Arizona Basketball: Ayton, Alkins and Trier turn up the heat and beat OSU

Arizona Basketball is now 13-4 and in first place in the Pac-12 after beating the Oregon State Beavers by nine points 62-53. It was a dunk contest within a game.

We all heard Arizona Basketball head coach Sean Miller last week say that he is to blame, that he cannot get through to his team. Is that now in the past? Or was he just upset about losing in Colorado?

Either way, the Wildcats did not come out swinging in this one, even though they were happy to have the Zona Zoo back in full swing. They did, however, pick up the pace at the end of the first half and continued into the second half. It was a dunk fest at McKale tonight and the once the Wildcats got going, there was no looking back.

We break down the two halves for you along with highlights.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Some interesting tidbits:

• Khalil Tate and Colin Schooler went to the game together and sat court side. They both played basketball growing up. Per Tom Schooler, Colin was a Varsity started for three years in high school. (note to parents, it appears that if you want a great football player, have them play basketball too.)
• Tate played against Oregon State’s freshman Ethan Thompson and his brother Steven in AAU Club ball.
• Ira Lee played over the summer in the Drew League with Ethan Thompson and Stephen Thompson Jr.
• I interviewed Ethan when he was a junior in high school at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance, CA before he led his team to a CIF Championship in his senior year. He had an Arizona offer, so Miller was familiar with his play.

Related Story: Ira Lee plays with Ethan Thompson in the Drew League highlights

First half notes:

• Arizona’s defense was lethargic to start the game. Dusan Ristic really played like his feet were glued to the court, but he got better.
• Deandre Ayton got two early fouls and then had to sit on the bench.
• As the defense got better, OSU went cold on their scoring, Ira Lee and Dusan along with Rawle Alkins stepped up on that end.
• Neither team has made more than two three’s Arizona actually shot better than OSU 38% vs. 34%.
• Only two shooting fouls were called, and Ira made his one FT
• Brandon Randolph has three steals, Alkins one for a total of four for the half.
• When Alkins gets double teamed, his team has to help him; they haven’t, this goes for Ayton as well. Sean Miller has mentioned that turnovers don’t only happen because of the player trapped but the players not coming to help them.
• Arizona was held to its lowest first-half score of 21.

First half highlights:
Ira Lee slam dunk, assist from Brandon Randolph.

Slim’s steal and a dunk! Randolph had three steals in the half.

Second half notes:

• Rawle Alkins does so many things on the court that don’t get counted in the stat columns, his defense forces turnovers even when he doesn’t get the steal. Alkins scored the first basket for the Cats, it was a reverse layup.
• Miller pointed out that Parker Jackson-Cartwright pushed the pace (five assists, four rebounds and a whole bunch of things they don’t track in stats).
• Ayton tied the freshman record for double-doubles.
• Allonzo Trier‘s dunk got the energy going in the second half and was followed by a flurry of dunks by Alkins and Ayton. Trier seems to have a better offensive game in the second half.
• Boxscore won’t show it, but Ira Lee came in and gave the Cats a chance in this game, played with energy and a ton of heart. (Via Brian Jeffries)
• Eighth time Arizona has held their opponent to under 40% FG percentage.
• Arizona held Ethan Thompson to only four points.
• Arizona held Tres Tinkle to 47% shooting, way below his average.
• Arizona made had nine turnovers in the first half, and only two in the second.
• Coach Wayne Tinkle had his sweat going tonight…remember?

Team leaders against the Beavers:

Second half highlights:

Ayton steal, to Parker Jackson-Cartwright to Allonzo Trier for a Dunk

King Alkins with a steal and a circus dunk that announcer Eddie House called, “Raguey — because it had sauce!” House called Alkins the winner between the two dunks because of Alkins hang time.

Alkins breaking down the play.

Ayton with a dunk, assist Alkins.

Complete highlights:

Head Coach Sean Miller says Alkins is the “Most versatile member of this team.”

Miller post conference talks about Alkins, Ristic, and a lot about Trier and his former Cats in the NBA (Kadeem Allen, Chance Comanche, Kobi Simmons and Lauri Markkanen).

Oh, and King Rawle has fans in Lithuania!

https://twitter.com/MELOD1P/status/951685545759051776

Let’s enjoy those dunks all at once, shall we?

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Arizona Basketball takes on the Oregon Ducks at home on Saturday afternoon on ESPN2 at 12 pm MST/11 am PST. Time to beat the Ducks at home at McKale!