Breakdown: UA wins ugly over Utah
Published: February 11, 2012 @ 4:56pm
Arizona's Nick Johnson (13) shoots over Utah Cedric Martin (43) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012. Arizona won 70 - 61.(AP Photo/Wily Low)
All through the first half the Wildcats could not make a basket including a brutal stretch early in the game where they started 2- for-9 from the field. If it wasn't for those two Solomon Hill buckets, the Wildcats would have been shut out from the field in the first 10 minutes of action.
A 10-5 run to close out the first half rolled over into the second half as the Wildcats caught fire from deep. In the second half, the team went 7-of-12 from deep on their way to a 70-61 victory.
What went right for Arizona? Steals and threes. The team has lived and died on forcing turnovers with their pressure defense and making threes to counter their clear lack of size. Today was no different. Arizona 's 10 steals (six by Kyle Fogg) and 11 made threes were the difference again.
When it was over? Can it be a slump buster, who knows? When Nick Johnson nailed a three with just over a minute to play, he sealed the game for the Wildcats.
Who stepped up for Arizona? Nobody needed a good game more than Nick Johnson, and he got it. Not only did he seal the game with a big three, but he began the comeback with a late three in the first half. Seeing the ball go through the net was just what the freshman needed.
Stat of the Game: 7:0 from Josiah Turner was by far his best assist-to-turnover ratio of the season to date. As a matter of fact, Turner only had 11 games with more assists than turnovers before today.
They said it: "I made a couple shots and Brendon hit some. I see them hit shots and that propels me and they were feeling good today." - Nick Johnson, on the Wildcats' contagious shooting.
What it means: Now the Wildcats stand at 18-8 (9-4) and have a credible record for an NCAA Tournament bid. Despite how "bad" the Pac-12 has been this season, the Wildcats may have a strong enough résumé to make it whether they win the conference tournament or not.
What's Next: The real test begins now for the Wildcats as they travel north to face Washington State (13-11,5-7) on Thursday and get a rematch at Washington (16-8, 9-3) on Saturday. The last three contests between the Wildcats and Huskies have been decided by a combined five points, including an overtime thriller in the championship game of the Pac-10 Tournament last spring.
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