Login

Register | Forgot Your Password? | Close
AP: fa23459e-0afd-489f-bd10-5238f68dc542
Arizona head coach Sean Miller yells a play out at his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Utah at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Wily Low)
It's an understatement to say that things have gone pretty well for the University of Arizona's basketball team so far in the 2012-13 season.

The Wildcats are 14-0 and are ranked in the top five in the nation. But apparently that's not enough.

During Tuesday's Pac-12 coaches teleconference, Arizona head coach Sean Miller asked Dave Hirsch, the conference's VP of communications, why the 'Cats aren't getting any love when it comes to the weekly individual awards.

"Hey Dave, what do we gotta do to get one of our players the Player of the Week (award), is there something that we're missing," Miller asked. "I've seen our guys play, there are great players and teams, I don't want to take anything away from it, but don't you think it's somewhat remarkable that a team can be 14-0 and number three in the nation right now. Maybe we won't win another game, but not one of our players played well enough to win a Player of the Week award?"

Hirsch explained that the awards for all sports were voted on by a panel of employees at the Pac-12 offices each Monday morning. As Hirsch continued his explanation, Miller interjected.

"Who's on the panel? Is there any way that I can figure out who's making those decisions," he asked. "I have a hard time believing it. I look at our tournament in Honolulu and Solomon Hill is the MVP, just give it to him one time, right?"

Hill, a senior All-Pac-12 player last season, averaged 12 points and five rebounds per game and shot 42% from the field in Arizona's tournament victory at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

The following Monday, UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad was named the conference Player of the Week, after scoring 27 points and hitting the go-ahead three-pointer with a minute left in overtime during the Bruins' upset win of then-7th-ranked Missouri on December 28.

listen Listen: Sean Miller wonders why UA doesn't have Player of the Week winners
Arizona head basketball coach Sean Miller isn't pleased about nobody on his 14-0 team being able to win a Pac-12 Player of the Week Award.
Or maybe Miller was reacting to the fact that ASU senior forward Carrick Felix has won two Player of the Week awards this season on a team inferior to his undefeated Wildcats.

Hirsch joked that maybe Arizona would be able to boast the Player of the Year at the end of the season if their team success continues.

"You can't become the Player of the Year if you don't win one player of the week, right," Miller retorted.

In the interest of full disclosure, Hirsch is a former Arizona baseball player and graduated from the school in 1986, so this may have been nothing more than one Wildcat ribbing another.

4 Comments   |   Join the conversation »
  • Add A Comment 
  • Abuse
    Supa-main wrote...
    Even team play
    Other teams have one or two above average players that have to carry the load while Arizona has a whole team loaded with talented players that distribute pretty evenly. These awards are bases on stats and the fact is the wildcats have stayed balanced all season so the stats don't really WoW you
  • Abuse
    Patrick Peterson's Talent wrote...
    Miller
    I love Sean. Best coach in the PAC 12. Truly cares about his kids.
  • Abuse
    CardzGoHard wrote...
    @PatricksPeterson'sTalent
    Absolutely, hope he wont leave for any other job he should continue working this Powerhouse into thee Premier job in the country. I'll understand if leaves for Duke or North Carolina although it would devastating Coach K and Roy Williams will retire someday, Kentucky Kansas or anywhere else were competing too heavily with. I hope he sticks around long enough he's easily a top 10 top 5 coach in this Country.
  • Abuse
    lddubois wrote...
    Wahhh waaaahhhh
    What is he crying about? I mean come on, Hill's 12 point, 5 rebound tournament doesn't even qualify as a good game, let alone a good week.
Standings
Schedule
Team Leaders
close

Share: