No. 4 Arizona Basketball looks to bounce back vs Washington

TUCSON, AZ - Fresh off of getting swept by Washington State, No. 4 Arizona Basketball (20-6, 11-4) looks to bounce back against Washington (15-12, 7-9). 

Once again, Arizona Basketball has come crashing back down to reality. Despite previously riding a six-game winning streak, the Wildcats lost to a superior opponent in No. 21 Washington State on Thursday.

Looking to bounce back, Arizona should have a favorable matchup here against the visiting Washington Huskies; however, despite their record, this is a team that still has the talent to compete and get the upset if Arizona isn't careful.

Overall, Washington has proven to competitive albeit inconsistent team, and for a squad fresh off an overtime win over Arizona State just days ago, getting a win at No. 4 Arizona could help them turn things around a bit.

Hopefully, we will see our Wildcats return to their dominant form and put together a solid performance in this one. Arizona will need to bring the focus and energy from the start if they are going to win this one! Tip-off is set for 12 P.M. Tucson time!

Getting to know the details about Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Washington Huskies.

Team: Washington Huskies

Conference: Pac-12 Conference

Current Record: 15–12 (7–9)

Head Coach: Mike Hopkins. Entering his 8th season as a head coach (7th with Washington ), Coach Hopkins is currently 116–103 (58–70) with the Huskies with an NIT appearance and an NCAA Tournament appearance. He was also named the conference's Head Coach of the Year in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Before he arrived in Seattle, Mike was a longtime assistant under legendary Syracuse head coach, Jim Boeheim. He served as an interim head coach in 2015-16 where he was 4–5 (0–3) and famously helped guide Syracuse to a miraculous Final Four run in the NCAA Tournament.

2022-23 Record: Finishing the 2022-23 season with a 16–16 (8–12), the Huskies ended their year with a first-round Pac-12 Conference Tournament loss to Colorado.

So, as Arizona Basketball takes on Washington, here is how you can watch and follow our Wildcats!

Arizona Basketball vs Washington Information and Details:

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

Time: 12:00 P.M. MST / 11:00 A.M. PST

Television: CBS

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

Spread: -16.0 Arizona. (Don’t forget to sign up with Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings to enhance your overall betting experience)

Overall Series Record: 58-31 Arizona. This is a head-to-head series that dates back to as early as 1964-65 when Arizona beat Washington in Los Angeles. Since then, this series has seen some good matchups over the years; however, it has been pretty one-sided with the Wildcats winning the last seven straight.

Last Meeting: Travelling to Seattle in January 2023, the Wildcats came away with the dominant win, beating the host Huskies by a 95-72 final.

Arizona Basketball Game Preview:

For the second time this season, Arizona Basketball lost to Washington State and has dropped to second place in the conference standings. Even more disheartening, is that the Wildcats are now 0-4 on the year in one-possession games.

Granted, Washington State is a very good team, and losing to them isn't embarrassing in the slightest; however, against a superior opponent, the Wildcats once again got bullied and got away from what makes them a good team.

Coming into this matchup, Arizona should have a clear advantage; however, despite their record, Washington still has some talent. This is the same team that beat then No. 7 Gonzaga, beat Stanford by 20, and lost to Washington State in overtime.

Overall, this is a talented and explosive offensive team that averages 81.0 points per game. Led by senior forward Keion Brooks, the Kentucky transfer is averaging 21.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds.

Beyond that, senior guard Sahvir Wheeler has proven to be a dynamic scorer and facilitator for the Huskies. He is averaging 15.0 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game.

Additionally, Moses Wood and Koren Johnson can heat up quickly and can fill up the stat sheet for the Huskies as well.

For Arizona to win, they will need to win the boards, Washington currently averages 36.6 per game, not let the Huskies get hot from three (they shoot roughly 22.3 attempts per game and connect at 33.9 percent), and attack the bucket.

Hopefully, the Wildcats will bounce back in this one and will return to their winning ways against Washington. Tip-off for Saturday's game against the Huskies is at 12:00 P.M. Tucson time, and the game will be broadcast on CBS!

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