Arizona Basketball: Postgame thoughts after 2018 NCAA Tourney loss in Round 1

The 2017/18 Arizona Basketball season is over as the Wildcats lose to Buffalo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament over Buffalo, 89-68.

We all wanted so much for this Arizona Basketball team to go all the way, or to the Final Four or out at least out of the first round. We wanted this for Coach Miller, we wanted this for the seniors, we wanted this for the guys leaving to the NBA. Fans feel like they were robbed, but Arizona had a great regular season and are Pac-12 Champions.

Arizona Basketball was supposed to take care of business in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Idaho at Taco Bell Arena. The first half was even, but the Bulls came out swinging, in the second half. In all, the Bulls made a total of 15 of 29 three’s. Arizona, in contrast, made only two of 18 three’s. The Cats shot 11 less three’s than Buffalo.

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Four of the Bulls scored over 20 points, four! But it wasn’t just defense that allowed them to score. They were all on fire tonight. Arizona had six players in double figures, with Deandre Ayton earning his 24th double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds). Rawle Alkins earned the team-high five assists tonight, and he wasn’t the point guard.

Something that was said by the announcers that hit me a bit had to do with how basketball is played in the Pac-12 versus other conferences. The Bulls suffocated the Wildcats on defense. Is it possible that the Pac-12 teams get called for the cylinder rule, but that went out the window in the tournament? There was no space to do much of anything. The Cats gave them more room than they got. You can call that better defense, but we are still wondering about that facet of the game.

Arizona was favored by about eight points. After two Pac-12 teams, UCLA and Arizona State, both lost in the pre-first round. Eight points tells you that it was going to be a close game. Kentucky barely beat Davidson in their first round game.

Perhaps Solomon Hill‘s tweet says more than we can write.

Or Ryan Anderson:

Or Arizona Football Quarterback Khalil Tate:

Or Channing Frye:

Here is the postgame press conference. “We got beat, we got beat by a great team, well-coached team, a team that was tough,” said Miller, “They overwhelmed us in the second half.” Miller was joined by two of Arizona’s most winningest players of all-time, Dusan Ristic and Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

The big question is will Sean Miller be the coach of the Arizona Wildcats next season? Don’t think this is the right time to talk about it, let all of this set in for awhile. Let’s us grieve for this season with our Seniors, Deandre, Allonzo and Rawle, and coach Romar. Lorenzo Romar is off to Pepperdine next year, but he leaves with a lot to say about Coach Miller.

More from Parker Jackson-Cartwright:

Allonzo Trier is proud to have played at Arizona.

Deandre Ayton gave his thoughts.

Rawle Alkins gave his thoughts on how well the Bulls shot three’s and more. He did not declare officially yet for the draft. This loss hit him hard, he hates to lose:

Perhaps you may feel better reading what one of our major Contributors Tweeted out after the game.

Brandon Randolph, Ira Lee and Emmanuel Akot are all coming back next season. It’s great that they are not looking to transfer.

Must Read: More on Arizona Basketball from ZZ..

It is what it is, the season is over, and we say goodbye to PJC, Dus, King Rawle, Dre, Zo, Pinder, Trillo, and Denny. Get me a box of Kleenex, that’s what hurts more than anything right now. I have been writing about PJC, Zo, and Dusan for three successful seasons, Rawle and the Aussie Pinder for two wonderful years, and Dre for one glorious year. It’s been my privilege. I hope to see them playing happily professionally or just moving on in life with a degree in hand. All are Wildcats for life and forever in my heart.