Pac-10 Basketball Preview – Arizona Wildcats
State of the Program
This past spring, the future of Arizona’s tradition-rich basketball program, as we have come to know it, was in serious jeopardy. Big name coaches were turning the UA job down left and right, and no episode was more embarrassing than the Tim Floyd fiasco.
The momentum that interim coach Russ Pennell left the program with in March (run to the Sweet Sixteen) died quickly, and A.D. Jim Livengood was getting desperate to find Lute Olson’s long-term replacement.
Enter Sean Miller.
Could Miller have done a better job righting the ship so far? In a couple of months, the highly successful coach from Xavier re-energized the fan base and quickly assembled an elite recruiting class full of blue-chippers. Certainly, there will still be growing pains in Tucson, as the roster for ‘09-10 is full of uncertainty (particularly in the frontcourt) and the schedule is extremely challenging. But at long last, ‘Cats fans can close the door on the “Interim Era” in Tucson, and now it’s “Miller Time”.
Impact Superstar: PG Nic Wise
Wise is one of the most productive guards in the country, and he will be the unquestioned leader of this Wildcat squad. The lightning-fast senior can create his own shot, and his ability to penetrate defenses with ease leads to easy buckets for teammates.
Last season, Wise averaged 15.7 points per game (6th in Pac-10) and 4.6 assists per game (5th in pac-10). On top of his offensive skill set, Wise is an excellent defender with a knack for stealing the ball (over 100 steals in last two seasons). The 5-10 180 pound point guard flirted with the idea of turning pro before deciding that another year would help his draft stock.
I believe Wise is one of the best floor generals in all of college basketball, and his leadership and experience will give Sean Miller’s squad a chance to go back to the NCAA Tournament again this season.
Needs To Have A Big Year: F Jamelle Horne
Let’s put one thing to rest right away. Yes, Horne is a great talent. No, he is not and will not become Richard Jefferson (as many ‘Cats fans were hoping when he stepped onto the campus). Horne is still an unfinished product as he enters his junior year and I will be interested to see if he can be more than just a swingman.
At 6-7 215 pounds, Horne can play the four spot but he is not a threat in the post and I don’t think he’s shown enough consistency on the boards. I do believe Horne provides Sean Miller with great value defensively because he possesses the ability to guard multiple positions.
While his numbers from last year were mediocre (6.5 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game), I still believe Horne is capable of having a big season in ’09-10 as long as he can improve in the half-court offense (and not make his living on the fast break alone) and become a more tenacious rebounder.
Potential Impact Newcomer: C Kyryl Natyazhko
Sean Miller landed a great haul of recruits for 2009, but I believe Natyazhko will have the biggest impact this season because of the lack of depth in the ‘Cats frontcourt. Sean Miller was in desperate need of a big man to offset the loss of Jordan Hill, and landing Kyryl is huge for the program.
The 6-10 250 pound Ukrainian has a versatile skill set that some have compared to Dirk Nowitzki, as he can score in the post or step all the way out to the three point line. Rivals.com gave him four stars and rated him as the 11th best center in the country. Natyazhko will have an excellent chance to start at the five spot as a freshman this season as long as he can demonstrate a firm understanding of Sean Miller’s system.
My Take
Certainly the losses of Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger will hurt, but most Pac-10 teams lost key players. The ‘Cats have a chance to make some noise this season for two major reasons: First, Sean Miller is one of the best in-game coaches in the country and he understands how to utilize the talent available to him. Second, having an experienced point guard like Nic Wise will be invaluable for a young team, and his presence should keep UA in games all season long.
As mentioned earlier, I believe Arizona may face some growing pains early on because of a very challenging schedule (Maui Invitational, at Oklahoma, at San Diego State, at N.C. State, BYU). But by the time Pac-10 play starts, I fully expect the Wildcats to be competitive against every team in the conference, and a 4th or 5th place finish is quite achievable. Will that be enough to get UA back to the NCAA Tournament for the 26th consecutive time? As long as the ‘Cats can string together 8-10 wins during non-conference play, I think they have a shot.
Projected Pac-10 Finish: 5th Place
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