Arizona Basketball returns to action against Texas Rio Grande Valley

Arizona Basketball (1-0, 0-0) kicked off the 2021-22 season with a big win over NAU, but now the Cats prepare for the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (1-0, 0-0). 

The 2021-22 Arizona Basketball season started with a bang on Tuesday night. And despite a fairly rough shooting night by the Cats, Arizona still came away with the dominant, 29-point win over in-state foe, Northern Arizona.

So with Arizona 1-0 on the season, the focus must now shift for the Cats as they prepare for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Coming in, Arizona should have an interesting challenge on their hands here as this is an opponent that they do not traditionally play, and have not played in over 30 years.

Nonetheless, the Wildcats still enter this one heavily favored, and following their strong showing against the Lumberjacks, head coach Tommy Lloyd and the Cats will look to continue their strong play as they hope to go 2-0.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros.

Team: Texas Rio Grande Valley

Conference: Western Athletic Conference

2020-21 Record: Last year the Vaqueros ran into some struggles, finishing just 9-10 (2-5) in the abbreviated Covid season.

Head Coach: Matt Figger enters his first season with the Vaqueros after previously serving as head coach at Austin Peay, where he accumulated a 76-51 record.

Keys to the Game:

Start Fast – Arizona is the clear favorite in this game, and once again should have every competitive advantage against the Vaqueros.

The Wildcats were a little sluggish to start against NAU before they eventually found their groove halfway through the first half.

Arizona eventually got out in front and cruised to the 29-point win, but moving forward, Cats will need to have a sharper start, especially as the teams get tougher in their non-conference slate of games.

So hopefully, Arizona comes out focused and ready to handle their business, setting the tone early, and cruising to the big win.

Bring the Defensive Intensity – In their two games played (Exhibition game included), Arizona has looked stout on defense. Granted, it is hard to take too much away from the defensive performances merely because the competition hasn’t been great, but either way, you got to love the effort and intensity.

This is a team with a lot of length and athleticism, and more importantly, this group is buying into what they’re doing! Against NAU, the Wildcats forced 21 turnovers, had 11 steals, and nine blocks. I would love to see a repeat performance against UTRGV, but either way, bringing the defensive intensity would go a long way in getting the win.

Share the Rock – On Tuesday night, the Wildcats had 25 assists with just six turnovers in their 29-point win over the Lumberjacks. Arizona did a great job in spreading the floor and getting others involved, and when they do that, good things happen.

Against UTRGV, a big focal point of the Wildcats’ success would be to best replicate those results from the other night. If Arizona can continue to share the rock, get others involved, and spread the floor, they will come away with the big win.

Arizona Basketball versus Texas Rio Grande Valley game information and details:

Date: Friday, Nov. 12, 2021

Time: 7:00 P.M. MST / 6:00 P.M. PST

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz. (14,545)

Spread: -24.5 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your betting experience)

Television: Pac-12 Network

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

Arizona Wildcats (1-0, 0-0): Arizona handled Northern Arizona to open the season and now the Cats look to be 2-0 as they take on the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (1-0, 0-0): Starting their season off with a win over Texas A&M International, the Vaqueros will look for the upset against the Wildcats.

All-Time Record (since 1949-50): Arizona is 1-1 in this series since 1949-50, where the Wildcats lost by 5 in 1983 but won the following year by 25 points. The two teams haven’t met since.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The last time these two teams met was in 1984, where Arizona came away with the 85-60 win in Edinburg, TX. It was Lute’s second season with the Wildcats.

My Prediction: Arizona 87 UTRGV 59 – I see Arizona dominating this one! The Wildcats will have the size and talent advantage, and with the pace of Arizona’s play, as well as their athleticism on defense, this should be a big win for Arizona.