2019-2020 Basketball Guide by Arizona Daily Wildcat

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2019-2020 Basketball Guide

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B2 • The Daily Wildcat

Basketball • Thursday, November 7, 2019 Pg. 3 WNIT, what it means for the team

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The Daily Wildcat • B3

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

SPORTS | WHAT TO EXPECT

What to expect from women’s basketball BY JOHNNIE MITCHELL @johnniemitchh

Getting better by one percent every day amounts to a lot by the end of the season, and that is the exact expectation and goal for the Arizona women’s basketball team. The Wildcats are getting closer and closer to their season. The Pac-12 conference is highly stacked, with five Pac-12 women’s basketball teams ranked in the top 25 and two in the top three. Oregon is the No. 1 team in the country, according to multiple polls, and has the reigning player of the year, Sabrina Ionescu. But the hope for Arizona is to be ranked and be in the top half of the conference. “Can we? I think we can, if we embrace what we are doing and we are hungry,” Head Coach Adia Barnes said. “I think we are there, I just don’t know how we are going to respond yet.” Putting the Wildcats in a position where they are responding well comes from a process of getting better one day at a time. Arizona finished off the season last year winning the WNIT, so the Wildcats have a lot of confidence and momentum going into the season to be better. The best way for them to do that is by using their momentum and setting expectations higher. To do this, they have to hold each other accountable as a team. “I think good teams are when the coaches hold players accountable, but I think great teams are when players can put each other in place,” Barnes said. “The championship teams I’ve been a part of have been like that.” Barnes knows that a big part of consistently getting better comes by having excellent

leaders. That is why Barnes describes her team as either lions, lion cubs or zebras. The lions are the already-established leaders, the lion cubs are the women she’s focusing on developing into leaders and the zebras just kind of go with the flow. “It starts with me doing the things I need to do, making sure I’m on top of things and making sure I’m not lacking in anything,” Aari McDonald said. “I know everyone does look up to me, I’m just trying to make sure I’m always on the right track and stepping out of my comfort zone by talking and encouraging more and more.” McDonald, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, has the same expectation as her head coach. “We are looking to do better things like competing harder, rebounding well … We struggled with that … scoring more and getting up and down that court,” McDonald said. In addition to performing better, McDonald pointed out that fans should expect some really good teamwork. The Wildcats have a ton of selfless players on the team and are excited to show off their energy and enthusiasm through touches, high fives and chest bumps. Having a team expectation to simply get better doesn’t mean they’ll get better overnight. It means that everyone is dedicated to putting their best foot forward for the betterment of their team. The Wildcats want to help each other work toward getting ranked and eventually making the NCAA tournament. That and even going further in the tournament are the goals for this year.

GRIFFIN RILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

THE ARIZONA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL team poses with its trophy after defeating Northwestern in the WNIT Championship by winning 56-42.

BEAU LEONE | THE DAILY WILDCAT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH Adia Barnes is surrounded by two familiar faces: athletic director Dave Heeke and softball Head Coach Mike Candrea.

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B4 • The Daily Wildcat

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

BASKETBALL | CONFERENCE RANK

The Pac-12 to be one of the best basketball conferences in country BY JACK COOPER @jackwcooper23

Men’s basketball

The Pac-12 is notoriously known for underachieving, especially during basketball season. They have only had one Final Four appearance in the last ten years (Oregon, 2017). But this year, the Pac-12 has plenty of good teams that should make the tournament and could possibly make a run. Here is a quick look at the top teams in the Pac-12. Arizona: The University of Arizona came in ranked No. 21 in the preseason Associated Press poll, largely in part due to their highly reagrded freshman class and incoming transfers. Nico Mannion and Josh Green were both top-10 recruits, but it could be Zeke Nnaji who ends up being one of Arizona’s best all-around players. Nnaji is a four-star recruit from Minnesota, and Head Coach Sean Miller has nothing but praise for him. Miller has mentioned multiple times during press conferences how Nnaji has been better and more developed than they first thought. Oregon: The University of Oregon was picked in the preseason Pac-12 poll to win the conference, according to a media poll. The Ducks were the only other conference team to make the AP preseason poll and checked in at No. 15. Oregon is led by Payton Pritchard, and they bring in five-star N’Faly Dante and four-star C.J. Walker. The Ducks will have plenty of experience, and with three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year Dana Altman, Oregon will be a top team in the conference. While Arizona and Oregon were the only two teams ranked in the AP preseason poll, both the University of Colorado and the University of Washington were picked ahead of Arizona in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes and Huskies were the next two teams receiving votes outside of the top 25. Colorado will have plenty of experience since they only have two freshmen on the entire roster. Washington, on the other hand, will have two top-10 recruits with Isiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels, and, put with two-time Coach of the Year Mike Hopkins, the Huskies have a really good chance to win the regular season championship again.

AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

SEAN MILLER IS THE head coach of Arizona’s men’s basketball team. Miller has been under a lot of scrutiny from a federal investigation due to his performance as head coach.

This is what the entire preseason Pac-12 media poll looks like: Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Arizona, USC, ASU, Oregon State, UCLA, Utah, Stanford, Washington State and California.

Women’s basketball

Pac-12 women’s basketball is one of, if not the most, competitive conferences from top to bottom. There are five teams ranked in the preseason AP top 25, including the No. 1 team in the country, the Oregon Ducks. Here is a look at some of the top teams in the Pac-12 this year. Oregon: Sabrina Ionescu is the best player in college basketball. She is the all-time leader in triple-doubles and won the 2019 John R. Wooden award along with Zion Williamson. The award is given to the best men’s and women’s basketball players for that year. The Ducks made it to the Final Four last year but fell to Baylor in the semifinals. The team is loaded again this year and has all the pieces to make it to the Final Four — and maybe even further. Stanford: Stanford has been one of the best teams in the Pac-12 for years now. They

always seem to be ranked in the top 10 and are always near the top of the conference, and this year will be no different. The Cardinals are ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll and won the Pac-12 tournament last year. Stanford are retooled this year with the addition of the No. 1 recruit in the country, Haley Jones. They also added the 15th player in the class, Ashten Prechtel. Stanford made it to the Elite Eight last year but will be looking to go further and possibly even get another championship. Oregon State: The Beavers check in at No. 7 in the AP preseason poll this year. OSU was able to finish last year with a 24-7 record, which was good enough for a four-seed in the NCAA tournament. They also added two top-100 recruits with Kennedy Brown and Taylor Jones. OSU will be another force to be reckoned within the Pac-12 and should finish around third or fourth in the conference. The rest of the Pac-12 preseason media poll is as follows: Oregon, Stanford, Oregon State, UCLA, ASU, Arizona, Utah, USC, Washington, Washington State, California, Colorado.

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UA FRESHMAN FORWARD SEVVAL Gül (12) at the free throw line after getting fouled on Oct. 27, 2018 at the McKale Center. UA women’s basketball beat Eastern New Mexico by a score of 88-31 in the first exhibition game.

The Daily Wildcat • B5

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

BASKETBALL

Who are the new guys? A look at UA’s new freshmen BY AUSTIN WALES @austinwales4

Arizona men’s basketball is set for a terrific year and the main reason is two freshmen: Josh Green and Nico Mannion. Arizona’s ranked No. 6 in the nation, behind powerhouses Kentucky, Duke, Oregon, Villanova and Memphis. Green and Mannion were five-star recruits out of high school, and Mannion has already been selected to the preseason All-Conference First Team. Green has been selected to the preseason All-Conference Second Team. Mannion, a point guard and shooting guard, attended Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, where he won two straight state championships. He will look to take over for Brandon Williams, who will be missing this season after undergoing knee surgery. Mannion should be a heavy contributor to this Arizona team this year, as he averaged 30.4 points a game as a senior. His ability to score from both beyond the arc as well inside is one of the best in the nation and his passing ability should also be on display this season as he averaged 6 assists a game his senior year at Pinnacle. Mannion has considerable hops for his 6’3” frame, so dunking is no problem for him as well. Green, who attended the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is expected to be a big contributor for the Wildcats; he has a tremendous ability to shoot off the dribble but also drive to the hoop as well. One of the biggest draws to Green’s play is his athleticism to be able to guard multiple positions. “Tremendous athlete, very physical player,” Miller

said on Green. “Has really long arms. I think his wingspan is right around 6-foot-11.” Green is coming off recent shoulder surgery after he dislocated his shoulder last spring, but he’s been recovering well. He’s already been cleared to play for the 2019-2020 season for the Wildcats. Green and Mannion already have a good chemistry, as they both played in the McDonald’s All-American Game last March. Both had great high school success and when playing together at the AllAmerican Game, they complimented each other well. Mannion is better known for his passing and Green more known for his dunking, so fans should expect to see some high-flying alley-oops this season between the two. Both Green and Mannion went to the Pac-12 media days earlier this month in San Francisco as well, becoming the first freshmen to attend it since Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo in 2007-2008. Head Coach Sean Miller seemed confident in his freshmen, as he said. “They both are going to be counted on heavily and made decisions to come to our school at a pivotal time. I think it’s a great experience for them and really a sign of things to come because freshmen today aren’t really freshmen. A lot of times, they’re counted on heavily, and really all of our freshmen will be counted on this year.” The Wildcats are ranked No. 21 in the nation, mainly because of the duo of Green and Mannion. The Wildcats’ season starts Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. against Northern Arizona University at McKale Center.

AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

WILDCAT NICO MANNION RUNS down the court during the Arizona-Chico State game at the McKale Center on Friday Nov. 1. At halftime, Arizona was down 32-31.

WILDCAT JOSH GREEN JUMPS up towards the basket to score another point during the Arizona-Chico State game at the McKale Center on Friday, Nov. 1. Arizona defeated Chico State 74-65.

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B6 • The Daily Wildcat

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Daily Wildcat • B7

MEN’S SCHEDULE | BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL | WOMEN’S SCHEDULE

Arizona women’s basketball schedule breakdown Nov. 5: North Dakota, 6:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 8: Santa Clara, 6:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 12: Chicago State, 5 p.m., Chicago, Ill. Nov. 17: Texas, 12 p.m., Austin, Texas Nov. 20: Prairie View A&M, 11 a.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 24: Montana, 2 p.m., Missoula, Mont. Nov. 29: USC Riverside, 4 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

Then the start of the conference play begins on the cusp of the new year on Dec. 29. The Wildcats open conference play away from home against bitter rival ASU. In the last meeting between the two rivals, the Wildcats lost 60-47. The Wildcats will be looking to bounce back this year against the Sun Devils, who were ranked No. 20 last year. The reverse fixture between the two teams will take place on Jan. 24. Arizona continues their road trip after taking on ASU to face USC. Last year when they last faced off, the Wildcats mauled the unranked Trojans on route to a 76-48 win against the familiar conference opponent. The Wildcats will be looking for a similar result when they meet the Trojans again on Feb. 2. The Wildcats won’t travel far to face their next opponent UCLA, who finished last season ranked No. 11. Their last game together ended in heartbreak for the Wildcats, losing in triple overtime 98-93. This is a game the Wildcats will be hungry to seek redemption in. They play on Jan. 5 away from home and again on Jan. 31 in Tucson. Dec. 2: Monmouth, 6:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Dec. 7: UTEP, 1 p.m., El Paso, Tex. UA FRESHMAN GUARD BRYCE Nixon (24) signing her autograph to a young fan on Oct. 27 at the McKale Center. She scored 20 against Eastern New Mexico.

The Oregon State Beavers await the Wildcats next. The Wildcats’ last game against No. 7-ranked Oregon State ended in a nail-biting double-overtime thriller. Arizona succumbed to Oregon State 6560 in the end. The Wildcats will look for redemption when they face Oregon State at home on Jan. 10 and away on Feb. 9. The Wildcats then move on to face the Beavers’ neighbors, the Oregon Ducks. The Wildcats were blown out by the Oregon Ducks in their last match, losing 77-63. The Wildcats will look for vengeance when they face the Ducks, who finished the season ranked No. 7. They play in McKale Center on Jan. 12 and at Oregon on Feb. 7. The Wildcats then make the trip to Washington to face Washington State, who finished unranked last season. Last year, the Wildcats lost to Washington State in a close game that finished 88-90 between the conference opponents. The Wildcats will look to turn the tide this year when they face off away from home on Jan. 17 and back home on Feb. 16. Last year, the Wildcats were able to steal a win on the road against the unranked University of Washington and will be looking to do the same this year. Last year, the Wildcats won in a dominant performance. The score finished 69-59 against UW. The Wildcats play at Washington on Jan. 19 and again back home on Feb. 14. The Wildcats then move into the final stretch of their schedule. They face Utah, who was unranked at the completion of last season. Their last game ended in an 11-point win for the Wildcats after a strong performance at home. This year, they’ll have to do the same away from home, which can always prove to be a challenge. They play on Feb. 21. The Wildcats then rush to face Colorado. The Wildcats fought hard in their last meeting in the McKale Center, earning them a 63-51 win. The Wildcats will want to repeat their performance on the road against Colorado, who finished last season unranked on Feb. 23.

Dec. 12: Tennessee State, 6:30 p.m., Mckale Memorial Center Dec. 21: UC Santa Barbara, 1 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Dec. 29: Arizona State, 12 p.m., Tempe

Nov. 6: Northern Arizona, 7 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 10: Illinois, 7 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 14: San Jose State, 6 p.m., Mckale Memorial Center Nov. 17: New Mexico State, 12 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Nov. 21: South Dakota State, 7 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Jan. 4: Arizona State, 7:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Jan. 9: Oregon, 7 p.m. Eugene, Ore.

However, nearing the end of the non-conference games, the Wildcats will go against Baylor (No. 20 in the nation according to NBC Sports), who just acquired Davion Mitchell and MaCio Teague, and Gonzaga (No. 8 in the nation according to NBC Sports), with a feared projected lineup consisting of Ryan Woolridge, Admon Gilder, Corey Kispert, Killian Tillie and Filip Petrusev. These games are important to win; they’ll give the Wildcats some major leeway coming into the next phase of their season. Following these two crucial games, the Wildcats will walk into the Pac-12 conference schedule.

Jan. 24: Arizona State, 6 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Jan. 31: UCLA, 6 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 2: USC, 12 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 7: Oregon, 7 p.m., Eugene, Ore. Feb. 9: Oregon State, 1 p.m., Corvallis, Ore. Feb. 14: Washington, 7 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 16: Washington State, 12 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 28: Stanford, 6 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

Jan. 16: Utah, 6:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

Jan. 5: UCLA, 1 p.m., Los Angeles, Calif.

Jan. 18: Colorado, 12:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

Jan 10: Oregon State, 8 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

Jan. 25: Arizona State, 7:30 p.m., Tempe.

Jan. 12: Oregon, 12 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Jan 17: Washington State, 8 p.m., Pullman, Wash.

The Pac-12 schedule will pose much more of a threat due to the increased competition between teams. Top ranked teams include USC, Washington, Oregon and Colorado. The Wildcats will go against Arizona State to open up their Pac-12 season, with hopes of reclaiming Arizona basketball supremacy. This should be an almost certain win thanks to our strong projected lineup consisting of Nico Mannion, Brandon Williams, Josh Green, Ira Lee and Chase Jeter. Tougher opponents include Oregon, who was the only Pac-12 team ranked above Arizona in freshman recruiting. Oregon had six top-100 commits coming into the program, making them a formidable opponent for the Wildcats to go up against. Colorado will also have most of their star players coming back from last year’s good season-ending games. While they failed to score any major commits, the players from last year will most likely bring an upswing to the program, thus giving the Wildcats a tough matchup.

Jan. 30: Washington, 7 p.m., Seattle, Wash. Feb. 1: Washington State, 6 p.m., Pullman, Wash. Feb. 6: USC, 7 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

BRYCE NIXON, UNIVERSITY OF Arizona women’s basketball guard at the game against Eastern New Mexico on October 27. The UA won the game 85-38.

The Wildcats then get to close out their schedule at home, which could end up being crucial against their next opponent. They face Stanford, who finished the last season ranked No. 3. Their last meeting ended up in a heartwrenching defeat for the Wildcats, who almost pulled off the upset. The score finished 56-54. Catch the game of the season on Feb. 28 in the McKale Center. In the final game of the regular season, Arizona will play California. The Wildcats played to an 82-76 overtime loss against the unranked Golden Bears away from home last year. The home crowd and desire to win should be enough to overcome California on March 1 in the McKale Center. Should the Wildcats qualify for the women’s college basketball, playoffs begin on Mar. 5 and continue through until Mar. 8, when the best team will be crowned the champions.

Feb. 8: UCLA, 8 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 13: California, 8:30 p.m., Berkeley, Calif. AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

WILDCAT NICO MANNION 1 shoots the ball into the basket during the Arizona-Chico State game at the McKale Center on Friday, Nov. 1 in Tucson. Arizona defeated Chico State 74-65.

Finally, Washington has landed two five-star recruits into their program. This will be one of the toughest matchups for the Wildcats. The rest of the Pac-12 pose little to no threat to the Wildcats due to their lack of relevance with their players and recruits. The Arizona men’s basketball team will tip off their first non-conference game against NAU on Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m. at McKale Center.

Mar. 1: California, 12 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

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Jan. 9: Oregon, 7 p.m. , Eugene, Ore. Jan 12: Oregon State, 8 p.m., Corvallis, Ore.

Jan. 3: USC, 8 p.m., Los Angeles, Calif.

CHLOE HISLOP | THE DAILY WILDCAT

Jan. 19: Washington, 1 p.m., Seattle, Wash.

AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

CHASE JETER 4 DRIBBLES the ball while being defended by Chico State during the Arizona-Chico State game at the McKale Center on Friday Nov. 1 in Tucson. At halftime the score Arizona was down 32-31.

Feb. 15: Stanford, 8:30 p.m., Stanford, Calif. Feb. 20: Oregon State, 6 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 22: Oregon, 8 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Feb. 27: USC, 7 p.m., Los Angeles, Calif. Feb. 29: UCLA, 8 p.m., Los Angeles, Calif. Mar. 5: Washington State, 8:30 p.m., McKale Memorial Center Mar. 7: Washington, 8 p.m., McKale Memorial Center

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The Arizona men’s basketball team is looking forward to this year, despite the tough schedule against top ranked Pac-12 teams. Arizona basketball is ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in the 2019 recruiting class. Coming into the 2019-2020 season, the Wildcats rank No. 16 overall, according to a top 25 poll by NBC Sports. The Wildcats should have little to no trouble against their first 11 nonconference games. They will play teams such as Illinois, San Jose State, New Mexico State and Long Beach, who won’t pose much of a threat due to the overall strong starters coupled with immense depth on the bench that the Wildcats present.

➢

Arizona women’s basketball will be looking to get off to a good start this season as the Wildcats play their first game of the season on Nov. 5 against North Dakota at home at 6:30 p.m. Soon after, they’ll move on to play against Texas in the Lone Star State on Nov. 17. This will be a tough game for the Wildcats on the road. The two teams haven’t met in over a decade, so this will be a new challenge for both sides. Texas was ranked No. 15 last year.

BY VIVEK AKING @DailyWildcat

SWAN

BY JETT NEELEY @jettneeley

Looking ahead to men’s basketball in Pac-12

B8 • The Daily Wildcat

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

SPORTS | FRESHMAN FACES

Before the women’s basketball season opener, learn about the new faces on the team BY JACOB MENNUTI @jacob_mennuti

Arizona women’s basketball has plenty of new faces entering the 20192020 season. This years’ freshman class features three guards and two forwards that are all capable of cracking the rotation and earning significant minutes this year. Head Coach Adia Barnes put an emphasis on recruiting overseas for this class, as all five of the recruits from this class are from outside the United States. Tara Manumaleuga Tara Manumaleuga certainly has an edge over the rest of the freshman class because she enters the 2019-2020 season with a year of college basketball under her belt. Manumaleuga was with the team last January after graduating high school a semester early in Queensland, Australia, but decided to redshirt last season, making her eligible for the upcoming season. The 5-foot-10 guard was a silver medalist at Hillcrest Christian College while also winning a bronze medal in the 2017 U17 Australian High School Championships. She also averaged 12 points per game in the 2018 FIBA World Cup, where she played for the New Zealand National Team. Being a Wildcat runs in the family; her cousin, Brandon, played tight end for the Arizona football team from 1997-2000.

European Championships for the U18 Turkish team and will surely help this Arizona team with her rebounding and scoring ability this year. Helena Pueyo Helena Pueyo is a 6-foot guard from Palma de Mallorca. She won a silver medal in the 2018 U18 European Championships and a bronze medal at the 2019 U19 World Cup playing for Spain. Pueyo is known for her scoring; she led her club team in both scoring and assists while shooting 51% from the field, 37% from three and 85% from the free throw line. Birna Benonysdottir Birna Benonysdottir could arguably be the most important piece of this freshman class simply due to her ability to score and rebound at a high level. Benonysdottir has been playing for Iceland’s national team in the European Championships since 2016, having her best run in the 2017 European Championships when she averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds a game. She also played for Keflavik in Iceland, averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds.

CHLOE HISLOP | THE DAILY WILDCAT

UA FRESHMAN FORWARD SEVVAL Gül (12) at the free throw line after getting fouled on Oct. 27 at McKale Center. UA women’s basketball beat Eastern New Mexico by a score of 88-31 in the first exhibition game.

Mara Mote Mara Mote was the first player to join the 2019 recruiting class back in March. She is a 5-foot-11 guard from Cesis, Latvia, and was a member of the Junior Latvian National Team that played in the U19 World Cup this past summer. Mote is good on both sides of the ball. She averaged 10.9 points and almost 5 rebounds to go along with her 1.6 steals per game in her four World Cup contests. She was also named the MVP of the Baltic Cup and played for TTT Riga in Latvia. Sevval Gül The Wildcats will add some extra height to its roster with the addition of Sevval Gül from Istanbul, Turkey. The 6-foot-4 forward played for the most successful club in Turkey with the Ferenhbace women’s basketball department while also playing for the Turkish National Team. Gül averaged 11 points and 9 rebounds in the 2018

CHLOE HISLOP | THE DAILY WILDCAT

TARA MANUMALEUGA, FRESHMAN ON the University of Arizona women’s basketball team, during the game against Eastern New Mexico on October 27. Manumaleuga is from Australia.

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The Daily Wildcat • B9

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

BASKETBALL | INCREASED ATTENDANCE

A look back: What the WNIT meant to the players

BY JACOB MENNUTI @jacob_mennuti

A sellout crowd of 14,644 fans packed into the McKale Center for the 2019 WNIT Championship game in what was the largest attendance for a women’s basketball game in the history of the Pac-12 Conference. It was Arizona’s 11th postseason appearance and first since 2011. Although the Women’s National Invitational Tournament is viewed by many as inferior to the NCAA tournament, the city of Tucson showed its support and filled the arena for one of the most historic tournament runs in program history. “The fanbase was incredible. Being able to sell out McKale with their constant support was great,” sophomore guard Bryce Nixon said. Arizona hosted all six of its WNIT games last year, seeing an increase in attendance from 3,265 in the first round to a sellout crowd of 14,644 in the final game just two weeks later. The boost in attendance was bolstered by Head Coach Adia Barnes’ promotion on Twitter, where she challenged fans and students to hit an attendance goal that she set for each game. Men’s basketball Head Coach Sean Miller also joined in on the promotion by purchasing several tickets for the ZonaZoo student section to further encourage the city-wide engagement. But the support of women’s basketball didn’t stop after the final game back in April. Since then, the school has sold close to 3,000 season tickets for the upcoming season, the most sold since the program launched almost 50 years ago. Despite the accomplishment of bringing home the program’s second-ever trophy, the players and coaches say the team has moved on and set higher goals for this season. “We want more,” Barnes said. “I think we’re very happy about the WNIT, but if we went to another WNIT this year, it would be a failure.” Returning senior Tee Tee Starks also said the WNIT is not the ceiling for this team. “We’re striving for more this year,” Starks said. “It was a great accomplishment, but we want to go to the big dance. We want to go to the NCAA tournament.” Winning the WNIT has also attracted the attention of some high-level recruits across the country. Just last September, Arizona hauled in five-star athlete Lauren Ware, who is the No. 22-ranked prospect in the nation according to ESPN. Ware is a 6-foot-3 center from Bismark, N.D. and was the 2018 and 2019 North Dakota Player of the Year. Ware is the third top-100 player to play for the Wildcats in the Adia Barnes era, as the commitment is sure to bring in more toprated players. Arizona’s season opener is Tuesday, Nov. 5, against North Dakota at 6:30 p.m. in the McKale Center.

BEAU LEONE | THE DAILY WILDCAT

THE ARIZONA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL team poses with its trophy after defeating Northwestern in the WNIT Championship by winning 56-42.

BEAU LEONE | THE DAILY WILDCAT

SAM THOMAS CELEBRATES WITH a fan after the Wildcats beat Idaho at McKale Center 68-60 to advance to the Elite Eight for the Women’s NIT Tournament.

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B10 • The Daily Wildcat

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

BASKETBALL | WHAT’S NEXT?

What to expect from Arizona basketball Sports editors Jack Cooper and Amit Syal give their opinions on the future of Arizona men’s and women’s basketball and what fans can expect for the 2019-2020 season

BY JACK COOPER @jackwcooper23

’m not really sure what to expect this year for Arizona basketball. They’re in a very interesting position with everything that has happened over the last couple of years, with the NCAA ongoing investigation, the FBI having an investigation and one of their former assistant coaches spending time in jail, and yet Sean Miller somehow still has a top 10 recruiting class, according to 247 Sports. This is Miller’s 10th season as head coach at Arizona and he has a record of 264-89. While his overall record and winning percentage has been very good, the postseason success just hasn’t been there. Miller has been to seven Elite Eights and five Sweet Sixteens. He is one of the winningest coaches to have never been to a Final Four, and this year might be one of his best opportunities. This year’s team has a top 10 recruiting class with Nico Mannion, Josh Green, Zeke Nnaji and Christian Koloko. Miller has also brought in transfers Jemarl Baker Jr., Stone Gettings and Max Hazzard. While the team from last year was nowhere near the standard that Miller has set, some of the most important players from that team are back for another year, as Chase Jeter, Ira Lee, Dylan Smith and Devonaire Doutrive will all play significant minutes. When looking at teams that have made Final Fours in past years, the biggest thing all of them have in common is chemistry. Last year’s champion, Virgina, had guys who had all played together before. Chemistry is going to be the biggest thing for this Arizona team. While Lee, Jeter, Smith and Doutrive all played together last year, everyone else is new. There is some chemistry coming in with Mannion and Green. These two have played on the same U17 team and were both on the McDonald’s All-American Team together earlier this year. I think Arizona will struggle a bit in the early season — maybe not struggle enough to lose games they should win, but I don’t think the margin of victory will be what people are expecting. Arizona shouldn’t face really any major problems until they face No. 16 Baylor on Dec. 7. A week later No. 8 Gonzaga will come to McKale for

what could be one of the best games of the year in college basketball. Once they get to conference play anything can happen. I think they’ll finish the conference season around 14-4, which will keep them right around the top of the standings but not good enough to win the regular season championship. Once they get to the Pac-12 tournament, I think they’ll get hot and win and be a two- or three-seed in the NCAA tournament. I’ve watched Miller coach almost every single game since he took over in 2009 and I still don’t think he will get to the Final Four. They have all the right ingredients to make a run and get hot at the right time, but I don’t think they’ll get there. My prediction is they’ll lose in the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight; for some reason, I just don’t think they’ll be able to break through this year into the Final Four.

— Jack Cooper is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism

BY AMIT SYAL @asyal21

rizona women’s basketball is in an interesting spot with the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season. The Wildcats won the WNIT bracket, but then again, you have to take a step back and acknowledge the fact that they were in the WNIT to begin with. Head Coach Adia Barnes had an interesting déjà vu last year beating the Northwestern Wildcats in the WNIT Championship game as a sophomore in college and again as the head coach. There is no doubt that Barnes’ crew is a group of hungry and talented players, with players including Sam Thomas, Aari McDonald and Cate Reese. Last year was a crucial year for the Wildcats. From this point on, they are only going in one direction: the right direction. This year, the women’s basketball team will make a viable run

to the post-season in the winner’s bracket of the tournament. I believe they can make it to the Sweet 16 this year after taking home the WNIT championship last year. Playing as many consecutive games as the team did last year in the post-season takes grit, something that the majority of the teams in the league don’t have. Barnes and her crew will something inside of them burning so greatly after last season’s historical win that can carry them far in the postseason. Beyond the Sweet 16, there is a great deal of luck and factors out of Barnes’ hands, but I think that the team will have what it takes to make a respectable run in the postseason. With dominant players such as McDonald and Reese having experience under their belts, there is absolutely nothing stopping them this year. The WNIT Championship last season looked like only the beginning for UA women’s basketball and with Barnes at the helm for the foreseeable future, there’s no telling what or how many great accomplishments will happen next. — Amit Syal a junior studying physiology

MADELEINE VICECONTE | THE DAILY WILDCAT

SEAN MILLER WATCHES THE game against Washington with his assistant coaches on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019 at McKale Center.

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The Daily Wildcat • B11

Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

BASKETBALL | JACK MURPHY

Arizona men’s basketball welcomes back Assistant Coach Jack Murphy BY JON RICE @jscatreport87

As Head Coach Sean Miller and Arizona basketball prepare for the upcoming season, they will welcome back a familiar face to their coaching staff: Jack Murphy. Murphy returns to the Wildcats, where he worked for eight years under the tutelage of famed coach Lute Olson in roles ranging from team manager to director of operations. “Murphy may be the perfect coach to come here at the perfect time. The reason why I say [that] is that he’s someone who has head-coached,” Miller said. “We’ve had several head coaches who have come here and become assistants, and they all bring a wealth of experience. Then you have the opportunity to be the assistant and he can really be a great one, because you see things differently.” During that time, Murphy was able to work with the following Arizona legends: Luke Walton, Richard Jefferson, Andre Iguodala, Mike Bibby, Miles Simon, Michael Dickerson, Jason Terry, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Wright, Channing Frye and Hassan Adams. The Wildcats reached a .751 winning percentage and also won three Pac-10 Championships and one conference tournament, according to Arizona Athletics. Additionally, Murphy helped Olson and the Wildcats to reach the NCAA tournament in all eight of those seasons, which resulted in two Elite Eight matchups in those eight years and one Final Four appearance. Last season, Murphy was the head coach of NAU’s men’s basketball team. “The great part about Arizona basketball is that you never leave the family,” Murphy said to Arizona Athletics. “You’re just returning home after a long vacation to get to work to help [Head] Coach Miller achieve all the goals he has set for Arizona. I just can’t wait to get started.” Murphy’s former players had nothing but great things to say about their time while playing under him. Richard Jefferson, now an 18-year NBA veteran and current basketball analyst for YES Network, FS1, ESPN and Pac-12 Network, was one of the players to comment on his return. “Having Murph back at Arizona is fantastic,” Jefferson told Arizona Athletics. “His loyalty, high character and basketball knowledge are going to be a tremendous asset to Sean and our program. I couldn’t be more excited today and for the future of Arizona basketball.” Jefferson was echoed by former Arizona teammate and current head coach of the Sacramento Kings Luke Walton, who provided his own thoughts on his former college basketball coach. “Murph was there when I was a freshman at Arizona when we lost the 2001 National Title, and there in 2003 when we lost in the Elite Eight. He helped prepare me for the NBA Draft and has been there for me ever since,” Walton said to Arizona Athletics. “When I think of Wildcat basketball and what that means, I think of Jack Murphy. He will do a great job for Sean, and my family and I will be rooting for our ‘Cats.”

“

Murphy’s maybe the perfect coach to come here at the perfect time.”

AMY BAILEY | THE DAILY WILDCAT

ARIZONA MEN’S BASKETBALL ASSOCIATE Head Coach Jack Murphy. Murphy has returned from NAU as their basketball teams head coach.

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Men’s Basketball Preview • Thursday, November 7, 2019

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