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Arizona senior newcomers Ryan Anderson (12) and Mark Tollefsen lifted the Wildcats past Pacific (YouTube video)
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Pac-12 Networks analyst Matt Muehlebach offered great insight all night while announcing the Pacific-Arizona game, including when he noted Sean Miller did not look as frustrated as he did in his first six seasons in Tucson.
A lot of that has to do with the senior-laden starting lineup. If he was outwardly intense with them, that would be odd.
Of course, his calm resolve also had a lot to do with Arizona never seriously threatened by a shorthanded Pacific team in the 79-61 victory at McKale Center. The Tigers, playing without three starters because of an academic inquiry by the school, shot 36.8 percent from the field but it could have been a lot worse.
.@SteveRivera95 tells you why Sean Miller would have been happy if not for a two-minute stretch Friday night — https://t.co/odTGlMSYvm
— GOAZCATS.com (@GOAZCATScom) November 14, 2015
Pacific made 46.7 percent of its shots in the second half, including 55.6 percent (5 of 9) from three-point range.
The Tigers’ late surge — when Miller inserted three freshmen and two sophomores — was the only time the coach really looked peeved. He replaced the lineup of Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Allonzo Trier, Justin Simon, Dusan Ristic and Chance Comanche with his senior-laded starting lineup at the end of the game.
“The air in the building went out during that two and a half minute stretch,” Miller said about the sequence with the young players, “but it’s a great opportunity to get better.”
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Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:
ICYMI – Final team stats from @APlayersProgram's 79-61 win vs. @PacificTigers. #BearDown #APlayersProgram pic.twitter.com/NV4f284Wh0
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) November 14, 2015
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THE POSITIVES:
— Boston College senior transfer Ryan Anderson achieved his 21st career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He went to the free-throw line 11 times and made eight of them. He was also 5 of 8 from the field.
“Today it was a very easy 18 and 12” head coach Sean Miller says about Anderson. Miller was also “very impressed” with Kadeem Allen.
— DailyWildcatHoops (@WildcatHoops) November 14, 2015
— Gabe York’s three-point shooting (3 of 5) bailed the Wildcats out of an otherwise inefficient evening from beyond the arc. The other players made only 3 of 15 from there. York finished with 13 points in 24 minutes.
— Reserve center Dusan Ristic made his presence known as a rebounder with 11 in 16 minutes. Eight were on the defensive end, matching Anderson’s total.
— The Wildcats out-rebounded Pacific 51-28, including 17-5 on the offensive boards and 34-23 on the defensive end.
— Mark Tollefsen’s first game with Arizona started slow but he ended strong with 10 points on 4 of 8 shooting from the field with five rebounds and three blocked shots.
— Arizona made 25 of 32 shots from the free-throw line, which in recent years was hit or miss for the Wildcats.
— Kadeem Allen was not as productive in the second half but what he showed with his passes (five assists with only one turnover) in the first half was a sight to behold. A scorer in JC, Allen is not looking for his shot; he’s setting up others nicely.
THE OPPORTUNITIES:
— Freshman guard Allonzo Trier, the sixth man in this game, made only one shot out of 10 attempts, belying his sweet stroke. Trier was 1 of 6 from three-point range. He had more turnovers (two) than made baskets.
— Arizona had more turnovers (14) than assists (12). Jackson-Cartwright committed three turnovers with only two assists in 22 minutes. Jackson-Cartwright and Trier, a combined 2 of 16 from the field, will have better days.
OF NOTE:
— Trier and Anderson tied for the team lead with 26 minutes each. Five other players had at least 22 minutes. Ristic played 16 minutes.
— Junior guard Elliott Pitts missed the game because of a minor knee injury. Miller said Pitts may return for Arizona’s game Monday night against Bradley at McKale Center.
"Elliott Pitts is one of our best defensive players.. And you see Elliott's value in a game like tonight" pic.twitter.com/l5fp3194KA
— Gabe Encinas (@Gabe_Encinas) November 14, 2015
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Here's some postgame chats from tonight:
@UACoachMiller: https://t.co/ycvDE1KOco
@AllenKadeem: https://t.co/ePMnrCK59d
#APlayersProgram
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) November 14, 2015
WATCH: @UACoachMiller Post-game Pacific w/@catspbp https://t.co/c1lf9qf8On pic.twitter.com/I6HIDxjutm
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) November 14, 2015
Sean Miller postgame. Raving about Ryan Anderson. pic.twitter.com/LYrVBSV5BP
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) November 14, 2015
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
