Breakdown: 'Cats finish Bay Area sweep
Published: February 04, 2012 @ 4:23pm
Arizona forward Solomon Hill (44) celebrates after an Arizona basket against Stanford during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. Arizona won 56-43. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Tough defense and turnovers down the stretch led to the Wildcats breaking away from what was a close, tough contest all day long. After a late three by Brendon Lavender gave the Wildcats an eight point lead, the backcourt began forcing turnovers left, right, and center.
Nick Johnson added the exclamation point on a breakaway dunk after another Josiah Turner steal and look ahead from the ground. That play was the end of any hope for the Cardinal as the Wildcats pulled away and took the 56-43 win. This was the the first Bay Area sweep executed by any Pac-12 team this season.
What went right for Arizona? Defensive execution was the key for the victory. The Wildcats forced nine turnovers, including the seven steals that sealed the win. The game plan on defense was executed precisely in causing turnovers and misses at the rim.
When it was over? With just over two minutes remaining, Solomon Hill nailed a jumper in the lane after not one, not two, but three fakes to get his man in the air. That shot extended the lead to 49- 43 and the Wildcats never looked back.
Who stepped up for Arizona? It was a tough shooting night for all around for the Wildcats, but the defense stepped up to yet another challenge. The defense was sparked by Josiah Turner who pressured all game resulting in three steals and seven rebounds for the freshman guard.
Who needed to step up? The Wildcats got a unique contribution from every player this game. Whether it as Lavender's two threes, Angelo Chol's four blocks, Hill's nine rebounds, Turner's three steals, Johnson's six rebounds, or KyleFogg's three threes. This was an all- around team effort.
Stat of the Game: 25%. That is what the Cardinals shot from the field for the game (16-for-64). The Wildcats are playing some inspired defense despite their noticeable lack of size and depth.
What it means: The Bay Area sweep puts the Wildcats at 16-8 (7-4) on the season and starting to build a resume for the NCAA Tournament. They are now 1.5 games behind Washington just two weeks before their re-match.
What's Next: A homestand against the two newest members of the conference. First is a showdown with 2nd place Colorado on Thursday and then the 'Cats welcome the 11th place Utah Utes on Saturday.
policy>>