After short break, No. 9 Arizona Basketball returns to action

Not having played in nearly two weeks, No. 9 Arizona Basketball (11-1, 1-0) returns to action against Pac-12 foe, the Washington Huskies (5-5, 0-0). 

After nearly two weeks of no basketball, Arizona Basketball is finally back action as they resume play against the visiting Washington Huskies.

As we all saw, this game was supposed to happen a month ago; however, the Huskies had COVID issues, and one month later, we got a game!

Coming in, Arizona enters this one fresh off a tough loss to then No. 19 ranked Tennessee on the road and will look to rebound as they resume Pac-12 play.

The Wildcats are considered the favorites in this one, and rightfully so. They are coached well and have several talented athletes that should give them the advantage over the Huskies.

Hopefully, the two-week layoff doesn’t hurt the Wildcats here and Tommy Lloyd has his boys ready to go and ready to get back on track.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Washington Huskies.

Team: Washington Huskies

Conference: Pac-12 Conference

2020-21 Record: Finishing the year with a 5-21 (4-16) record in 2020-21, the Huskies ended their season with four-straight losses including First Round loss in the conference tournament to Utah.

Head Coach: Mike Hopkins entering his 5th season with the Huskies, Hopkins has compiled a 73-63 (34-39) record after previously coaching at Syracuse for nine games in 2014-15, going 4-5 in that stretch.

Keys to the Game:

Defend the Three – The past few games, Arizona has run into its fair share of struggles in defending the three. Currently, the Wildcats are letting teams shoot 31.5 percent from beyond the arc, and with Washington averaging roughly 20 attempts per game, they are going to need to tighten it up tonight.

No need to let the Huskies get hot from deep and stay in this one by living and dying by the three ball. So, defend the three, and the chances of winning improve greatly.

Attack the Glass – The Huskies are surrendering 41.6 rebounds per game, and with the Wildcats being one of the better rebounding teams in the country, Arizona needs for that to continue if they are going to come away with a win.

So, once again, Arizona has to attack and dominate the glass to minimize Washington’s opportunities to stay in this game.

Protect the Basketball – Arizona plays at a fast pace, averaging 77.3 possessions per game. On the flip side of that, they are averaging 12.8 turnovers per game. In their loss to Tennessee nearly two weeks ago, the Wildcats had 17 turnovers.

As a team, the Huskies average 7.8 steals per game, and they force teams to 17.9 turnovers per game. Against Washington, the Wildcats will need to protect the basketball, and not give them too many opportunities to stay in this one.

Arizona Basketball versus the Washington Huskies game information and details:

Date: Monday, Jan. 3, 2022

Time: 6:00 P.M. MST / 5:00 P.M. PST

Location: McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz. (14,655)

Spread: -22.0 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Television: Pac-12 Network

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

Team Records:

No. 9 Arizona Wildcats (11-1, 1-0): Fresh off a loss to Tennessee, the Wildcats have not played a game in nearly two weeks and will look to get back on track as they begin their Pac-12 slate of games.

Washington Huskies (5-5, 0-0): Entering this game fresh off a big loss to Utah Valley, the Huskies have had to battle several COVID issues, and look to right the ship against a talented Arizona squad.

Head-to-Head Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, Arizona has had the upper hand in this head-to-head matchup, owning a 56-31 advantage over the Huskies.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The Wildcats last played the Huskies in Tucson last February, coming away with the narrow 75-74 win.

My Prediction: Arizona 92 Washington 71 – Despite starting slow against Tennessee, Arizona nearly came back against Tennessee to score the tough road win. However, after nearly two weeks off, the Wildcats will return to action and should have fresh legs against a Washington team that will be overmatched.