Rawle Alkins, Dusan Ristic lead Arizona Basketball to beat UCONN for the first time

Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald sat court side with the owner of the Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver as the Arizona Basketball team beat the UCONN Huskies for the first time ever.

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The 2011 Arizona Basketball team has something to celebrate tonight! Revenge for losing by two points (65-63) in the NCAA tournament on, March 26, 2011.

UCONN had never lost to the Arizona Basketball team, at least not until Thursday night. After losing the last five games against the Huskies, the Wildcats beat them by 15 points, 73-58. The Cats extended their winning streak to seven games and their non-conference consecutive wins to a whopping 47.

Rawle Alkins turned up the volume in McKale infusing McKale and his team with energy and much-needed points on the scoreboard. Dusan Ristic was solid and efficient earning another double-double, he was everywhere.

Bill Walton, who was trending on Twitter during and after the game, was vehemently frustrated with Sean Miller because Deandre Ayton sat on the bench for most of the first half due to two fouls.

After like his fifth complaint, Ayton got back in the game and immediately was called for a third foul on what everyone could see was a clean block. He gave his advice, “Keep playing basketball.” Walton continued saying that if Dre was a dirty player, then you call the fouls, but not when he is playing beautiful basketball. Had to agree there, horrible calls tonight.

Allonzo Trier was able to play tonight after hardly any practice. Trier ended the night with 35 minutes scoring 15 points as well as a couple of assists. Alex Barcello is still out recovering from an injured ankle. The Cats needed his versatility tonight, and some key baskets late in the second half.

Bill continued to tell a story about how Alkins had told him that when he went up against Dre in High School, he won every time. We asked AP’s John Marshall, with 10 minutes to go in the game, who stood out to him.

He wasn’t the only basketball analyst who took notice, Kevin O’Connor did as well:

Alkins scored a team-high 20 points, four rebounds, one block, one assist, two steals. “He gives us more talent more depth, more room for error,” said Sean Miller post game with the IMG Sports Network. Alkins has scored in double digits in each of his last three games (19 point average) and has averaged 16 points and 4.25 rebounds per game over four games.

Source: ArizonaWildcats.com

Oh, and by the way, Solomon Hill (New Orleans Pelicans) is still watching and supporting Alkins:

IMG’s Brian Jeffries and his color analyst gave Ristic the player of the game award citing his moves to the basket, which he has grown on offense and defense and he has improved enough to not be a liability. They feel that Ristic balances the floor for the Wildcats and agreed that Miller plays Dus and Dre together because their opponents cannot double-team both of them.

Dusan earned a double-double with scoring 18 points, ten rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal. “He deserves all the credit in the world, he’s only been home three weeks in four years,” explained Miller post game.

The officiating was weak in this game, period and just plain wrong in some cases. Zo lost his cool at one point because the call should have been “reaching” but instead because he pushed his opponent’s arms away he got the foul call. Miller was visibly upset as well, and the two were lucky they didn’t get technical fouls.

Tonight’s game had some real doozies! Dusan went up for a block and missed the ball and the player. A whistle was blown. Deandre Ayton blocked the shot in the second half and was called for a foul. Alkins went for the ball, got hit in the face, was reeling on the court and the referee allowed play to continue, resulting in a UCONN made three.

Marshall even agreed with us.

There were a bunch of exciting plays in the game, but this King Rawle demonstrative dunk changed the energy of the game, this and back-to-back three’s:

Maybe the Wildcats were blessed when Walton performed a ritual at the broadcast desk by encircling a saguaro cactus around his co-anchors head. It was actually a skeleton of a saguaro. According to one of our contributors, Peggy McClain, “You can see where the phloem and xylem would transport nutrients in the long cylinders. The center is hollow to store water. By the way, It’s illegal to remove a saguaro from the desert. We’re not sure if it’s illegal to take a saguaro skeleton…Maybe we will find out!”

These two seniors, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Ristic, have not ever lost a non-conference game and have played together for a fourth season now. PJC hit both three’s he shot.

Coach Miller let us in a little secret, Dusan took his shot at sparking the team after their third loss in a row in the Bahamas (Via Matt Moreno).

Ristic is working hard at getting more rebounds, and finishing up his degree. Alkins has clearly brought the energy back to the team, especially when things get lackadaisical. He is proving his worth to the team and getting noticed by national basketball analysts. Just like Khalil Tate, he runs under the radar for some reason, but both have proven that folks should take notice.

Must Read: More on Rawle Alkins from ZZ....

The Cats get to enjoy the Christmas break with family then back to Tucson on Tuesday prepare to take on rival ASU who are now11-0 and ranked No. 3 in the nation. For now, that is. The December 30th game should change the Sun Devils and the Wildcats course if all goes well they win. A bonus would be getting ASU Head Coach Bobbie Hurley ejected at some point; Wildcats fans get ready! Bear Down!