Following their upset of USC, Arizona Basketball (15-8, 9-8) returns to action, looking to pick up the season sweep over the Washington State Cougars (14-10, 7-10).
We are winding down on the 2020-21 Arizona Basketball season, and up next on the list of scheduled games for the Wildcats is their final matchup against Washington State.
As a reminder, the last time these two teams met, Arizona escaped in the 86-82 double-overtime thriller in Pullman. Freshman sensation Ben Mathurin scored 24 points, helping to propel the Wildcats in their win.
Arizona Wildcats
However, coming into this, the Cougars have been reeling a bit. Losers in10 of their last 16 games, Wazzu is also fresh off a big loss to Arizona State, and the Cougars could be without senior do-it-all guard, Isaac Bonton.
Bonton is what makes the Cougars tick, and outside of their talented, freshmen class, it is Isaac that leads Washington State. Without him, there is a major difference on the floor.
Adversely, Arizona is riding high. Despite their disappointing loss to UCLA earlier last week, the Wildcats are fresh off a big win, defeating the then No. 17 ranked USC Trojans last Saturday in Los Angeles.
Even with the Wildcats’ defensive struggles, overall, this is a team that has excelled on the offensive side of the ball, thanks in large part to James Akinjo and the contributions of Azoulas Tubelis and Mathurin.
Coming in, Arizona should be favored in this one, however, the Wildcats cannot overlook the Cougars. This is a team that can still fill up the stat sheet, and they did push Arizona into double-overtime last time.
With that said, as Arizona Basketball prepares for Washington State, these are Keys to the Game for the Wildcats to come away with the win.
Bench Production: Again, Arizona needs to find more consistent scoring options outside of James Akinjo, Ben Mathurin, and Azoulas Tubelis.
Against USC, the Wildcats got great contributions from Jordan Brown, and with his efforts, he was a big reason Arizona came away with the upset win. Now facing Wazzu, there’s no reason why he or anyone else on the bench cannot do it again.
The Wildcats have some talent off the bench, but they need to continue in holding their own, otherwise, the team is going to struggle.
Play to your strengths, get the offense rolling, cruise to the win.
DEFENSE: Arizona played one of their better defensive games last Saturday, and there’s no reason this team cannot do it again. The Wildcat has the talent, they just need to continue to bring the effort and focus on the defensive side of the ball.
Sean Millers‘ defense is tough to run and comprehend for younger players, but approaching the end of the season against an average team? No excuses, defense has to be there if they are going to win.
No upset hangover: Last week, Arizona came into Los Angeles, upsetting the then No. 17 Trojans. For some teams, it creates a bit of a hangover of sorts, however, for the Wildcats they have no time to get complacent. Washington State might be reeling a bit, but Arizona needs to continue to be focused.
The Wildcats will, unfortunately, have no postseason to play for this year, so for the next week, this is Arizona’s “postseason”. Bring the effort and intensity, and don’t get caught up after upsetting the Trojans last week.
Game Information:
Date: Thursday, February 24th, 2021
Time: 9:00 PM MST (Arizona Time), 8:00 PM PST
Location: Tucson, AZ – McKale Center (14,545… 0)
Line: -8.5 Arizona
Television: FS1
Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network Arizona Wildcats (Try TuneIn Radio)
Team Records:
- Arizona Wildcats (15-8, 9-8): Arizona scored the big win over USC, and even with no postseason to play for, now isn’t the time to get complacent. Finish this thing strong and build towards next season.
- Washington State Cougars (14-10, 7-10): Losers in 10 of their last 16 games, the Cougars still have some talent, and even without Bonton, they will look to pick up the win over Arizona.
All-Time Record: 67-17 Arizona. Since 1949-50, Arizona has completely dominated this series, and coming in, I look for this to continue. However, the Wildcats cannot get complacent.
Hopefully, Arizona comes out ready to go, and is able to come away with the win at home. As always, Bear Down, Arizona!