Arizona Basketball: Sean Miller says Wildcats got their ass kicked by Colorado

We have never heard Arizona Basketball Head Coach Sean Miller speak about his own failings to this degree as he tells the media he feels the Wildcats got their asses kicked by Colorado.

The Arizona Basketball team is no longer undefeated on the mainland (Thanks, Bruce Pascoe, for reminding us) and drop one on the road to the Colorado Buffaloes.Too many open shots, too many easy shots, and lack of energy and more were to blame for the three-point loss. Head Coach Sean Miller took the blame for the loss telling th e media that he did not get the team ready, “We did a terrible job, and I didn’t get the team ready.”

Miller mentioned the quick turnaround flying in last night and playing quickly after, “I didn’t have them ready today, that’s for sure.”

Miller says his players don’t play hard for him, he has a great team, and he is having a hard time motivating his players to keep them in the game. He said that It’s hard to get the guys to run fast, and he blamed himself. “I can’t reach them, I really can’t — we have a long road ahead of us, and it doesn’t get easier — I can’t get these guys to play for me.”

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Miller learned from ASU Head Coach Bobby Hurley not to say anything about the officiating although you have to think that he really wanted too.

The Wildcats only lost by three points, 80-77. That is because of Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Deandre Ayton and especially Rawle Alkins push at the end of the game. In my humble opinion, the big issue was how cold the Cats were in shooting along with the apparent lack of help-side defense and energy. The team took 20 more shots than the Buffs and still lost the game (73 shots, made 36% vs. 53 shots, made 55%).

As far as the lack of energy, altitude adjustment is a thing. Getting used to it can take days, take it from me. Colorado Football Head Coach Mike MacIntyre once told me that the taunt their opponents by posting a sign about altitude in the opposing teams’ locker room. That said, some players seem to have a lack of energy, while others hustled from whistle to whistle.

The first half was dismal. The Wildcats were outscored by 16 points and were down by 20 points at one time (44-24) with 3:33 left in the first half. They came back to within 16 points, 45-29 before going into the locker room.

Miller gave a lot of credit to McKinley Wright, the Colorado freshman point guard who scored a team-high 16 points. He called his brother dumb for not recruiting him harder, said, “He has his own problems,” (probably a joke). The Buffs had five players scoring in double digits, and the Wildcats had only three.

The officiating stunk to high heaven in this game.

The games in the Bahamas were losses, but none of us were complaining about the officiating. The refs in Colorado seemed to call the game in Arizona’s favor for the first few minutes, and then for Colorado almost the rest of the game. What was a foul on Rawle Alkins (actually a block) was not a foul against Alkins on the other side of the court, in fact, they called a critical foul on Parker Jackson-Cartwright for pushing in the back.

Our bigs Ayton and Dusan Ristic both seem to be fouled consistently when shooting or getting near the basket, yet no fouls were called. If you don’t call those fouls, then the other team knows what they can get away with, and will continue to abuse the situation. It doesn’t help if you go soft to the basket with floaters over the backs of your opponents which is what you saw Ristic often do, but when either he or Ayton went strong to the basket, then they usually got their two points.

If you think Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle is an angel because he was not named in any probe, look at what he had to say postgame after yet another court-storming (they didn’t get fined against ASU for this, which is regrettable because they left someone in a hospital overnight according to the Pac-12 announcers):

We will just leave that there for ya.

Positives:

• Ayton continues to score in double digits.
• Alkins continues to show why he should go high in the NBA draft, seems to be the only player on the court at times that wants to win at all costs.
• Jackson-Cartwright was extremely active and at times made a difference in the game, his eight assists as well as Alkins five assists stat could have been a lot higher if their teammates could have hit some more of their shots.
• Allonzo Trier‘s miracle layup with a huge highlight and fun to watch.
• Emmanuel Akot got some minutes and hit a three.

Here are some highlights:

“Arizona can’t believe this! Rawle Alkins a gift from the heavens, that is a great defensive play!” – Bill Walton on a foul call against the King that was a clean block.

Zo’s miracle lay-up, wow!

Dre doing bully type things!

Former Arizona Wildcat Kevin Parrom had this to offer fans after the game:

Must Read: More on Arizona Basketball from ZZ..

The Wildcats come back to only 2,390 feet above sea level today, and the team along with their coach need to do some more soul-searching. I think Miller was a little melodramatic today, and maybe he needs to change the way he coaches during the game, maybe leave a timeout for the end of the game, maybe he should change up his defense and throw a zone or press? I offered up six strategies that could help the Wildcats win games after the Atlantis debacle. But who am I to suggest anything?