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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 65, UTAH 56
PRODUCTIVITY RATING
* — STARTERS
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No. 1 @APlayersProgram was in trouble against @Runnin_Utes but prevailed 65-56. Guess who made the Play of the Game? http://t.co/J1eyTElCFU
— Pac-12 Networks (@Pac12Networks) January 27, 2014
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So this is what it was like in the physical Big East when Sean Miller played for Pitt in the late 1980s.
The strong-willed survived. That era included knock-out, drag-out games with shooting percentage in the 30’s. Nobody gave style points to championship-caliber Georgetown, Syracuse and Villanova teams during that era.
In Arizona’s greatest struggle of the season Sunday night against a formidable Utah team, the Wildcats pounded their way to a 65-56 victory at McKale Center. Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak used the term “smashmouth football” when describing Arizona’s performance.
LONGEST WINNING STREAK
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“I think their physicality and athleticism wore us out,” Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune. “They pounded us on the glass, they beat us to a ton of loose balls and we had a bunch of issues with that down the stretch.”
It was the equivalent of a 9-6 win in football with only field goals. In past years, if Arizona was outscored 6-2 in fast-break points — yes, the Wildcats produced only two points in transition — a loss was assured. Fans would become irate.
Arizona’s four Final Four teams under Lute Olson thrived in the open court averaging 84.9 points in those four seasons. The Wildcats have eclipsed 80 points only four times this season.
Kevin O’Neill tried to win this way when he was a potential replacement for Olson in 2007-08. The program was shell-shocked from Olson’s leave of absence, however, and O’Neill with his frank demeanor did not have the same allure as Miller.
The equalizer to only two fast-break points: Arizona outscored Utah 38-24 in the paint, including 19-6 on second-chance opportunities following a season-high 20 offensive rebounds.
“They had a lot of big guys they were subbing in and out, and it had an effect on us,” Utah guard Delon Wright, a definite All-Pac-12 choice, told the Salt Lake Tribune. “It was hard to rebound against all of that size out there.”
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TOP FIVE ARIZONA REBOUNDING TEAMS
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To say Arizona is winning ugly is an injustice. The way the Wildcats are grinding out their wins is a sight to behold.
Arizona was a combined 6-for-29 from three-point range against Colorado and Utah, and the Wildcats missed 15 free-throw attempts in both games.
They endured their worst team productivity rating (.435) of the season against Utah, but their hustle countered the stats. Aaron Gordon, Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson combined for 26 rebounds, nearly outproducing Utah’s entire team that finished with 29.
Nick Johnson, unstoppable in transition, showed he can be a complete player by generating Arizona’s half-court execution. He converted 9 of 18 field-goal attempts for 22 points.
PAC-12 STANDINGS
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No other player in the Pac-12 is as valuable as Johnson when it comes to generating momentum for his team. His backcourt mate, T.J. McConnell, had a rough two games against Colorado and Utah with only seven points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field. Johnson’s 40 points in the two games overshadowed McConnell’s shortcomings.
Kaleb Tarczewski attempted only one field goal against Utah, a dramatic jam at the first-half buzzer. Gordon and Ashley combined to shoot only 7 of 22 from the field, but Hollis-Jefferson showed he is worthy of a sixth-man award by making 4 of 6 shots and coming close to a double-double with 10 points and seven boards.
While Gordon struggled from the field and free-throw line (4 of 10), he achieved his team-leading sixth double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds).
Nick Johnson is so darned good for Arizona this year. Overlooked, underappreciated.
— Dana O'Neil (@ESPNDanaOneil) January 27, 2014
Where does this team rate among Arizona’s best with a school-record 20 game-winning streak? It’s too early to tell. The Wildcats have resolve. They are resourceful. But we are not in February yet.
When Arizona captured the national title in 1996-97, the Wildcats did not win their 20th game until the first round of the NCAA tournament against South Alabama.
The only other time Arizona reached its 20th victory in January was in 1987-88, with Sean Elliott and Steve Kerr leading the Wildcats to their first Final Four appearance.
Two different paths with similar high-level results.
Arizona closes the regular season with seven of its last 11 regular-season games on the road, starting with this week’s trip to the Bay area.
With Nick Johnson leading the way, and the resiliency of Miller’s lineup, the Wildcats have what it takes to answer the challenge.
LOWEST HIGH SCORE ALLOWED IN A SEASON
BY ARIZONA WILDCATS AT McKALE CENTER
*Four home games remaining
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ARIZONA BEST STARTS
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ARIZONA OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY RATING
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ARIZONA PAC-10/12
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
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ARIZONA AS NO. 1 TEAM
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ARIZONA SCHEDULE/PRODUCTIVITY RESULTS
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WILDABOUTAZCATS.net publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report, Lindy’s College Sports and TucsonCitizen.com.
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