Notes/Twitter reactions/Productivity report: Arizona Wildcats vs. Augustana

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ARIZONA PRODUCTIVITY RATING
* — STARTERS
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GLOSSARY:
PP: Productivity Points (Points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocked shots, FGs made, FTs made added together and then subtracted by missed FGs, missed FTs, personal fouls and turnovers)
MIN: Minutes played overall
PR: Productivity rating per minute played (Productivity points divided by minutes played)

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RELATED:
>> Arizona’s final productivity report of 2012-13 season
Solomon Hill led the Wildcats with a .601 productivity rating

VIDEO: @UACoachMiller post-game interview with @catspbp following @APlayersProgram exhibition game http://t.co/O9yKOdCtNS

— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) October 29, 2013

>> Arizona coach Sean Miller said after Arizona’s 84-52 exhibition victory over Augustana on Monday night that freshman forward Aaron Gordon has battled a groin strain for the last five to seven days. Gordon seemed frustrated at times with seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field in 23 minutes.

A sure sign that he was hurting: Gordon did not make a trip to the free-throw line, which means he lacked aggressiveness. Gordon iced his upper thigh in the second half.

>> Arizona had only five offensive rebounds yet missed 28 shots. That’s 23 opportunities lost.

“We weren’t always where we should have been and as responsible as we’re going to be,” Miller said in a postgame radio show. “But we’ll learn a lot. There’s nothing like learning from playing another team.”

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Wildcats defeat Augustana 84-52! Gabe York receives player of the game with career high 14 points along side with Nick Johnson. #BearDown

— UofASportsJournalism (@UASportsJ) October 29, 2013

>> My player of the game is junior point guard T.J. McConnell. All that needs to be known: McConnell had eight assists and no turnovers in 23 minutes. In an exhibition, sloppy play can be expected. In Miller’s previous four years, the Wildcats played exhibitions against Augustana (2009 and 2010), Seattle Pacific (2011), Humboldt State (2011), Chico State (2012) and Humboldt State (2012).

Arizona’s starting point guards Nic Wise, Lamont Jones, Josiah Turner and Mark Lyons did not have more than five assists in each game. Mark Lyons, a shooting guard at Xavier before transferring, had eight assists and six turnovers combined against Chico State and Humboldt State last year.

“T.J. McConnell really stood out; he made his teammates better,” Miller said in a postgame radio show. “Defensively, he put pressure on the other team without fouling (one personal foul in 23 minutes).”

>> McConnell and backcourt mate Nick Johnson combined for 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting from the field (3 of 5 from three-point range) against Augusta. They had 11 assists, only one turnover and four steals (McConnell had three). Way too early to call but this could be Arizona’s best backcourt since Jason Gardner and Salim Stoudamire in 2002-03.

Arizona had 21 assists and only four turnovers.

“Nick and T.J. really complement each other well,” Miller said. “When the game gets fast, they make good decisions and good plays. We’re a much better passing team than last year.

“One of the reasons is our backcourt. They’re able. They’re capable and they’re willing. They want to pass the ball.”

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