2012-13 Arizona Wildcats basketball guide

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BASKETBALL GUIDE

Head coach Sean Miller is putting the pieces together to bring Arizona back to

relevance • Miller building a foundation — pg 2• Lyons: Changing of the guard — pg 4-5• Women’s hoops preview — pg 8-9

The Arizona Daily Wildcat presents the

B2 • ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT BASKETBALL PREVIEW • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012

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The basketball empires that are Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky started with a strong foundation.

Arizona also had a storied history under head coach Lute Olson, including a 1997 national championship, but now a new foundation is being laid, thanks to the handiwork of head coach Sean Miller. The fourth-year head honcho said he appreciates the legacy he’s been tasked with continuing.

“One of the reasons I sit here today is because of the great legacy you built,” Miller said to Olson at his introductory press conference.

Miller’s patience in continuing and developing what he calls a “players’ program” has the Wildcats blossoming into a team that could make an impact in the NCAA tournament.

“I think for the first time since our staff has been here that time is on our side,” Miller said, “that we truly have had the opportunity to get both feet on the ground in a comprehensive way. Things that are invisible sometimes to the outside world, you know, the infrastructure of what we do that we are more, I believe, built for the long term.”

For the first time, Miller will be playing with all of his own recruits. He will have the necessary depth and frontcourt size to contend with high-caliber teams on a consistent basis.

It wasn’t always easy for Miller, though.He stepped into a program with a crumbling foundation

left by the hiring and dismissal of current USC coach Kevin O’Neill, after O’Neill served as head coach on an interim basis for Olson from 2007-2008.

There was also the short-lived Russ Pennell coaching era, which lasted one year and saw the Wildcats extend their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to 25 with a 19-13 record.

After Pennell, former UA athletic director Jim Livengood conducted a nationwide search for a permanent successor to Olson. Miller was brought in from Xavier after bringing the Musketeers up from a 17-12 record his first year to four straight tournament appearances and three Atlantic-10 conference titles.

“I know they’ve been through a lot,” Miller said at his introductory press conference. “I’m looking forward to providing continuity here for those guys.”

Miller had never seen the UA campus before when he accepted the head coaching position, and wasn’t sure what former Wildcat forward Derrick Williams, who was a key cog in Arizona’s Elite Eight run two seasons ago, was capable of.

That season, Miller also had to convince Nic Wise to stay in Tucson and play for his fourth coach in as many years. Without Wise, one of Arizona’s leading scorers that year, things could have been even worse.

“I’ll only say that when you are the fourth coach in four years, our record was 16-15 and I’m telling you, we were more close to winning 10 games than winning 20,” Miller said.

Williams, an overlooked recruit from La Mirada, Calif., rose to star status and led the UA to a 30-win season.

“You get that first recruiting class as a coach, you always look back on that,” senior forward Solomon Hill said. “Without that first recruiting class, who knows what happens with that Elite Eight run? It’s a great feeling to know that me and Kevin [Parrom] understand that this is our last time to make an impact on that first class and be remembered.”

It’s safe to assume that the Wildcats were buying into what Miller wanted to do, but the Elite Eight run might have been a bit premature.

“I didn’t envision the second year being as good as it was,” said Miller, citing the Wildcats’ Elite Eight run, Pacific 10 Conference regular championship and 30-win regular season. “Those are really special things … I think because that happened so early here, it was almost assumed that that is how it would be from this point on.”

Following Williams’ departure, the 2011 Wildcats’ lack of size and maturity stemmed from former freshman guard Josiah Turner, who was suspended twice before leaving the program. Arizona stumbled to a first-round NIT loss to Bucknell at McKale Center.

Don’t expect the same issues with this year’s team, though, because Miller has constructed a roster without any apparent ego problems.

“We don’t have any problems. Nobody’s been late,” Hill said. “That’s a good feeling when you have a good team. There’s nobody that’s not willing to learn.”

Last season was just another building block in Miller’s foundation. This season offers seniors Kevin Parrom, Xavier transfer Mark Lyons and Hill a chance to leave their mark on the current era of Wildcat basketball.

“This season is very important because Coach always talks about finishing,” Parrom said. “I was here through it all, through the ups and downs. This year should be great and

I’m glad to be a part of it.”Aiding Parrom and Hill in finishing

their Arizona careers in a positive light are the pieces of the championship puzzle Miller is attempting to build.

Miller landed the No. 3 recruiting class in the country this year, headed by freshmen frontcourt players Grant Jerrett, Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski, two of whom were McDonald’s All-Americans.

His 2013 recruiting class includes Rondae Jefferson, a five-star small

forward, and Elliott Pitts, a four-star shooting guard. That’s not to mention T.J. McConnell, a transfer point

guard from Duquesne, and Matt Korcheck, the junior college transfer big who will join the team next year.

Miller has built a players’ program, one in which players earn their roles based on their performance in practices and one in which players can trust their coach.

“I know he trusts me and I know that I trust him,” said Lyons, who was recruited to Xavier by Miller. “It’s easy to play for somebody you know trusts you as a player. My coach is here.”

The Miller era of Arizona basketball is no longer in its infancy, and expectations will continue to mount the longer Miller has to work with his own players.

“Some amazing things have happened if you consider that we have already been within one shot of a Final Four,” Miller said.

“As we enter our fourth year here, it’s exciting to know everyone in our program [is someone] that we’ve recruited and I think the chances of us being successful because of that are now in place.”

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Now in his fourth year as Arizona’s head coach, and with a roster of his own recruits, Sean Miller is putting the pieces together to build his own legacy at the UA

CAMERON MOONArizona Daily Wildcat

ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT FILE PHOTO

HEAD COACH SEAN MILLER has won 66 percent of his games as the UA head coach, in three seasons, and has Arizona on the rise in the Pac-12.

That’s a good feeling when you have a good team. There’s nobody that’s not willing to learn.

— forward Solomon Hill

“ ”

Miller TimeRecord as Arizona’s head coach:

Overall: 68-35, 36-18 Pac-12

2009-2010: 16-15, 10-8 Pac-12

2010-2011: 30-8, 14-4 Pac-12

2011-2012: 23-12, 12-6 Pac-12

UA’s recruiting rankings, important

recruits in the Sean Miller era

(according to ESPN.com):

2010: Not ranked, Jordin Mayes

2011: 7th, Nick Johnson, Josiah

Turner, Angelo Chol

2012: 3rd, Grant Jerrett, Kaleb Tarcze-

wski, Brandon Ashley

Arizona’s conference finish under

Miller:

2009-2010: Fourth place finish, no

NCAA Tournament

2010-2011: Pac-10 Conferece Cham-

pions, Elite Eight, NCAA Tournament

2011-2012: Fourth place finish, first

round exit of the NIT

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for

basktball updates all season long at

@WildcatHoops.

— Cameron Moon

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4QUESTIONSFORMEN’S BASKETBALL What are the expectations for the freshmen?

It’s hard not to get caught up in the numbers — center Kaleb Tarczewski was ESPN’s No. 4 overall prospect , for-ward Grant Jerrett No. 9 and forward Brandon Ashley No. 16 . Even guard Gabe York , the forgotten fourth member, was a four-star recruit and the 65th overall prospect.

This crop of youths is really, really talented, but high school ac-colades mean nothing if they don’t translate to the court.

Look no further then Kyryl Natyazhko , a four-star , and Josiah Turner , a five-star , who are both no longer with the program. Derrick Williams was only a three-star , and he was the No. 2 pick in the 2011 NBA draft.

Recruiting classes are just projections, and the expectations for this year’s freshmen need to be kept in check, especially be-cause of their positions .

Fortunately for Arizona, it already has options on offense with Solomon Hill and Xavier transfer Mark Lyons , so the freshmen won’t have to carry the load just yet.

Since they’ll be sharing minutes, none of the four will be fresh-man All-Americans, but pencil in at least one or two of the big men for a spot on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

— Kyle Johnson

Can Mark Lyons lead Arizona to the promised land?

Senior transfer guard Mark Lyons brings the kind

of flare and strong will the Wildcats have not seen at point guard since Momo Jones transferred to Iona . Lyons will cre-ate shots for his teammates and has the ability to create his own as well. He has a ‘championship or bust’ mentality, New York swagger and familiarity with head coach Sean Miller’s system — Miller was the head coach when Lyons sat out his first sea-son with Xavier — and he has already taken on a leadership role. Whether or not he’s a ‘true point guard’ is up for debate, but ei-ther way the Wildcats will go as far as Lyons takes them.

— Cameron Moon

What is the team’s ceiling/floor?

Expectations and potential can be a tricky thing. Last season Arizona started at No. 16 in the AP Poll , and finished with a first round loss in the NIT to

Bucknell .A lot went wrong, but the main issue was that the team wasn’t

all that good. The freshmen were overhyped, the seniors were nothing more than solid role players and the Wildcats never put it all together.

This time around, seniors Solomon Hill and transfer Mark Lyons are difference makers, and compared to what happened with the departure of Sidiki Johnson and Josiah Turner , this crop of freshmen is already miles ahead.

The ceiling might be nothing more than the Sweet 16 . That might seem harsh, but since the three freshmen bigs — Kaleb Tarczewski, Grant Jerrett and Brandon Ashley — have such sig-nificant roles both offensively and defensively, it’d be unwise to think the sky is the limit for this team.

Potential is impossible to predict (see: Turner), but Arizona does have several elements that’ll take this team to another level.

A failure to get an NCAA bid would be well below the Wildcats’ floor.

For Arizona to go from a dangerous tournament team to a na-tional contender, all of the responsibility will fall on Hill. The se-nior is the team’s leader and most experienced player, but his skill set is suited for him to be a great No. 2 option.

If he makes the leap and becomes a top-20 player national-ly, the Wildcats could crash straight through that ceiling — just don’t expect that.

— Kyle Johnson

Which freshman will make the biggest impact?

Forward Grant Jerrett, center Kaleb Tarczewski and

forward Brandon Ashley were all in ESPN’s top 20 re-cruits , and guard Gabe York came in at No. 65 . The three have NBA skill sets and York has an uncanny leaping ability for some-one who is just 6-foot-2 .

Ashley probably has the highest ceiling, and as an athletic 7-footer Tarczewski is a rare commodity, but Jerrett will make the biggest impact for Arizona this season because of his all-around ability.

At 6-foot-10 , he can shoot the three, rebound and is a solid low-post defender and offensive player. Miller has compared Jerrett to Derrick Williams on various occasions because of his shooting ability and versatility. He probably won’t make a D-Will level impact, but Jerrett can contribute even when he doesn’t score and should be a staple of the Wildcats’ starting lineup this year and next.

1

2

3

4

M ark Lyons embraces his roots.An outline of upstate New

York is tattooed on his right shoulder.

Lyons’ hometown of Schenectady, N.Y. is about 160 miles away from the Bronx, where Kevin Parrom hails from.

Parrom, Arizona’s sixth man, believes New Yorkers are supposed be tough and strong. They are supposed to have confidence.

Lyons, the Xavier-transfer point guard, has confidence in spades. Some people might mistake that for cockiness, a criticism that plagued ex-Wildcat, fellow New Yorker and Lyons’ friend Lamont “Momo” Jones before he transferred to Iona last year.

Similar to Jones, Lyons’ ability as a “natural point guard” is often questioned because of his shoot-first mentality, but Lyons doesn’t worry about that. He just wants to win.

“I hear things but I just take every day and enjoy the process,” Lyons said. “People are gonna doubt us, people are gonna hate us. I just come out and get better every day.”

He wants to be the next great member of Arizona’s “Point Guard U,” and he’s ecstatic about the chance to join a pantheon of talented point men.

Now in Tucson, after four years in Cincinnati, Lyons is as happy as he’s ever been.

“I wake up every day, it’s sunny outside,” he said about Arizona’s November heat, a far cry from what he’s used to from growing up in New York or playing for the Musketeers.

“I wake up in a better mood every

day,” Lyons said. “I wake up with a smile on my face.”

He was smiling eight months ago too, when he was in the midst of his third NCAA tournament and on the way to his second career Sweet 16.

“He’s had one dynamic career,” said UA head coach Sean Miller, who recruited Lyons to Xavier when he was the Musketeers’ head coach.

Xavier was a No. 10 seed and was set to take on Baylor, a No. 3, in the regional semifinals.

The Bears burst out of the gate with a 22-4 lead, and Xavier went into halftime trailing by seven.

At that point, Lyons was 0-for-5 with three points.

In the second half, though, he took over.

“We were down so I just felt I had to go into scoring mode and get my team back in the game,” Lyons said.

He scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half, helping Xavier to get to within three points with about 12 seconds remaining, but that wasn’t enough and Baylor won 75-70.

That would prove to be the end of Lyons’ Musketeer career, as exactly one month later, head coach Chris Mack announced that Lyons wouldn’t be returning for the 2012-13 season.

“After our end of the season meeting with Mark it became apparent that a change for both parties was the right thing moving forward,” Mack said at the time. “During our meeting expectations were outlined for his fifth and final season, areas in which I believe needed improvement. Mark did not

recognize these expectations as being important and ultimately it was decided that a change of scenery would be in his best interest. I wish Mark well.”

In December, Lyons and three other Musketeers were suspended for their roles in a brawl that prematurely ended the annual “Crosstown Shootout” rivalry game against Cincinnati, so Mack’s decision didn’t come completely out of left field. But prior to the announcement, Lyons had

every intention of completing his college career at Xavier.

It didn’t work out that way, and he made the decision to reunite with Miller, his first college coach.

“It’s one of the harder decisions I’ve had to make in my life,” said Lyons, who also considered Kentucky. “But I felt like the guys here, coaching staff here was there for me from the start so [it’s] only right that I finish with them.”

Arizona assistant coach Book Richardson, and later Miller, began their relationship with Lyons about eight years ago when Miller was still the head coach at Xavier.

He never had the chance to actually play for him though, as he was academically ineligible his freshman season, which was Miller’s last before he became the head coach at Arizona.

“When we recruited Mark a long time ago, the word that came to me is ‘competitiveness,’” Miller said. “He hates to lose. He is a great competitor. He can impact the game in a lot of ways.”

Miller cited his competitive fire as something that can “really be contagious.” Lyons is vocal, and considers

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

MARK LYONS BIOPosition: Point guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 200 pounds

Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.

2011-12 stats (Xavier): 15.1 points per game, 3.2 rebounds,

2.8 assists. 1.3 steals

ZACK ROSENBLATTArizona Daily Wildcat

They had great point guards in the past, I’m just trying to be another one.

— Mark Lyons

“ ”

PROBLEMS AT THE POINT

If things had gone according to plan, Arizona would never have needed Mark Lyons. Two years ago, Lamont ‘Momo’ Jones helped the Wildcats to the Elite Eight, but transferred closer to home to be closer to his sick grandmother. Last year, Josiah Turner was a five-star recruit, but he was suspended three times and then left the program, first for SMU, then Hungary, before finally settling on the

Candian Basketball League.

After recent instability at point guard, Mark Lyons bringing winning persona to the position

Josiah TurnerSeasons at Arizona: 1 (2011-12)Stats at the UA: 6.8 points per game,

3.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 stealsStatus: Left programCurrent team: Halifax Rainmen (CBL)

Lamont ‘Momo’ JonesSeasons at Arizona: 2 (2009-11)Stats at UA: 8.3 points per game,

1.6 rebounds, 2.1 assistsStatus: Transferred to Iona

design by casey lewandrowski / arizona daily wildcat

recognize these expectations as being important and ultimately it was decided that a change of scenery would be in his best interest. I wish Mark well.”

In December, Lyons and three other Musketeers were suspended for their roles in a brawl that prematurely ended the annual “Crosstown Shootout” rivalry game against Cincinnati, so Mack’s decision didn’t come completely out of left field. But prior to the announcement, Lyons had

every intention of completing his college career at Xavier.

It didn’t work out that way, and he made the decision to reunite with Miller, his first college coach.

“It’s one of the harder decisions I’ve had to make in my life,” said Lyons, who also considered Kentucky. “But I felt like the guys here, coaching staff here was there for me from the start so [it’s] only right that I finish with them.”

Arizona assistant coach Book Richardson, and later Miller, began their relationship with Lyons about eight years ago when Miller was still the head coach at Xavier.

He never had the chance to actually play for him though, as he was academically ineligible his freshman season, which was Miller’s last before he became the head coach at Arizona.

“When we recruited Mark a long time ago, the word that came to me is ‘competitiveness,’” Miller said. “He hates to lose. He is a great competitor. He can impact the game in a lot of ways.”

Miller cited his competitive fire as something that can “really be contagious.” Lyons is vocal, and considers

himself a leader, but he comes to the UA with a unique situation.

He’s a senior, but in his first year.Since he already graduated from Xavier, and was ineligible

his freshman year, Lyons was able to transfer anywhere he wanted without having to sit out a year.

For him, Arizona was a no-brainer, and Miller was ready to welcome him with open arms. But he was more concerned with his potential future teammates.

So, he texted Solomon Hill, Kevin Parrom and Nick Johnson and asked how they would feel about his transferring to the UA. They approved.

“To hear it from my teammates’ mouth is more important than my coaches’,” Lyons said.

It was an easy and emphatic ‘yes’ from the team’s leaders. Last year, the Wildcats got burned by Josiah Turner. The highly-touted freshman guard became more known for his troubles off the court — he was suspended three times and arrested for a DUI — than his performance on it, where he averaged 6.8 points and 2.4 assists per game.

Lyons scored 1,194 points in his Xavier career, more than any active Wildcat.

“He gives us confidence at the point guard,” Hill said. “That’s someone we don’t have to worry about, he’s a grown man.”

People outside the Arizona locker room question his ability at the point guard position. In college, he’s never averaged more than 3.1 assists per game, but he attributes that more to ex-Musketeer Tu Holloway running the point than anything else.

Now, the point guard position is all

his. In a program dubbed “Point Guard U” for its impressive history at the position, Lyons is aware of the pressure being placed on him.

Lyons looked up to the likes of Steve Kerr, Salim Stoudamire and Jason Gardner growing up.

Now, it’s his turn to be mentioned in the pantheon of great Arizona point men.

“Honestly, I’m just here for one year,” Lyons said. “Coach knows what he’s getting from me and I know what I’m getting from him. My teammates can count on me. They had great point guards in the past, I’m just trying to be another one.”

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

After recent instability at point guard, Mark Lyons bringing winning persona to the position

Lamont ‘Momo’ JonesSeasons at Arizona: 2 (2009-11)Stats at UA: 8.3 points per game,

1.6 rebounds, 2.1 assistsStatus: Transferred to Iona

POINT GUARD MARK LYONS is already considered a leader for the Wildcats, even though it’s his first year, because returning Wildcats respect the experience he’s gained from three NCAA tournaments and two Sweet 16s.

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Arizona entered the 2011-12 season desperate for someone to emerge as leader and go-to

guy during crunch time.Forward Solomon Hill was thrust

into the alpha dog role because of his talent and experience in the program, and statistically he did just fine.

As a junior, Hill was second on the team in scoring and first in assists and rebounds, earning him first team All-Pac-12 honors.

But the reserved Hill never fully came into his own as the No. 1 option, as Derrick Williams did a year earlier, and a talented Wildcat team missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.

“I was still trying to find my way in certain aspects of the game,” Hill said. “I was still trying to find a jump shot. I think I was an incomplete player.”

At the end of the season, Hill showed more aggression in attacking the hoop and confidence in his outside shooting.

“Our team was faltering,” Hill said. “We [were] low at some points and I had to put that into that boost of confidence for myself to try and get the team going.”

Over the final 15 games, Hill improved from 11.4 points per game to 14.7, but it wasn’t enough, and the Wildcats’ season ended with a first round exit in the NIT.

Now, Hill will have his last go as Arizona’s senior leader. If Arizona wants to live up to its preseason rankings, Hill will finally have to take over.

“Solomon is as competitive of a kid as I’ve ever been around,” head coach Sean Miller said. “Winning matters to him, every drill matters to him. What that has done is that’s really stoked a fire inside of him to give him an incredible work ethic.”

During the summer, Hill slimmed

down for his transition back to small forward and Miller said he’s in the best shape of his life.

“I’m the old guy on the team, that’s how I kind of feel,” Hill said. “Even though I’m 21, you still have that old man feel and in a sense — you know they say you learn from your elders, so my goal is to pass on my experience and my lessons and my teachings to the younger guys. Hopefully they can learn it faster than I can.”

Hill has been described as someone who leads by example. While he might not be the loudest person, he is certainly one of the most hardworking.

“When you see him [Hill] playing hard, you don’t want to not play hard.” senior guard Mark Lyons said. “It’s pointless of him giving that effort, if nobody else [is] gonna do the same.”

Hill molded his leadership mindset from an unlikely source: ex-Washington guard Isaiah Thomas. The 5-foot-9 Thomas led the Huskies to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010, but more notably he beat Hill and the Wildcats in the Pac-10 Championship game with his game-winning three in overtime.

“Looking at guys like Isaiah Thomas, guys who can lead their team, I think I do have to become more verbal,” Hill said. “I think that’s something that I have to work on and it’s something that will stimulate the team as well. But a guy like that, he’s something that you look up to.”

The Arizona team is built upon Hill. He’s been in Miller’s system for all four years, has a four-star pedigree and has been the man at times on the court. Hill might never be the vocal leader that Thomas was for Washington, but with other experienced talkers on the team, a vocal leader may not be what the Wildcats need.

Hill needs to be a constant force on the court, a dependable scorer and defender and, most importantly, someone who can score the winning basket when it matters.

— Kyle Johnson is a journalism junior,

he can be reached at [email protected] or on

Twitter via @WildcatSports or @KyleJohnsonUA

Solomon Hill ready to be ‘the man’

Kyle JohnsonArizonA DAily WilDcAt

larry hogan/arizona Daily WilDcat SMALL FORWARD SOLOMON HILL is ready to take on a leadership role for the Wildcats after playing second fiddle to the likes of ex-Wildcats Nic Wise, Derrick Williams and Kyle Fogg for the last three seasons. Hill led Arizona in scoring, rebounding and assists last year.

Men’s 2012-2013 basketball scheduleNov. 15 UTEPNov. 19 Long Beach StateNov. 28 Northern Arizona UniversityDec. 1 @ Texas TechDec. 4 Southern MississippiDec. 8 @ ClemsonDec. 15 FloridaDec. 18 Oral Roberts

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Log on to dailywildcat.com to see our Pro/Con discussion on whether Arizona or UCLA will win the Pac-12 crown.

1. ArizonaHead coach: Sean Miller (10th year, 4th at Arizona) 2011-12 record: 23-12, 12-7 Pac-12 Key losses: Kyle Fogg, Jesse Perry Key additions: Mark Lyons, Kaleb Tarczewski Best player: Solomon Hill 2. UCLAHead coach: Ben Howland (19th year, 10th at UCLA) 2011-12 record: 19-14, 11-7 Pac-12 (1-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Lazeric Jones, Reeves Nelson Key additions: Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson Best player: Shabazz MuhammadUCLA’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class is highlighted by Mu-hammad. If and when he returns from his suspension, the Bruins will be a force to be reckoned with. Until then, Pac-12 is Arizona’s to lose. 3. WashingtonHead coach: Lorenzo Romar (16th year, 10th at Washington) 2011-12 record: 24-11, 14-4 Pac-12 (2-0 vs. UA) Key losses: Tony Wroten, Terrence Ross Key additions: Perris Blackwell, Dion Overstreet Best player: C.J. Wilcox The defending Pac-12 regular season champions return only two starters, one of them being 7-footer Aziz N’Diaye, who dominated the paint against UA last year. 4. OregonHead coach: Dana Altman (18th year, second year at Oregon) 2011-12 record: 24-10, 13-5 Pac-12 (1-0 vs. UA) Key losses: Jeremy Jacob , Devoe Joseph, Garrett Sim Key additions: Arik Armstead Best player: E.J. Singler The Ducks are a team on the rise, posting 20 win seasons in consecutive years , but there are only four players returning with significant playing time , so the Ducks will have to rely on transfers and freshmen. 5. ColoradoHead coach: Tad Boyle (Seventh year, third at Colorado) 2011-12 record: 24-12, 11-7 Pac-12 (1-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Carlon Brown Key additions: Josh Scott Best player: Andre Roberson Colorado defeated Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament champi-onship game last season in what was the best season in school history, and Roberson is a top NBA prospect. 6. StanfordHead coach: Johnny Dawkins (Fifth year, fifth year at Stanford) 2011-12 record: 26-11, 10-8 Pac-12 (0-1 vs. UA) Key losses: Josh Owens, Josh Huestis Key additions: Christian Sanders, Rosco Allen Best player: Chasson Randle The defending NIT Champion returns three starters and its two top scorers from a season ago , meaning they can be a serious threat to contend for the conference crown. 7. CaliforniaHead coach: Mike Montgomery (36th year, fifth year at Cal) 2011-12 record: 24-10, 13-5 Pac-12 (0-1 vs. UA) Key losses: Jorge Gutierrez Key additions: Kahlil Johnson Best player: Allen Crabbe Gutierrez was the Bear’s best player for the last two seasons, but the former Pac-12 Player of the Year left the team in in the capable Crabbe’s hands, who is this year’s highest returning scorer and rebounder. 8. Oregon StateHead coach: Craig Robinson (Eighth year, fifth year at Oregon State) 2011-12 record: 21-15, 7-11 Pac-12 (0-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Jared Cunningham Key additions: Jamal Reid Best player: Devon Collier The Beavers underperformed a season ago, finishing under .500 in conference play, but were able to win 20 games . OSU is experienced, returning 10 letter winners , including four starters . 9. Arizona StateHead coach: Herb Sendek (19th year, sixth year at ASU) 2011-12 record: 10-21, 6-12 Pac-12 (1-1 vs. UA)Key losses: Trent Lockett Key additions: Bo Barnes, Evan Gordon, Jahii Carson Best player: Carrick Felix ASU lost its leading scorer and most consistent passer in Lockett, but the Sun Devils replace him with Felix , who started 27 games a season ago , and Carson, who was ruled academi-cally ineligible last season but was highly recruited out of high school. 10. Washington StateHead coach: Ken Bone (22nd year, fourth at Washington State) 2011-12 record: 19-18, 7-11 Pac-12 (0-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Abe Lodwick, Marcus Capers, Reggie Moore Key additions: Jordan Railey Best player: Brock Motum Washington State returns only two starters from a team that dipped in production compared to a 22-win 2010 season , but Motum is one of the conference’s best big men. 11. UtahHead coach: Larry Krystkowiak (Fifth year, second year at Utah) 2011-12 record: 6-25, 3-15 Pac-12 (0-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Josh Watkins Key additions: Glen Dean, Aaron Dotson, Alexander Ricketts Best player: Jason Washburn Utah is an unknown commodity with so many new pieces, including seven transfers and a relatively new head coach . 12. USCHead coach: Kevin O’Neill (19th year, forth year at USC) 2011-12 record: 6-26, 1-17 Pac-12 (0-2 vs. UA) Key losses: Alexis Moore Key additions: Omar Oraby, Renaldo Woolridge Best player: Jio Fontan USC finished last in the Pac-12 a season ago , amassing only one conference victory, but an influx of talented transfers will help the Trojans this season.


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Arizona suffered through the second half of the season last year, finishing with a record of 15-17 after starting 11-1 .

Injuries were a concern as junior guard Candice Warthen and junior forward Erica Barnes both missed significant portions of the season with injuries .

The Wildcats aren’t making excuses, but they are ready to bounce back.

“We are hungry and we obviously want to redeem ourselves from the last season,” head coach Niya Butts said . “We are looking forward to keeping everyone healthy. Our kids worked very hard in the off-season and I would say this has been one of our better off-seasons since I’ve been here.”

Extensive roster changes, including three freshmen and four transfers , give the Wildcats the depth they lacked a year ago.

“We are going to have a solid rotation this season,” Butts said. “In the years past, our bench has been real short, so our depth hasn’t been there. This year we have people coming off the bench that could potentially start. Pick a five and they could start. Having depth at every position is going to be huge for us.”

At guard, Arizona is tasked with replacing its best passer in Shanita Arnold , who graduated . Freshmen Nyre Harris and Keyahndra Cannon back up junior transfer point guard Carissa Crutchfield, who comes from Oklahoma State .

Crutchfield and senior guard Davellyn Whyte had a combined total of 18 assists in Arizona’s first two games.

“Carissa Crutchfield is going to help us a lot this year,” Butts said. “She is a mature kid, she has the experience and she knows what it takes to win. She will be one of the leaders on the team since we have her at the point guard

position.”In the paint, Barnes, senior forward

Cheshi Poston and junior transfer Alli Gloyd will occupy the front court for Arizona.

“We have a great work ethic as a unit,” Gloyd said. “Everybody works hard and gives it their all, which is both motivating and exciting as a new player moving forward in my first season.”

Barnes, Poston and Gloyd have a combined total of 50 rebounds at this point in the season, making up 38 percent of the Wildcats’ rebounds.

Meanwhile, junior transfer guards and forwards Kama Griffitts and Lynette Holmes add versatility to Arizona this season.

Holmes is still waiting for the NCAA to clear her to play this season, which should happen sometime this week .

“Whether I get to play or not, this team is great to be part of,” Holmes said. “These girls work as hard as possible and if I’m able to play, it will just make us that much better from last year’s team.”

“You are going to see people playing different positions and doing some different things to try and turn it over a little bit,” Butts said. “We have to try and use our athleticism to our advantage.”

Griffitts had a break out performance against UNLV on Nov. 13, scoring a career-high 25 points and leading the Wildcats in a one-point victory .

“We changed the culture and I think everyone bought into it earlier than in the past years,” Whyte said. “With that being said, this is the better team as far as mindset goes.“

Whyte credits the team’s success to being together since June, which gave her the opportunity to learn how to play with everyone.

“When the new kids came in they didn’t have a chance to slack off,” Whyte said. “They were thrown in and went with the flow.”

ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT FILE PHOTO

ARIZONA HEAD COACH Niya Butts will attempt to lead the Wildcats out of the Pac-12 cellar this season with a revamped roster.

W-Hoops trying to rebuild, reloadIMAN HAMDAN

Arizona Daily Wildcat

2012-2013 women’s

basketball schedule

Nov. 17 @ Cal State Northridge Nov. 20 BYU Nov. 23 UTEP (Junakanoo Jam, tournament in Bahamas) Nov. 24 Texas Southern (Junakanoo Jam, tournament in Bahamas) Nov. 28 @ North Texas Dec. 2 @ Long Beach St. Dec. 8 @ New Mexico Dec. 16 Weber State Dec. 20 Longwood Jan. 4 @ Washington State Jan. 6 @ Washington Jan. 11 Oregon State Jan. 13 Oregon Jan. 18 @ Utah Jan. 20 @ Colorado Jan. 25 @ UCLA Jan. 27 @USC Feb. 1 Washington Feb. 3 Washington State Feb. 8 @ Stanford Feb. 10 @ California Feb. 15 Colorado Feb. 17 Utah Feb. 19 Arizona State Feb. 24 @ Arizona State March 1 USC March 3 UCLA March 7 Pac-12 Tournament (Seattle)

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Davellyn Whyte has had an illustrious career with Arizona, but there is at least

one thing she has left to do:Whyte wants to dance.She is ranked in the top 10 in

several all-time Arizona categories, including third in three-point field goals made and scoring average and fifth in scoring . The 5-foot-11 guard is a three-time All Pac-12 selection and has a career average of 16.2 points and 5.2 rebounds a game .

But she still has yet to make a NCAA tournament.

“Making it to the tournament is something you dream about and it’s something you strive for once you are a freshman,” Whyte said. “So there’s definitely a little added pressure this year to make it to the tournament. But there’s always going to be pressure, so you just work harder to prepare for it.”

A decorated prep star at St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix, Whyte was one of Butts’ most sought-after recruits.

“Davellyn has been a

tremendous player for us,” head coach Niya Butts said. “Ever since she was a little freshman she’s been playing with heart and ambition and I think it’s why she’s been so successful.”

Whyte attributes her success and gradual improvement to the Arizona coaching staff preparing her and setting short-term individual goals.

Upon arriving at the UA, Whyte’s goal was to be the Pac-10 conference freshman of the year , which she was. Now she wants an NCAA tournament berth, and eventually her goal is to be drafted into the WNBA.

“She has shown a lot [of ] maturity this year,” Butts said “It’s going to be key to getting us and Davellyn to the tournament, which is one of our goals.”

As Whyte approaches the end of her collegiate career, a trip to the NCAA tournament appears to be the only thing missing from her resume.

Whyte is one of the spring’s top WNBA recruits, and she doesn’t

want to be one of the only draft picks who has never gone to the big dance. But as she’s now the senior leader for the Wildcats, there couldn’t be a better time to prove to country that she is a winner.

“I couldn’t ask for a better teammate,” junior forward Erica Barnes said. “She can be a hard-ass sometimes but it just shows how much she cares.”

Whyte has a great deal of pride in being a Wildcat, and wants to see the program continue to flourish long after she is gone. As the captain, Whyte is doing all she can to help lead the team to as many victories as possible. However, she’s also doing her best to teach the young Wildcats so they’ll be ready to guide the program when she departs.

“She’s [Whyte] been a good person to model my game after,” freshman guard Keyahndra Cannon said. “It was intimidating at first but it pushed us and she’s a great teammate and friend.”

Whyte said she is both amazed and humbled by her achievements

from the last three years. From making first team all-conference to playing alongside former Wildcats star Ify Ibekwe, to practicing with the U.S. World Team, Whyte knows that her hard work is the reason she’s in line to potentially make the

WNBA.“The team and I put in a lot work

on the court and in the classroom over the years, just because we love the game,” Whyte said. “I’ll never take for granted my time and all I have learned at the U of A.”

Dancing with DavellynArizona’s senior leader enters her last season with the goal of making her first NCAA tournament appearance

IMAN HAMDANArizona Daily Wildcat

JOHN ROUTH/ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

GUARD DAVELLYN WHYTE has yet to make the NCAA tournament. As a senior, this is her last chance.

3LUKE DAVIS

Arizona Daily Wildcat

QUESTIONS FOR WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

1 2 3 Was last season’s 1-12 finish a fluke or a sign of things to come?

Arizona won only one of its last 13 games after starting the season off 11-1 .

Largely because of injuries, the Wildcats couldn’t adapt and played like a completely different team in the second half of the season. Now, starting point guard Shanita Arnold (graduated) and center Aley Rohde (transferred) are gone . A solid recruiting class and the return of Davellyn Whyte might not be enough to turn the program around, at least this year.

How good are the seven newcomers and can they gel in time?

Arizona added seven new Wildcats to its roster , four transfers and three freshmen . Some, if not all, will be expected to play important roles. 6-foot-1 junior college transfer Alli Gloyd is the most decorated of the transfers, and junior transfer Carissa Crutchfield and freshmen Keyahndra Cannon and Nyre Harris will play key roles.

The Wildcats have a lot of chemistry to build if they want to compete in a tough Pac-12 conference.

Who will step up alongside Davellyn Whyte?

There’s no question that Whyte is the Wildcats’ leader. She’s a good bet for 18 points, six rebounds,

and six assists a night. But it’s unclear who will be the Wildcats’ second option on offense.

The Wildcats can’t rely on random spurts from role players. They will need someone to take some of the load off Whyte.

The best candidate is probably Candice Warthen . The junior guard scored 11.7 points per game , good for second behind Whyte, and that number would have been much higher if she wasn’t plagued with injuries for most of the season. In Arizona’s second game of last season, against Georgia State, Warthen scored 36 points , so she’s a capable scorer when healthy.


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MVP: Davellyn WhyteArizona will rely heavily on senior guard

Davellyn Whyte’s ability to lead the raw Wildcats , and Whyte will get her fill of MVP stats this season. The three-time All-Pac-12 guard led the Wildcats in points, rebounds and steals last season.

X-Factor: The benchHead coach Niya Butts has made it clear

that the Wildcats’ success will depend heavily on how strong the bench is.

The Wildcats have the potential to be one of the deepest teams in the Pac-12. With a solid starting lineup, if the bench can produce, the Wildcats will be competitive in their conference.

Finish: 7th in Pac-12After finishing last season 1-12, it’s hard

to remember that the Wildcats started the season 11-1 and appeared to be a top tier team in the Pac-12.

Junior college transfer Alli Gloyd has been impressive in the Wildcats’ first few games and will need to continue to produce as she gets comfortable with the Division I game.

The team lacks height but makes up for it with athleticism. The Pac-12 is one of the toughest conferences in the country, so a seventh place finish would be impressive considering all the new additions, and it can happen.

STAFF PICKSMEN’S HOOPS WOMEN’S HOOPS

Luke DavisARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

MVP: Davellyn WhyteDavellyn Whyte is in a front-runner

with more than 2,000 career points just three games into her senior season .

The stats are in her favor and with a team full of newcomers, it will be up to Whyte to take the leadership position in stride and embrace her double-digit scoring performances.

X-factor: Erica BarnesAnother year older, another year wiser

makes junior forward Erica Barnes a force to be reckoned with in the paint.

Barnes filled ex-Wildcat Ify Ibekwe’s shoes last season and will be a key cog in the post for the UA. Standing at 6-foot-2 , as long as she stays injury free, she will post a threat for the entire season.

Finish: 3rd in Pac-12It’s the year to prove everyone wrong.

The Wildcats ranked last in the Pac-12 in the preseason poll , but the depth of the team could prove to be the boost Arizona needs to do well in the conference tournament.

Beyond that, it’s Whyte’s last year so there is the additional motivation to send her out on a good note.

Iman HamdanARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Kyle JohnsonARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

MVP: Solomon Hill Hill proved to be Arizona’s best player last

season, finishing second in points and first in assists and rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field.

With more talent and depth on this year’s roster, the Wildcats don’t necessarily need him to do anything more if they want to be good. If this team wants to be great, however, Hill will need to raise his game to the next level and become the star.

X-Factor: Kaleb Tarczewski Arizona has a frontcourt loaded with a ton

of young talent, but no one has the chance to make as big of an impact as center Kaleb Tarczewski.

True 7-footers are a rare commodity in college basketball and the young freshman has proven he’s more than just a tree out there, showing soft hands and a decent touch in the preseason.

Finish: 2nd in Pac-12, Round of 32The Wildcats have Sweet 16 talent, but with

so many freshmen in crucial roles, the team will struggle with consistency at times. Arizona’s soft non-conference schedule should leave it fairly unscathed, other than a match-up with Florida.

The Wildcats will then roll through Pac-12 play as well because of their 10-deep roster, but UCLA should barely edge them out for the crown. The Wildcats will still earn a top-five seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the youth and lack of a No. 1 option will lead to an early exit.

MVP: Solomon HillA lack of size on last year’s roster forced

the 6-foot-7 Hill to play as an undersized power forward. Even so, he was second on the UA in points (12.9 per game) and first in both rebounds (7.7) and assists (2.6). Now, with Arizona’s influx of frontcourt talent, Hill will move back to his more natural small forward position and his all-around game, especially his ability to get to the basket, will be invaluable for the Wildcats.

X-Factor: Mark Lyons Lyons (see p. 4 and 5) transferred to the UA

from Xavier in hopes of ending the Wildcats’ recent point guard woes. Arizona faltered because of Josiah Turner’s ineptitude last season, both on and off the court, and if it is going to succeed this season it will be because of, or in spite of, Lyons. His scoring ability is unquestionable — he scored 15.1 points per game last year — and his shoot-first mentality is similar to that of Momo Jones’ two years ago in the UA’s Elite Eight run.

Finish: 1st in Pac-12, Sweet 16There is a new aura and excitement

around this team. Arizona has the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation, Lyons is a stud and Hill is poised for a break out. This is easily the most talented Arizona squad in quite a while, and the sky is the limit. I’m hesitant to project anything more than a Sweet 16 berth because of so many new pieces, but at the very least this team will be fun to watch.

Zack RosenblattARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

2012-13 Arizona Wildcats basketball guide

Documents

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