FOLLOW @JAVIERJMORALES ON TWITTER!
[rps-paypal]
[ezcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]
Bill Walton on Cal-Saint Mary's telecast talking about Captain Cook and Sydney Harbour. Fair warning: He's calling Arizona game Sunday.
— Anthony Gimino (@AGWildcatReport) December 12, 2015
— The ever-likable Bill Walton — or despised if you are on that side of the fence — broadcasts his first Arizona game of the season tonight. Key phrases to follow:
– Mentions of Bob Elliott, Fred “The Fox” Snowden, Linda Ronstadt and Lute Olson.
– Word about the Catalina Mountains and Sonora Desert.
– Sean Miller being the “gold standard” of the Pac-12.
— Senior guard Gabe York continues his climb into the Arizona three-point shooting records. Entering today’s game, York ranks 11th in program history in made three-point field goals (153), three-point field goals attempted (390) and three-point field goal percentage (.392) in his career.
THREE-POINT FIELD GOALS CAREER
[table “” not found /]
— Arizona is 22-26 (.458) against SEC schools, which is the program’s lowest winning percentage
against Power 5 conferences. Miller is 7-5 (.583) against the SEC in his coaching career. This will be only the eighth time the Wildcats have hosted an SEC school. They are 4-3 with three of the wins coming against LSU. The last game was the memorable victory over Florida on Dec. 15, 2012, the same day the Wildcats’ football team miraculously beat Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl.
— Three days before the victory over Florida three years ago, Arizona and Missouri announced their home-and-home arrangement (today and then next season in Columbia, Mo.). “This is a great series and will generate the type of national exposure fans and programs want early in the college basketball season,” said Frank Haith, the Missouri coach at the time who is now at Tulsa. “I have so much respect for Sean (Miller) and the Arizona program and when you get two national brands playing in on-campus settings it’s great for all of college basketball.” Wonder if Haith, who resigned from his job via text message before last season, will watch today’s game.
— Missouri sophomore guard Namon Wright is an example of a player who is maturing under second-year coach Kim Anderson. He has improved his game in two distinct ways: rebounding and drawing fouls. Wright is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game a season after averaging just 2.3. He has already attempted 34 free throws after taking just 18 in 2014-15.
— Mizzou has the 16th-youngest roster in Division I this season, according to Ken Pomeroy (kenpom.com). Anderson’s team ranks 336 out of 351 teams in terms of experience.
— The Tigers have three players from Pac-12 country — Freshman guard Terrence Phillips, who prepped at Oak Hill Academy, is from Orange County, Calif.; sophomore guard Tramaine Isabell is from Seattle Garfield High School; and Wright hails from Los Angeles Pacific Hills High School.
Previous result:
ARIZONA 85, FRESNO STATE 72
PRODUCTIVITY RATING
* — STARTERS
[table “” not found /]
[/ezcol_1half]
[ezcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]
MISSOURI (5-3) VS.
NO. 13 ARIZONA (8-1)
media information
Tip Time: 6:10 p.m. MST
TV: Pac-12 Network (Roxy Bernstein/Bill Walton/Jill Savage)
Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network (Brian Jeffries/Ryan Hansen)
THE SERIES
Overall: Arizona leads 2-1
In Tucson: Never met
Current Streak: Arizona won 2
Sean Miller vs. Missouri: 2-0
Last Meeting: Arizona won 72-53 in 2014 Maui Invitational
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 (a Vietnam War POW) 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:
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)
SEASON PRODUCTIVITY RATING
[table “” not found /]
PRODUCTIVITY REPORT
ARIZONA PAC-10/12
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
[table “” not found /]
[/ezcol_1half_end]
[ezcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]
HOW ARE THEY DOING?
Present RPI ranking of non-conference opponents Arizona has played according to KenPom.com. The Wildcats’ RPI rating is No. 19. Missouri has an RPI of No. 169.
[table “” not found /]
[/ezcol_1half]
[ezcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]
LONGEST McKALE WIN STREAKS
[table “” not found /]
[/ezcol_1half_end]
ARIZONA SCHEDULE/PRODUCTIVITY RESULTS
*-John Wooden Legacy in Fullerton/Anaheim (Calif.)
[table “” not found /]
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.
Recommended for you
