Arizona Desert Swarm - 2014 March Madness, Elite Eight: Arizona falls to Wisconsin, 64-63Your No. 1 free source for all things Arizona Wildcatshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46873/ds-fave.png2014-03-31T12:28:44-07:00http://www.azdesertswarm.com/rss/stream/53256772014-03-31T12:28:44-07:002014-03-31T12:28:44-07:00Brooks Reed looks sad as he pays off NCAA tournament bet with J.J. Watt | FOX Sports on MSN<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/brooks-reed-looks-sad-as-he-pays-off-ncaa-bet-with-j-j-watt-033114">Brooks Reed looks sad as he pays off NCAA tournament bet with J.J. Watt | FOX Sports on&nbsp;MSN</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Poor Brooks Reed lost a bet thanks to the Arizona-Wisconsin result.</p></p></div>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2014/3/31/5567684/brooks-reed-looks-sad-as-he-pays-off-ncaa-tournament-bet-with-j-jKevin Zimmerman2014-03-30T12:10:23-07:002014-03-30T12:10:23-07:00Restoring order, if it was ever lost
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<figcaption>Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>People saw a riot after Arizona's Elite Eight loss to Wisconsin, but it was a over-simplification of a complex basketball season.</p> <p>It was called a riot, only because there were riot police. Bullets were <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/status/450149210222911488">pepper balls</a><span>.</span></p>
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<p>Dozens of fans shot by riot officers</p>
— Daily Wildcat (@dailywildcat) <a href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/statuses/450124574802206720">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>CLARIFICATION: Dozens of students shot with beanbags. Apologies for confusion.</p>
— Daily Wildcat (@dailywildcat) <a href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/statuses/450127438153277440">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>Clarification: It was called a riot, only because there were riot police. Bullets were called <strike>beanbags</strike> <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/status/450149210222911488" style="background-color: #ffffff;">pepper balls</a>. Social media took Arizona fans to be hooligans. All of them. Tweets by a student newspaper caught national media attention, and it snowballed.</p>
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<p>Wow. RT <a href="https://twitter.com/KellyPresnell">@KellyPresnell</a> A lone man confronts a line of Tucson Police as <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ArizonaWildcats&src=hash">#ArizonaWildcats</a> fans get out of hand. <a href="http://t.co/7stw5OQ1Ni">pic.twitter.com/7stw5OQ1Ni</a></p>
— Whats Up Tucson (@whatsuptucson) <a href="https://twitter.com/whatsuptucson/statuses/450144189133500416">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>What was called a riot was really a collection of students on a two-block main drag that during most big events is packed full of students. The crowds were dispersed by 10 p.m., and<a href="http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/police-beat/police-fire-pepper-spray-at-crowds-near-ua-arrested-with/article_94f11f6b-9f31-52bf-b21b-48ce95391a01.html" target="_blank"> according to the Arizona Daily Star,</a> only 15 people were arrested.</p>
<p>The headlines on Deadspin, ESPN and even the Star made it a bigger deal than what it was, a few drunk kids -- and hundreds of others just seeking some entertainment -- bringing back the memories to a water-bottle striking an <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.addictedtoquack.com/">Oregon Ducks</a> cheerleader after a football game.</p>
<p>The reality is it was an over-simplification of reactions to a confusing basketball season.</p>
<p>A thing we say around the SB Nation community is that "fan" means fanatic, and some rowdy characters certainly made that apparent after the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a> fell 64-63 in overtime to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Wisconsin Badgers</a>.</p>
<p><iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6g4OtZPfVAY" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>It was called a riot, only because there were riot police. Bullets were <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/status/450149210222911488">pepper balls</a>.</p>
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<p>.<a href="https://twitter.com/Tucson_Police">@Tucson_Police</a> says the only thing launched at crowd are pepper balls. No grenades, pellets or rubber bullets have been deployed.</p>
— Lights + sirens (@DailyStarCops) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyStarCops/statuses/450129516275318785">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>The truth is that those people took their confused emotions out the wrong way.</p>
<p>The majority of Arizona fans saw a year with <span>Aaron Gordon</span> as a missed opportunity. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/29/5562872/aaron-gordon-2014-nba-draft">Gordon is likely going pro</a>, leaving a lot of what-ifs on the table. What if <span>Brandon Ashley</span> had been healthy? What if <span>Nick Johnson</span> wasn't called for a push-off on a drive that would have given Arizona a one-point lead with seconds left?</p>
<p>By the way, a no-call might have simply led to a Wisconsin rebound -- Johnson missed his shot after the offensive foul -- which would not have given Arizona the ability to force a turnover.</p>
<p>Arguably, it was best to get the charge call.</p>
<p><span>Rondae Hollis-Jefferson</span> challenged the inbound pass, and the ball went off the fingertips of Wisconsin's Traevon Jackson, giving UA a final possession with 2.3 seconds left. And what if Johnson hadn't taken one too many dribbles, getting a final heave off after the overtime buzzer sounded?</p>
<p>Bottom line. Arizona lost as its best players missed too many shots, and Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky was too much of a mismatch. Things like this happen in the tournament, even if this Arizona team was viewed all season long as a prime candidate to make a championship run. The Wildcats hit a red-hot team, and a very good one, and it just so happened to be in the Elite Eight, not the Final Four or the title game.</p>
<p>But what does this season mean? To Sean Miller, this was the best team he's ever coached.</p>
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<p>I want to thank our coaching staff for giving it all we had and leaving a season with no regrets...</p>
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/UACoachMiller/statuses/450320631569973248">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>A special thank you to the families of our players for allowing us to coach your sons the Arizona Way!</p>
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/UACoachMiller/statuses/450320734280114176">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>To our fans, I am sorry we didn't take you to Dallas. You make coaching and playing <a href="https://twitter.com/UofA">@UofA</a> an "Honor" for us all.</p>
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/UACoachMiller/statuses/450321019975118848">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>Finally to our team, walk with your head held high. You embody the qualities of "All In" in every way...</p>
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/UACoachMiller/statuses/450321123960295425">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>...You are the best team that I have ever been a part of. Thank you for the ride. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BearDown&src=hash">#BearDown</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23DoWhatWeDo&src=hash">#DoWhatWeDo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23APlayersProgram&src=hash">#APlayersProgram</a></p>
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/UACoachMiller/statuses/450321182223380480">March 30, 2014</a>
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<p>There's now a void to be filled, not only with Gordon leaving -- or any other player who joins him -- but in Arizona fans' hearts.</p>
<p>But this isn't over.</p>
<p>Like last year's loss to Ohio State in the Sweet 16, the projections could make it easy to argue that Arizona is in a better place next season. We're again playing with what-ifs, but these have higher probabilities than those of Saturday night.</p>
<p>If Nick Johnson, Ashley, <span>Kaleb Tarczewski</span> and Hollis-Jefferson return, Arizona will be a year older and much deeper with a five-man recruiting class coming in. The experiences of 2013-14 will linger in their minds. The Wildcats could very well put together another magical season next year, and it's not a dream but a probable reality.</p>
<p>So what was this season?</p>
<p>It's still hard to grasp, but initially, it seems much worse than it did immediately after a heartbreaking loss.</p>
<p>It was called a riot, only because there were riot police. Bullets were <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/dailywildcat/status/450149210222911488">pepper balls</a>.</p>
<div class="storify">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" width="100%" src="//storify.com/offensivelyfoul/arizona-basketball-s-2013-14-season/embed"></iframe>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="//storify.com/offensivelyfoul/arizona-basketball-s-2013-14-season.js"></script><noscript>[&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="//storify.com/offensivelyfoul/arizona-basketball-s-2013-14-season" mce_href="//storify.com/offensivelyfoul/arizona-basketball-s-2013-14-season" target="_blank"&amp;amp;amp;gt;View the story "Arizona basketball's 2013-14 season" on Storify&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;]</noscript>
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https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/30/5564132/arizona-basketball-elite-eight-wisconsin-riotsKevin Zimmerman2014-03-29T20:37:54-07:002014-03-29T20:37:54-07:00Wisconsin 64, Arizona 63 (OT): Three and done
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<figcaption>Harry How</figcaption>
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<p>Controversy and too many offensive struggles ended poorly for the Arizona Wildcats.</p> <p>One shove. One too many dribbles. Too many bad decisions.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> had the answers but not the headiness to beat a <a href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wisconsin Badgers</a> team led by inside-out center <span>Frank Kaminsky</span>, who scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to drop Sean Miller's team 64-63 on Saturday, the second Elite Eight loss in the Honda Center in five seasons for Arizona's head coach.</p>
<p>The Wildcats couldn't use the excuse of poor free throws this time.</p>
<p>It wasn't bad defense or any fault of anyone on the rebounding front.</p>
<p><span>Nick Johnson</span> and <span>T.J. McConnell</span>, Arizona's backcourt leaders, couldn't make the plays needed to win this time around. To assign blame toward two players could be harsh, but this is what happens when the favorites are in position and the hype has been built.</p>
<p>Assigning blame happens because Johnson and McConnell earned it -- they've played much, much better games.</p>
<p>While Arizona's freshmen, <span>Aaron Gordon</span> and <span>Rondae Hollis-Jefferson</span> looked fearless, Johnson and McConnell seemed passive until it was too late. For McConnell, it was passing up open looks off ball movement and forcing long two-point jumpers, sometimes off balance. Johnson had the ability to drive by his defenders, but he often pulled back rather than attacking Kaminsky and Co. -- the UW big man was in foul trouble, by the way -- after finding lanes to the cup.</p>
<p>McConnell missed a go-ahead bucket with 13 seconds left, and once Arizona forced a turnover following a more-than-questionable offensive foul call on a driving Johnson, Johnson took two dribbles too many on an out-of-bounds play with 2.3 seconds left, getting up a shot well after the overtime buzzer went off.</p>
<p>The totals were ugly.</p>
<p>The Arizona backcourt went 8-for-27 and though Gordon went 3-for-11, he more than made up for it with 18 rebounds. Often, it was he and Hollis-Jefferson cleaning up bad misses by UA's veterans.</p>
<p>And the earthquakes felt earlier in Anaheim, Calif., fit the aftermath of the game.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/450108485535932416">Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears reports</a> Gordon has already made his decision to leave for the NBA. Gordon showed all his strengths and weaknesses before what looks like his final game at Arizona came to an end.</p>
<p>Leading by as many as eight points in the first half, the Wildcats got off to a strong start, but missed shots in the paint. Adjustments by Wisconsin saw the lead dwindle to three points, 28-25, by halftime. Kaminsky was the biggest threat for the Badgers, scoring eight points and grabbing six boards in the first half, but Tarczewski matched his opponent with eight points.</p>
<p>While Kaminsky found success spotting up and also driving by Tarczewski, Miller shot a warning signal to Bo Ryan toward the end of the half by switching his center onto freshman forward <span>Nigel Hayes</span> and moving Gordon onto Kaminsky.</p>
<p>The bad news in the first half was Wisconsin grabbing eight offensive boards -- Zeus only pulled down a single rebound in the first 20 minutes -- and keeping pace despite shooting just 36 percent. Questionable calls by the officials helped the Wildcats as much as hurt them; Kaminsky picked up two fouls in the first half.</p>
<p>It was Miller's team that drew more shooting fouls. The Wildcats seemed to get by their defenders with ease, and they attacked the rim much better than they did on Thursday against San Diego State.</p>
<p>Miller also had the ability to go deeper into his bench.</p>
<p>But it didn't matter to Kaminsky who was guarding him to start the second half. He went inside and out, and scored nine points in the first five-plus minutes of the second half. Wisconsin found itself leading 41-36 with 13 minutes left before Arizona's defense awoke.</p>
<p>Hollis-Jefferson threw down a put-back off a badly-missed jumper by Johnson to tie the game with 36 seconds left, and he and Gordon knocked around the Badgers on the glass.</p>
<p>In the final few minutes, Miller turned to a small lineup to match Gordon with Kaminsky, and it paid dividends. With the final possession to Wisconsin and the game tied at 54 with 30 seconds left in regulation, Gordon switched onto Wisconsin point guard <span>Traevon Jackson</span> and forced a short jumper.</p>
<p>Arizona survived but never could adjust.</p>
<p>It was on to overtime, and the Wildcats never found a functional offense. Arizona shot 39 percent for the game, and after an aggressive start began hesitating, the ball sticking. After going 8-for-11 from the foul stripe in the first half, the Wildcats only got to the stripe six more times.</p>
<p>Arizona took a blow from an officiating crew that seemed to make one mistake after another, but this was about the team that didn't get offset by either the opponent or the calls. Wisconsin won the battle of resiliency, coming from behind and in the final eight minutes refusing to let Arizona's usual defensive push bother it.</p>
<p>The Wildcats' weaknesses on offense haunted them, the lack of a Derrick Williams-like fearlessness killing any shot at making up for the lack of shooting or slashing -- or outright aggression.</p>
<p>The 2013-14 Arizona team will be remembered for defense, and maybe moreso for a what-if scenario that included Brandon Ashley.</p>
<p>And now comes the grieving process, something that could be short-lived for Gordon.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/29/5562604/march-madness-2014-arizona-wisconsin-scoreKevin Zimmerman2014-03-29T17:49:02-07:002014-03-29T17:49:02-07:00Wisconsin-Arizona gamethread
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<figcaption>Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Arizona Wildcats face a Wisconsin Badgers team in a 1-2 Elite Eight showdown.</p> <p>No doubt the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a> will have it tough today against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Wisconsin Badgers</a>. How confident are you that Arizona can make its first Final Four under Sean Miller?</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2014/3/29/5562448/2014-ncaa-tournament-arizona-and-wisconsin-elite-8-gamethreadKevin Zimmerman2014-03-29T13:53:25-07:002014-03-29T13:53:25-07:00Reading material for Arizona's Elite 8 showdown
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<figcaption>Jeff Gross</figcaption>
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<p>Read up before the big game.</p> <p>The most distressing read from around the web leading into the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a>' big game against Wisconsin comes from <a target="_blank" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2014/story/_/id/10689963/are-wisconsin-badgers-final-four-bound-ncaa-tournament">ESPN college hoops stats guru John Gasaway</a> (insider required), who breaks down several concerning factors for Sean Miller's team heading into the Elite Eight showdow.</p>
<p>A few main points here. Gasaway finds that Arizona's rebounding rates have dropped considerably through the three <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> games compared to the rest of the season, and that's been the case especially for <span>Aaron Gordon</span> and even moreso for <span>Kaleb Tarczewski</span>.</p>
<h4 style="margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 7px; padding: 2px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 11px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; position: relative; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.234999656677246px;">Arizona's defensive rebounding percentage</h4>
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<th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;">Player</th>
<th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;">2013-14 season</th>
<th style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #c2c2c2; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #d6d6d6;">NCAA tournament</th>
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<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/66320/aaron-gordon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #608fd6 !important;">Aaron Gordon</a></td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">18.7</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">15.3</td>
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<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61552/kaleb-tarczewski" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #608fd6 !important;">Kaleb Tarczewski</a></td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">17.2</td>
<td style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 7px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: #d6d6d6; outline: 0px; font-size: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">8.6</td>
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<p>Also, Gasaway points out that UW center <span>Frank Kaminsky</span> told Madison.com that the team<a target="_blank" href="http://host.madison.com/sports/college/basketball/men/badgers-men-s-basketball-uw-rolls-past-baylor-to-reach/article_efdca5ca-21c4-5804-858e-51e61eb68d42.html"> has been instructed to "make them foul us,"</a> which is bad news for Arizona considering depth -- and that shooting free throws is an easy way to score against a good defense.</p>
<p>Those things we sort of knew. The rebounding issue might be a little less of a concern against Wisconsin, which doesn't seem like it can match up with Tarczewski, though he has not done well in three tournament games so far. And that's why Zeus and UA's interior play was <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/28/5560082/2014-march-madness-arizona-vs-wisconsin-time-tv">my key to the game</a>.</p>
<p>On to some other good stuff from the internet.</p>
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<span><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/24505981/arizona-vs-wisconsin-miller-vs-ryan-and-analytics-vs-old-school">Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports</a> writes on the analytical revolution keeping Sean Miller busy on his cell phone, keeping up KemPom throughout the day. On the other hand Bo Ryan doesn't deal with texting too much, but that hasn't stopped him from seeing basketball the same way as the analytics geeks. Funny thing in there: Dodd notes that Wisconsin doesn't foul much, and while that's good, I wonder if it has anything to do with them allowing dribble-drives and interior shots. The Badgers allow opponents to shoot 34 percent of their buckets at the rim, which is a high percentage, and in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/29/5561216/2014-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight-arizona-wisconsin">a Q&A with Badgers blogger Phil Mitten</a>, the worry over dribble drives did come up regarding Wisconsin. Wrote Mitten: "</span> If Johnson or one of the other guys is able to break down the defense off the dribble and get into the lane, the Badgers are very vulnerable. For one, they sag off of ball screens a little too much, so there are mid-range opportunities against UW. Forcing the defense to collapse also puts Kaminsky at risk for more foul trouble since he'll have to rotate over to help out inside."</li>
<li>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2014-03-28/tj-mcconnell,-arizona,-ncaa-tournament,-college-basketball,-wildcats,-guard,-transfer,-next-opponent">Matt Hayes of Sporting News</a> has a nice story on Sean Miller and <span>T.J. McConnell</span>.</li>
<li>
<a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/97640/chester-toughness-follows-hollis-jefferson">ESPN's C.L. Brown </a>has a story on <span>Rondae Hollis-Jefferson</span>, who like Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan is from the basketball factory of Chester, Pa.</li>
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<a target="_blank" href="http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/tarczewski-changed-fitness-focus-to-preventative-stuff/article_cea9097b-5454-5c85-88b2-8a31d1304095.html">The Arizona Daily Star's Jon Gold </a>writes on Kaleb Tarczewski doing preventative work to keep healthy, his feet especially.</li>
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<a target="_blank" href="http://msn.foxsports.com/arizona/story/wisconsin-can-shoot-defend-and-more-arizona-knows-it-032814">Finally, Steve Rivera of Fox Sports Arizona </a>reports on Wisconsin's scary offense and how the Wildcats expect to combat it.</li>
</ul>
<p>Read as much as you'd like, and if you somehow find a reason to believe this game is anything but a toss-up, please let us know. We have no idea how this one will go.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/29/5561896/arizona-vs-wisconsin-elite-eight-2014-march-madnessKevin Zimmerman2014-03-29T10:07:28-07:002014-03-29T10:07:28-07:00Arizona-Wisconsin preview with Bucky's 5th Quarter
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<figcaption>Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We forgive Bucky for his <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2014/3/28/5558906/buckys-got-the-hots-for-wilma-this-is-sportscenter-photo-album" target="new">Facebook creeping on Wilma </a>and catch up with a more respectable Wisconsin fan. Phil Mitten of Badger blog <a href="http://www.buckys5thquarter.com" target="new">Bucky's 5th Quarter</a> answers some questions about Bo Ryan's team.</p> <p><b>Kevin Zimmerman: So, Wisconsin comes off what I'd imagine is a feel-good win against Baylor. The Badgers' offense thrived against a zone defense, but what do you expect to see against Arizona's man-to-man that has a lot of length that matches up well with the Wisconsin shooters? How will the Badgers attack? </b></p>
<p>Phil Mitten: It's funny you say "feel-good" because the win over Baylor was fantastic, yet anti-climactic. I see videos from Arizona and Dayton fans celebrating their intense wins, but Wisconsin's joy was much more subdued because the game was over pretty early. Against Arizona, fans know that shots won't come nearly as easy against the nation's top defensive unit. Even so, I think you will see Wisconsin go to <span>Frank Kaminsky</span> early to try to establish something inside and hope that once again it opens up some kick outs for threes. <span>Ben Brust</span> is hot right now (18-for-35, 51% on 3-pointers over the last five games), so he will be the key outside shooter is he stays on.</p>
<p>Bo Ryan doesn't deviate too much in his approach. He has been successful countering with halftime adjustments during this run, so it's going to be another classic in my opinion.</p>
<p><b>KZ: Wisconsin runs a similar defense to Arizona. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses against the Wildcats, who aren't a great shooting team but can knock shots down occasionally and can also throw it into the post.</b></p>
<p>PM: <span>Josh Gasser</span> is Wisconsin's defensive stopper on the perimeter, so it will be interesting to see him chase <span>Nick Johnson</span> (presumably). If Johnson or one of the other guys is able to break down the defense off the dribble and get into the lane, the Badgers are very vulnerable. For one, they sag off of ball screens a little too much, so there are mid-range opportunities against UW. Forcing the defense to collapse also puts Kaminsky at risk for more foul trouble since he'll have to rotate over to help out inside.</p>
<p>On the positive side, Wisconsin guards have been incredible all year rebounding the basketball, so Arizona might find offensive rebounds harder to come by against the Badgers. Against Baylor, the three starting guards pulled down 18 boards compared to 22 for the Bears as a team. On the season, the Badgers surrender second chances on only 27% of opponents' possessions.</p>
<p><b>KZ: The Badgers have a lot of scorers in the starting lineup. Between shooter Ben Brust, inside-out big man Frank Kaminsky and forward <span>Sam Dekker</span>, who do you think presents the biggest problem for Arizona match-up-wise?</b></p>
<p>PM: Each time Kaminsky goes out and has a great game, to some degree people are still in awe of how good of a player he has become. So until someone completely stops him, you've got to consider him a tough match up for anyone. He is very versatile. Kaminsky has the patience to execute double and triple moves in the post, plus the ability to put the ball on the floor from about 15 feet out if someone gives his steady outside shot too much respect.<br>I don't think any of the other players necessarily provide a big match-up problem on their own. <span>Traevon Jackson</span> is a very strong 6'2" point guard who can be tough to check when he plays smart, but <span>T.J. McConnell</span> is a really good defender so I'm not sure either team has an advantage there. Sam Dekker is pretty athletic and can do some great things in the open floor, but tends to float around too much in the halfcourt offense. <span>Nigel Hayes</span> could be another key off the bench if he can draw some fouls on the Arizona bigs. The real advantage Wisconsin has is having capable 3-point shooters at every spot in the starting five, which makes doubling Kaminsky tough.</p>
<p><b>KZ: Do you think Bo Ryan will have any tricks up his sleeve? Steve Fisher said he had one before SDSU lost to Arizona, and that trick -- a 1-3-1 zone in the final minutes -- seemed to backfire. Specifically, I'm wondering if Ryan might hack-a-Gordon at some point. I wouldn't blame him.</b></p>
<p>PM: More than any coach I know of, Ryan doesn't resort to gimmicks. He'd rather die than play a zone defense. Wisconsin is also very averse to fouling at any point, so you won't see Hack-a-Gordon. If the Badgers do foul Gordon intentionally, it just means they are behind and making the smart play to extend the game.</p>
<p>As mentioned, giving up too many points in the paint has been a problem for Wisconsin at times this season. And even though Arizona plays at about the same pace as Wisconsin, letting the Wildcats get easy transition buckets would be a really bad sign.</p>
<p><b>KZ: What is the biggest worry for Wisconsin?</b></p>
<p>PM: Biggest worry? That this was all a cruel joke and Wisconsin suddenly won't be able to buy a bucket from outside. The numbers say that shouldn't happen because this team is simply a bunch of great shooters ... the Badgers haven't shot worse than 33% from long distance since a dreadful outing agaisnt Ohio State on Feb. 1.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>KZ: What's Wisconsin's biggest advantage against Arizona?</b></p>
<p>PM: Frankly, it could be UW's patience. This year's team has garnered a reputation as a new, faster brand of Wisconsin offense, but traditionally the Badgers have a "grind-it-out" reputation. So those principles are still ingrained. The reason Wisconsin's approach was so demoralizing to Baylor is that even when they did play a good zone for 30+ seconds, the Badgers never panicked, waited for their best look, and then hit those shots cold-blooded. The team did not get rattled after its poor first-half against Oregon either. They will need that same discipline when they get frustrated against the Wildcat defense.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2014/3/28/5558906/buckys-got-the-hots-for-wilma-this-is-sportscenter-photo-album"></a></p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/29/5561216/2014-ncaa-tournament-elite-eight-arizona-wisconsinKevin Zimmerman2014-03-28T21:28:32-07:002014-03-28T21:28:32-07:00Scouting the Badgers
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<figcaption>Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sport</figcaption>
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<p>Can the Arizona Wildcats hang with the slick-shooting Wisconsin Badgers in the Elite Eight?</p> <h2>Time</h2>
<p>Saturday, 5:49 p.m. MST</p>
<h2>TV</h2>
<p>TBS</p>
<h2>Scouting Wisconsin</h2>
<p><b>How they got here: </b>Wisconsin's resume is certainly impressive. Bo Ryan's squad went through the non-conference season without a loss, and that included wins against No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds Florida and Virginia. They lost five of six near the beginning of the Big Ten schedule, but down the stretch, following a Feb. 1 loss to Ohio State, lost only to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/march-madness">NCAA Tournament</a> teams in Nebraska and Michigan State.</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="pullquote">The Badgers allow 33.7 of their opponents' shots to occur at the rim, which is frequent compared to Arizona's top-10 percentage of 23.7.</div>
<p>In the tournament, UW ripped American 75-35, rallied in a very close game with Oregon, then steadily handled Baylor and the Bears' zone defense that locked down Creighton a game prior.</p>
<p><b>Style game: </b>Wisconsin has a team-oriented offense that can pick apart the best of defenses with ball movement, few mistakes, and very good shooting. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Badgers</a> actually aren't as deadly of a three-point shooting team as you might think at 37.6 percent on the season, but they do have a lot of options. They can spread the court and get open quite easily.</p>
<p>Wisconsin doesn't turn it over much, but the Badgers do have what's been called the best offense compared to any past Bo Ryan team. Bad news for a short Arizona bench: the Badgers rank 13th nationally in free throws attempted, so foul trouble might again be an issue for UA.</p>
<p>The pace should be a bit better than the SDSU game, and defensively, Ryan's squad will go with a similar Pack Line defense to what Arizona employs.</p>
<p><b>Who's who? </b>Six-foot-1 guard <span>Ben Brust</span> is the team's prolific three-point threat who takes more than six per game and hits 39 percent. Guard Josh Gasser takes 3.5 threes per game and leads his team by hitting 45 percent from deep. The biggest issue, perhaps, for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Wildcats</a> is wiry 7-foot center <span>Frank Kaminsky</span>, who shoots 37 percent from deep, and 6-foot-8 forward <span>Sam Dekker</span>, who can also stretch the court a bit. Point guard <span>Traevon Jackson</span> averages 4.0 assists per game and will shoot the three only occasionally but can knock it down.</p>
<h2>Zeus the X-factor</h2>
<p>The main matchups lie in how the Wildcats like <span>Aaron Gordon</span> and <span>Rondae Hollis-Jefferson</span> can defend the three-point shot. It's quite possible that this is a chess-match, where Wisconsin can knock down some shots by getting free, but getting free will be rare to occasional with UA having the length to close out on shots, and the defense to prevent dribble-drives.</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><br id="1396066789707"> But the interesting matchup is at center. Kaminsky is a unique player, and he's coming off an 8-for-11 shooting performance as UW picked apart Baylor's zone. With a thin 7-foot, 235 pound frame, will he be able to combat Tarczewski in the post? On the other end, Zeus will need to contest shots out to the three-point line. That is not only a question in itself -- the outside threat will take Tarczewski out of the paint, which could take away Arizona's best asset of contesting shots at the rim.</p>
<p>The Badgers allow 33.7 of their opponents' shots to occur at the rim, which is frequent compared to Arizona's top-10 percentage of 23.7. Whether it be dribble-drives by Hollis-Jefferson, Gordon -- they made the Aztecs' feet look slow on Thursday -- Nick Johnson, or Zeus at the rim, the Wildcats had best attack.</p>
<p>On the rebounding front, Tarczewski and the forwards won't face a rebounding machine like Weber State's Joel Polomboy or SDSU's Josh Davis, who both battered UA on the boards. Kaminsky and Dekker average more than six rebounds per game, each.</p>
<h2>Good-enough offense?</h2>
<p>Arizona's offense hasn't been pretty. On end, it's been brought up that the Wildcats are at their best<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2014/3/25/5544630/ncaa-tournament-2014-aaron-gordon-rondae-hollis-jefferson"> when in transition</a>, but that's not going to happen against a Wisconsin team that turns the ball over just eight times per game. It didn't happen against the San Diego State, but what did happen was a sneaky good offensive effort.</p>
<p>Even though it was cringe-worthy that two freshman, Gordon and Hollis-Jefferson, had to carry the offensive load, Arizona did shoot 48 percent and score 70 points. How slow-paced was the game? SI.com's Andy Staples has the pure numbers.</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>It was only a 57-possession game, so the final score doesn't hint at the offensive prowess from a limited team vs a great D.</p>
— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyGlockner/statuses/449567299838566400">March 28, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Conversely, Arizona scored 1.23 PPP with <span>Nick Johnson</span> being held scoreless for 37 minutes. Altho his 15 late points made up for that.</p>
— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndyGlockner/statuses/449567568374669312">March 28, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
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<p>Add in that the Wildcats have shown against teams like Oregon and UCLA that they can score with a faster pace, and there shouldn't be a whole lot of worry about Arizona struggling to hang with the Badgers. Arizona survived for 37 minutes without Nick Johnson scoring on Thursday, but another bad shooting effort from him and <span>Gabe York</span> will put Sean Miller's crew in a serious offensive bind against a better offensive club.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/28/5560082/2014-march-madness-arizona-vs-wisconsin-time-tvKevin Zimmerman2014-03-28T20:25:58-07:002014-03-28T20:25:58-07:00Listen: We talk UA-UW with Talking Cheese Heads
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<figcaption>Harry How</figcaption>
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<p>Ben Larson of The Talking Cheese Heads had me on his podcast today to preview Arizona and Wisconsin.</p> <p><iframe src="http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5105579/url/http%253A%252F%252Ftalkingcheeseheads.podbean.com%252F2014%252F03%252F28%252Ftch-3-28-jesse-temple-kevin-zimmerman%252F/initByJs/1/auto/1" width="100%" height="100" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<p>I join Ben at the 1 hour, 6 minute minute mark. Here's <a target="new" href="http://talkingcheeseheads.podbean.com/2014/03/28/tch-3-28-jesse-temple-kevin-zimmerman/">the link to the postcast</a>, which you might need to click through to skip ahead (somehow the embed is erroring out).</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2014/3/28/5560044/ncaa-tournament-sweet-16-talking-wisconsin-arizonaKevin Zimmerman