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Dusan Ristic was 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and 4-of-4 from the field Saturday against UCLA (ESPN screen shot)
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WHAT IS PRODUCTIVITY RATING?:
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)
ARIZONA 57, UCLA 47
PRODUCTIVITY RATING
* — STARTERS
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Reserve center Dusan Ristic’s productivity Saturday against UCLA in only 11 minutes was by far higher than four starters combined — Kaleb Tarczewski, Brandon Ashley, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Stanley Johnson.
Ristic’s 2.182 mark is also the season-high for the Wildcats, topping the 1.444 productivity rating posted by Johnson at Washington two weeks ago.
Tarczewski, Ashley, Hollis-Jefferson and Johnson combined for only 16 productivity points in a combined 108 minutes against the Bruins. Ristic also topped starting point guard T.J. McConnell, who had a more effective second half in the game to finish with 18 productivity points in 36 minutes.
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Arizona had 14 offensive rebounds and 16 2nd-chance points vs UCLA. Bruins had only 1 offensive rebound and 0 2nd-chance points
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 22, 2015
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PAC-12 RPI RATING
Present RPI ranking of the Pac-12.
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The emergence of Ristic and reserve guard Gabe York (.679 productivity rating against UCLA) shows the resources Sean Miller has as the Wildcats enter the stretch run of the season.
Only four regular-season games remain before the Pac-12 tournament starts in Las Vegas.
Miller has the confidence to turn to Ristic, York or Parker Jackson-Cartwright when the starters are in foul trouble or need to rest. Out of the Pac-12’s top five teams, Utah is the only other team that has solid bench production. UCLA, Stanford and Oregon are extremely top heavy.
The Bruins’ lack of depth showed in how the game was called Saturday. Froncourt starters Kevon Looney and Tony Parker fouled out, as did top reserve center Thomas Welsh. Steve Alford’s team did not resemble a prototypical UCLA program with talent-laden Los Angeles as a recruiting base.
Arizona’s top three reserves — Ristic, York and Jackson-Cartwright — would challenge for a starting role at places like Stanford and Oregon. Alford wishes he could use them off the bench the way Miller has that luxury.
Arizona basketball radio analyst Ryan Hansen produced this stat Saturday night: In UCLA’s 28 games, only twice has a reserve scored in double figures. Ristic and York were each in double-figures by halftime Saturday.
The Wildcats’ reserves outscored UCLA’s bench 27-0. A key stat: Arizona is 20-0 this season when its bench outscores the opposition’s reserves and only 4-3 when the opposite happens.
The fresh legs from what a productive bench provides translates into better defense. UCLA’s 47 points against Arizona were the fewest against the Wildcats in the modern era. The lowest is 32 when UCLA beat Arizona 32-22 on Feb. 27, 1923, in Bear Down Gym.
Arizona had 14 offensive rebounds and 16 2nd-chance points vs UCLA. Bruins had only 1 offensive rebound and 0 2nd-chance points
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 22, 2015
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SEASON PRODUCTIVITY RATING
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ARIZONA PAC-10/12
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
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ARIZONA SCHEDULE/PRODUCTIVITY RESULTS
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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.
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