Arizona Basketball and Dusan Ristic sweep Utah Utes this season

Rawle Alkins-less again, Dusan Ristic and his Arizona Basketball team had their way with the Utah Utes winning by just one measly point, 74-73.

It was difficult to stomach, pictures of Rawle Alkins not suited up, but this is giving other players, like Dusan Ristic (who embraces the savage life), a chance to gain some confidence. Head coach Sean Miller needs Alkins healthy, and the team handling Alkins recovery decided to have the Wildcat cheer and lead from the bench for the second time this week.

The Wildcats were extremely impressive in the first half. Not only did they collectively make 70% of their field goals, but they also made 78% of their threes and 100% of their free throws. Parker Jackson-Cartwright made two threes and led the team with 10 points in the half. He would end up with 12 points and six assists.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The second quarter went swimmingly well until PJC got called for his fourth foul. The Wildcats were up by 10 or more points up until the five-minute mark when the Utes made a run for it, and Arizona stopped getting calls.

The Cats found themselves in another dogfight or catfight, and Dre took a charge but was called for a foul. Dusan Ristic blocked a shot, but it was called a foul. Miller got mad. Wildcats fans got mad. But the team had to keep their cool. If Dus can hit two three’s, the Cats can win this game, right?

Miller kept both Allonzo Trier, PJC and Ristic in the game with four fouls. Remember the Utes pulled off an overtime upset in Tempe against ASU. These three players were keeping the Cats in the game, but four Cats were in double figures.

Dusan is really feeling his oats now, and he hit his third three-pointer after a rebound and put the cats up 72-68 with 1:30 left in the game, and had racked up a career-high 21 points. Miller, apparently, did not want Ristic to shoot another three, but then again, when you are on, you are on and after the game laughed about it. Check out Miller’s reaction before during and after the shot.

Ristic added seven rebounds to his career total of 539 ending the night with 546 rebounds in his career. With that final three, Ristic passed 1,000 points ending up with 1,003 points total in his career.

As far as the officiating, there were some more questionable calls. One on Allonzo Trier and one on Dusan. Here they are, you decide:

The defense was tight going down the stretch, but the Utes would not go away. Deandre Ayton passed the ball to Dusan, and Dus was fouled, and sunk his next two points, now at 23.

Utes missed a three. The Cats were only up by four points so then what you didn’t want to see happen. Trier dribbled into the corner then lost the ball trying to get fouled beyond the arc. The ball went the other way, and Utah lost the ball, Arizona caused a turnover, bodies scrambled, Utah’s got the ball back and David Collette made a three ahead one point Trier was called for a foul with 4.3 seconds left.

Utah ball, Arizona 74, Utah 73.

Miller called a timeout.

On the inbound play, Utah went for a quick layup, and Ayton stood straight up and missed. Keanu Pinder rebounded the ball and held on. Pinder got fouled with .3 seconds left.

Pinder missed the free throw, but with .3 left, not much the Utes could have done, and the buzzer rang out at McKale as the crowd roared.

https://twitter.com/unrulymino0/status/957435162819682304

Miller thanked the crowd and the Zona Zoo for coming through and helping the team win. He also mentioned that Ristic works very very hard. He’s the first to the gym, the last to leave, he’s sacrificed time with his family – he’s are teams heart and soul in a lot of ways – we are all happy for him.” said Miller.

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Arizona squeezed out another nail-biter without their King Rawle. The Cats really need him for the team to be dominant. They seem to lose steam at the end of the game. Miller mentioned in in the post-game presser; the announcers always talk about it as well. The silver lining is that Ristic, Randolph, and Smith are building confidence, the confidence they need to carry the team through March. For that, we should be grateful.