Game Thread: Round of 16: Arizona vs. SDSU

[CatsTopPac]

Hey guys, I was off the grid for the last two weekends, bad news back home and I had to make an emergency trip.

But another Sweet 16: fucking awesome, I don't care if we're a #1 seed. Great to see another 30 win season, and back to back Sweet 16.

This game should be phenomenal: in Anaheim, two schools with monster fan bases showing up for the game. Decent recent head to head matchups.

I'm really torn on how to pick this one. I think that we should win again, but it should be close either way. But, there is always the potential to win by double digits if we can get the offense going. SDSU is good on the defensive side, but so was GU.

Can't wait for this one, hope all is well. We've been waiting a year for this. It's March Madness!!!!

 

[dcZONAfan]

BTFD, and glad to have you back CTP. We were wondering where you were during the game thread Sunday night, hope everything is ok at home.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Hope everything's alright man. Glad to have you back, sir!

 

[CatsTopPac]

Thanks guys. Honestly, my dad passed away on Friday, March 14th. He lost a two year battle to pancreatic cancer, but no one gave him over 8 months. So fuck the docs!!!

Just happy to have spend 32 great years with the man. I didn't know a bigger AZ basketball fan, and so I'm hoping he's pulling some strings for us now.

Also a huge Dodger fan, so maybe it'll be our year in MLB as well!!!!

Anyway, Bear Down

 

[GumbySquad]

Very sorry for your loss CTP. We knew that if you were gone from the NCAA boards that it must have been something big going on.

We will just have to dedicate this year's national championship to Mr. CTP Sr.

 

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Yes, indeed sorry to hear about your loss man. Sounds like your old man was tough as nails! Happy to hear he raised you the right way and shared our love for the Cats. Bear down brotha.

 

[nogicat]

Very sorry to hear about your loss CTP. Glad to have you back!!

 

[gordontrue]

CTP, your strength is inspiring!

 

[gordontrue]

Interesting write-up on how Nick Johnson and SDSU's Dwayne Polee are both the sons of big-time Los Angeles playground legends. Strangely, the two legends never had occasion to play against each other or even meet, despite coming from the same era.


Tomorrow their sons will play each other (Polee didn't play in the November matchup). Polee sr plans on finding Jumpin Joey in the crowd and finally meeting him.

Sons of playground legends finally meet | UTSanDiego.com

 

[gordontrue]

Hope the team is practicing beating a press this week.

SDSU has been using the press heavily recently as a way to slow down the pace of the game and dictate a half-court game.

I think Zona could really use that to their advantage, if they can beat the press and generate easy offense. SDSU excels at not turning the ball over, so I don't expect a lot of easy offense that way, but it would be nice to get it by exploiting their aggressive press.

Ok... 3 posts in a row... I'm done

 

[520GGATO]

Sorry to hear, CTP. Great to know you're handling it well. I don't think I could handle it as well as you, truthfully.

 

[520GGATO]

Aztecs Hiding A Secret Weapon? | NBC 7 San Diego
Uh oh..... I think we should just forfeit right away.

There is nothing like saying you have a "secret weapon" a couple of days before the game so the other coach can prepare his team.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Much appreciated, Gents.

On a much better note, I got accepted into the PhD program at the UofA for Latin American History. I'll be moving back home in July, and taking my dad's ticket to AZ basketball starting next season.

He took me to my first AZ game back in '88, and even took my brother and I to the 2001 FF. Hopefully we can get back!

GS, I saw you mixing it up with a SDSU fan on ESPN. Hoping AZ can match the SDSU crowd in Anaheim. They will definitely be coming out of the woodwork to try and avenge the loss to AZ, be the "best in the West", and go the farthest in March in program history. It's a lot of motivation, but I think we can rise to the challenge!!!

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

Hey good luck you fuckers! Seriously congrats on making it this far. I predicted you guys final 4. (for the record) anything less would be an unsuccessful season for the wildcats of Arizona.

fuck sendek, go to Wake Forest.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Wow... I'm really sorry to hear that CTP. Stay strong brotha... your SportsHoopla family always has your back. Let's win it all for your father.

 

[GumbySquad]

btw... thanks to all of you assholes who abandoned the ESPN boards because you didn't want to make a Facebook account. I've posted 50-100 times this week to represent, but there are now five times as many Aztecs as there are Wildcats.

A damn shame, we used to rule that place.

 

[johnson]

BTFD!!!! This is the first game of the tourney I'm nervous about. If they bring their Weber State game, they lose...if they bring their Gonzaga game, they win. Like to see Zeus contribute a bit more tonight...he's been off the radar a bit lately.

 

[nogicat]

Wont be posting today
I will actually be at the game screaming my ass off.
BTFD
Hope we get this W!!!!!

 

[dcZONAfan]

BTFD!!!! This is the first game of the tourney I'm nervous about. If they bring their Weber State game, they lose...if they bring their Gonzaga game, they win. Like to see Zeus contribute a bit more tonight...he's been off the radar a bit lately.

Our weber st game had us up 20 with 8 mins left. Let's not overthink it, we let our foot off the gas. We won't be doing any of that against SDSU.

BTFD

ps CTP sorry for your loss man. Hope the Cats can win it all for your pops

 

[gordontrue]

I feel like the presence of Ashley in the November matchup is getting overstated.

Ashley was actually in foul trouble for much of that game and had one of his least impactful games of the season, IMO. York had more minutes than he did.