Preview: Arizona Basketball looks to rebound versus Montana

It’s time to focus for Arizona Basketball (7-4), as the Wildcats look to get back on track against a tough Montana Grizzlies (6-3) team this Wednesday.

Can someone check in on this squad? Just 11 games into the year, and I feel like the season is already on life support for the Arizona Basketball team.

Coming into the year, we knew this team was going to struggle a bit. The FALSE, ESPN story did damage to Arizona’s image, ultimately affecting their recruiting class, the Wildcats hired two new assistants, and lastly had to piece together a roster with graduate transfers, etc. just to have a competitive group.

Arizona Wildcats

Nonetheless, through the first nine games, I think this team had met and/ or exceeded expectations, winning the games they were supposed to, and losing to two, terrific, Top 10 teams in Gonzaga and Auburn.

At that point, it still looked as if we might be okay. Fast forward a couple more weeks, and Arizona has shown some glaring issues. Inconsistent effort, poor rebounding, bad energy, whatever it is, it has not been “Arizona” of late.

Nearly two weeks ago, the Wildcats traveled to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. Things looked okay from the start, but spiraled out of hand quickly, as the Wildcats fell behind by 19 nearly 13 minutes into the first half.

The resilient group would try their best to rally, but ultimately came up short on the road in a losing effort.

Then came their game against Baylor on Saturday. Arizona’s performance in that game in a word was, UGLY!

The team was flat, emotionless and just completely uninspired in that game. That game was so bad, the Wildcats had just 39 points with over three minutes to play in the game. Even worse was their rebounding effort, or lack thereof. The Bears dominated the glass by a 51-19 margin.

To make matters worse, that Baylor team just lost at home to Division IAA, Stephen F. Austin… yikes!

If the Wildcats are going to turn things around, they’re going to need a witch doctor, some serious luck, or how about just plain giving a damn.

Montana will come to town looking to take it to a reeling Wildcats squad, and here is our preview of that match-up.

Keys to the Game:

Effort- This goes without saying. I really liked how this team would fight earlier in the year, now, I question a bit of their effort.

That Baylor game was bad beyond bad, and needs to be erased from history, but alas we can’t do that and perhaps the team can use it as motivation to never play like that ever again.

I don’t know if this is a fringe NCAA Tournament team, and perhaps they are not, but the Pac-12 is wide open (if no one has been paying attention) and that should be enough for this group of competitors to focus and get after it.

There’s still plenty to play for, but you got to want it. Us, spoiled and slightly narcissistic fans can’t want for the team, they have to go out and compete night-in and night-out and leave it on the floor!

Rebound– I know this team doesn’t quite have the size we’ve been accustomed to in recent years, but literally rebounding takes effort (a ha… see point above). There’s no magical formula or scheme that’s going to put Arizona in a better position to get rebounds, no, getting the ball is about fighting for position and getting to the ball.

Being out-rebounded 51-19 is embarrassing and should never happen again. Fight for position, box out, contend for rebounds. Moving forward, you have to get better here, or you’re going to have more performances like the one we had against Baylor.

Confidence- I don’t know how they’re going to get it, but there’s an expectation when playing at Arizona, that you expect to win and know you’re going to win any time you step on the floor.

Right now this team seems to be playing a bit as if their tail is between their legs. I am not sure how we can shake this, but we need to get our confidence back, and start playing with a bit of an attitude and swagger that we had at the beginning of the season.

Start winning some games again and try and build off that!

Game Information:

Time: 6:30 pm MST/ 5:30 pm PST

Location: Tucson, AZ- McKale Center (14,545)

Line: -9.0 Arizona

Television: Pac-12 Network

Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network Arizona Wildcats (Try TuneIn Radio) or 107.5 KHYT (Tucson)

Team Records:

Arizona Wildcats (7-4, 0-0): The Wildcats dominated to open the year, but have hit a bit of a wall as of recent, losing back-to-back games against Alabama and to Baylor at home.

Montana Grizzlies (6-3, 0-0): Montana has struggled at times this year, but has shown to be a scrappy basketball team. They are fresh off a win over North Dakota State and look to upset Arizona at McKale.

All-Time Record: Since 1949-50, Arizona leads the overall series 1-0. This will be just the second time these teams have met, with the last meeting coming during the 1995-96 season, when the Wildcats won 84-66 inside McKale Center.

The Grizzlies have some talent, but are definitely a different team from that squad that finished 26-8 (16-2) last season under head coach Travis DeCuire. Montana lost to then NCAA finals runner-up Michigan in the first round last season by a 61-47 margin.

Arizona “should” be able to win this one, but you never know, anything can happen as we’re finding out with this team.

Watch head coach Sean Miller speak with the media following their loss to Baylor.

At Zona Zealots, we’re hopeful the Wildcats can bounce back and have a better effort moving forward, especially against Montana! Bear Down, Arizona!