6-12 Oakland
106 vs 8-8 Chattanooga
105 vs 8-8 Nevada
95 vs 7-8 Northwestern
95 vs 3-11 Prarie View A&M
107 vs 9-5 USC

It will be very interesting in the first 5-10 minutes to see what kind of shots the Bruins are getting. If they can find a way to get open looks against the UofA's stingy D I will be very surprised. If they hit contested jumpers and crash the boards, they can pull off the upset. Chances are against one of the top defensive teams in the country in Arizona, they won't get too many easy baskets. They will have to earn them.

(Repost from the ESPN board)

 

[gordontrue]

The real question is... how good is UCLA's offense? With all due respect to Adams, Slo-mo, Levine and company, who are obviously very skilled offensive players... the stats are a bit skewed. Sure, UCLA averages 87 points a game on the season, but in the only two games they've played against top-25 caliber teams (Missouri and Duke) they scored 71 points and 63 points in losses.

If you look at their high scoring games (90+ points), they have all come against weaker teams:

91 vs 6-12 Oakland
106 vs 8-8 Chattanooga
105 vs 8-8 Nevada
95 vs 7-8 Northwestern
95 vs 3-11 Prarie View A&M
107 vs 9-5 USC

It will be very interesting in the first 5-10 minutes to see what kind of shots the Bruins are getting. If they can find a way to get open looks against the UofA's stingy D I will be very surprised. If they hit contested jumpers and crash the boards, they can pull off the upset. Chances are against one of the top defensive teams in the country in Arizona, they won't get too many easy baskets. They will have to earn them.

(Repost from the ESPN board)

I agree. In UCLA's only 2 wins decided by single digits, they averaged 73.5 points. In their two losses they averaged 67 points.

Also, I think Arizona's offense is sometimes unfairly disparaged due to their defensive style. Arizona's opponent is often found forcing shots at the end of the shot clock, making for much fewer possessions per game. Arizona's efficiency and percentage stats on offense are quite good.

Clearly Arizona has the better defense. The offenses might be closer to equal than most think.

 

[gordontrue]

Alford on Duke containing Anderson...
"I thought they did a really good job on him. This was the first time this season he's been held like that, containing him and keeping him off the free throw line."

Anderson on Duke's defense...
"...did a good job of pressuring the ball. That 94 feet of pressure is tough. They didn't let us execute our offense. Duke's signature is the pressure defense, That's what they want to do, and we fell into it."


I don't want to make too much of one game, but if Duke can hold them to 63, I will be very disappointed if Arizona doesn't also hold them well under their average.... Pauley pavilion or not.

 

[GumbySquad]

Alford on Duke containing Anderson...
"I thought they did a really good job on him. This was the first time this season he's been held like that, containing him and keeping him off the free throw line."

Anderson on Duke's defense...
"...did a good job of pressuring the ball. That 94 feet of pressure is tough. They didn't let us execute our offense. Duke's signature is the pressure defense, That's what they want to do, and we fell into it."


I don't want to make too much of one game, but if Duke can hold them to 63, I will be very disappointed if Arizona doesn't also hold them well under their average.... Pauley pavilion or not.

Yep, I agree. To play devils advocate, one reason the Bruins only shot 40% against Duke is because Zach Levine went 3-12... a freshman playing in his first marquee game, in MSG, against top-10 Duke.

Either way, Dukes defense is a B- at best, while Arizona's so far has been an A+. If the Cats' main defensive on-ball stoppers (Nick, TJ, Rondae, Gordon) can stay out of foul trouble then the Cats should be able to hold them in check.

 

[jonvi]

I've gone with UCLA in the pickems. Their only losses coming to Mizz on the road and Duke in MSG where Duke has done well over the years.

But anytime you go against the No. 1 team, you know it ain't going to be easy.

 

[GumbySquad]

I've gone with UCLA in the pickems. Their only losses coming to Mizz on the road and Duke in MSG where Duke has done well over the years.

But anytime you go against the No. 1 team, you know it ain't going to be easy.

... their only losses being to the only 2 quality teams that they've played. The only semi-quality win they have this year is over UC Santa Barbara.

None of that really matters much anyway, best to toss out the records and stats when UCLA and Arizona play. Anything can happen in a rivalry game.

 

[gordontrue]

I've gone with UCLA in the pickems. Their only losses coming to Mizz on the road and Duke in MSG where Duke has done well over the years.

But anytime you go against the No. 1 team, you know it ain't going to be easy.

I'm sure your love for Syracuse has nothing to do with it

If you're going to go against Arizona, its not a bad game to do it. This game and the road games against Oregon and Colorado are the best bets.

That said, I don't think this is a good team to bet against.

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

I am just so fucking stoked that ASU has a BPI of #46 over Stanford and Utah, LOL. Only teams in front of us are of course BTFD, CU, FUCLA.

 

[gordontrue]

I am just so fucking stoked that ASU has a BPI of #46 over Stanford and Utah, LOL. Only teams in front of us are of course BTFD, CU, FUCLA.

and Oregon

 

[520GGATO]

Almost time. LET THE COUNT DOWN COMMENCE. BTFD.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Hope we can play Arizona Basketball tonight. Bear Down!!!!!

 

[Vitamike]

"I see 5,000 fans at Pauley," Vitale said, "5,000 fans at a school and team of that caliber in Southern California, that's just humiliation."
Dick Vitale calls UCLA basketball attendance humiliating - latimes.com


Somehow, I suspect more than 5,000 will show up tonight.

In some ways I want to say shut the fuck up old man and in other ways he's kind of right.

There will obviously be more than 5K for this one but still... What the fuck! We are still 12-2 facing the No. 1, Arizona 15-0 in the Country!

It should be a crazy scene!

 

[CatsTopPac]

In some ways I want to say shut the fuck up old man and in other ways he's kind of right.

There will obviously be more than 5K for this one but still... What the fuck! We are still 12-2 facing the No. 1, Arizona 15-0 in the Country!

It should be a crazy scene!

Agreed, this is AZ/UCLA. Shit gets real!