The Arizona Basketball team looks to sweep the Washington schools. The Wildcats won in Pullman and now facing the Huskies in Seattle to finish the trip.
The Arizona Basketball team (24-3, 13-1 Pac-12) is coming off of a convincing win Thursday in Pullman. Future NBA lottery pick Markelle Fultz leads the Huskies (9-17, 2-12 Pac-12), as they look for the upset Saturday in Seattle. Fultz may be playing against his competition in the lottery, Lauri Markkannen.
Arizona will look to remain at the top of the conference, keeping their one-game lead over Oregon. There is a lot of motivation for the team, but also some worry the players may look ahead to USC and UCLA visiting Tucson next week.
But the main question heading into Saturday’s game is who will be available to play? The Wildcats have faced their share of adversity throughout the season. It seemed as if the team was back to normal, but injuries have caused some concern for key two players.
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Kadeem Allen and Dusan Ristic are questionable for the Washington game. Arizona could be without Allen, who missed the Washington State game due to a gruesome dislocated finger requiring seven stitches.
Dusan didn’t play the entire second half against the Cougars after hurting his ankle in the first half. He played a couple of minutes after the initial injury, but it appeared to be too much to risk in the second.
If Dusan and Kadeem are not available Saturday, the Wildcats will be without their best defensive player, and one of their best low-post players on offense. Arizona will be back to leaning on a seven-man rotation if they cannot play.
Each available player will have to step up to help prevent an upset, just like Parker Jackson-Cartwright did against Washington State. His career-high 20 points, pressure defense, and calmness helped carry the team to victory.
The Huskies are coming off of a loss to Arizona State, albeit a close one. Fultz had a chance to win the game, but his half-court heave rattled out.
Let’s relive the highlights from Thursday night’s pounding of the Wazzu Cougars:
Must Read: Arizona Wildcats Roar their Way to Victory over the Washington State Cougars 78-59
Arizona will have to come in with a different mindset than the first meeting with the Huskies. Although the Wildcats won the first meeting, Washington made sure Arizona worked hard to secure the win. You can watch the game on Saturday, February 18 at 5:00 PM PST/ 6:00 PM MST on ESPN2 and the IMG Arizona Sports Network on TuneIn Radio.