Bench warmers get red-hot as Cats top defending champ Kansas
by Steve Rivera on Dec. 24, 2008, under Special, Sports
Jordan Hill had a game-high 23 points for UA.
Russ Pennell may have found his bench. He sure found his team’s heart.
Tuesday night, Arizona outscored defending national champion Kansas 49-29 in the second half to win 84-67 in front of 14,156 fans at McKale Center.
“I think it’s showing that we’re becoming tougher minded,” said Pennell, UA’s interim coach. “We’re playing harder. I don’t think we’ve arrived yet.”
Arizona is 8-3 overall, as is Kansas. The Wildcats are next in action Monday when they host Weber State (6-6).
Throughout the season, Pennell has said Arizona must be a “blue-collar team” because it has little margin for error.
Tuesday, Arizona looked like more of a blue-blooded basketball team than Kansas, one of the sport’s perennial powers.
UA beat the Jayhawks to rebounds (40-29), in transition baskets (8-2) and shot better (46 percent to 40 percent).
“Defensively, that was about as bad a whooping as a five-man squad has given another five-man squad that I’ve seen this year,” KU coach Bill Self said. “We gave them points. We fouled them and they didn’t have to run their offense.”
It seemed that easy for UA, which ran away with the game in what seemed like a blink.
Down 38-35 at the half and 44-35 early in the second half, Arizona took control with a 20-3 run.
The Wildcats sprinted to a 55-48 lead, and looked like one of the better teams in the country in doing so.
“We just couldn’t find a rhythm out there,” said Kansas center Cole Aldrich. “When they went on that run, we just didn’t respond like we needed to.”
In the surge, the Wildcats seemingly hit every drive, key shot and important free throw. From Jordan Hill’s hook shot to reserve Kyle Fogg’s drives, UA played its best basketball, surpassing its performance in its win over then-No. 4 Gonzaga two weeks ago.
The Wildcats also played with heart in their first game since a loss at UNLV on Saturday.
“We just came out with more intensity,” said Fogg, a key reason for UA’s second-half success. He scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half.
“We just laid it on them. (Pennell) emphasized pushing the ball. We just pushed the ball and that opened things up.”
Arizona looked like a team that may have a say in the Pac-10 race when conference play begins next week.
“We’re building toward that,” Pennell said. “When you’re playing a team like Kansas, it brings out the best in you. What we have to do is capture that. That’s the message.”
Hill looked unstoppable at times in piling up 23 points and 11 rebounds.
“This gives us more confidence as we go on,” Hill said. “We still have to go out there and fight no matter who it is. We have to attack our opponent; it doesn’t matter if it’s (a) top-100 team or top (10) team.”
Arizona worked its second-half magic without the offensive services of Chase Budinger, who was held scoreless for the game’s first 29 minutes.
He scored his first points with 11:05 remaining. But the points came in dramatic fashion – on an alley-oop dunk and foul. He made it a three-point play to give UA a 60-50 lead.
“That was disrespectful,” said Jamelle Horne, his way of praising Budinger.
Budinger finished with five points, one point more than his career low. He was 1 for 9 from the floor.
Pennell said Budinger was “so happy in the locker room” after the game because UA won.
“I thought he played his role absolutely beautiful,” Pennell said.
As did Horne, who began the game on the bench after being a starter in the first 10 games.
Horne responded with 19 points in 32 minutes and grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.
Pennell said he made the change to not have the team remain with the “status quo.” Horne said he didn’t start because he was told “he wasn’t playing hard enough.” That wasn’t the case Tuesday – for any Wildcat.
Arizona's Jamelle Horne (right) puts pressure on Kansas' Tyrel Reed in the second half. Horne had 19 points and 13 rebounds. Arizona beat Kansas 84-67.
Xyx
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UP NEXT
Weber State (6-6) at Arizona (8-3)
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday
TV: FSNA
Radio: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM
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Turning point
Down 44-35 barely a minute into the second half, UA went on a 20-3 run to take control of the game. Arizona played its best ball of the year during the run.
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By the numbers
8: assists by UA’s Nic Wise. He had one turnover.
11: UA’s advantage on rebounds
23: free throws made in 29 attempts by UA
