INDIANAPOLIS – Some- time recently, Russ Pennell was driving in the car with his younger daughter, Emily, when the subject turned to her dad’s hoarse voice.

Emily, 9, was the family member who had the toughest time with the move to Tucson last spring, when Russ was hired as an Arizona basketball assistant coach.

All she had ever known was the Phoenix area and rooting for Arizona State, where Russ was an assistant from 1998 to 2004. She had never shown much interest in basketball.

“She kind of came kicking and screaming,” Pennell’s wife, Julie, said of Emily. “She was used to hollering for ASU and not cheering for the Wildcats. We have swayed her. She was the last convert.”

She might have become a bigger convert than anyone in the family realized.

Apparently, she wasn’t daydreaming when dad – taking a break from his favorite television show, “24″ – would bring home a scouting DVD and the family of four would sit and watch together as Russ broke down a future UA opponent.

Anyway, on this particular day in the car, Emily asked her dad what was wrong with his throat.

“I’ve been yelling too much,” Russ said.

“Yelling at the players?” she asked.

“Nah, yelling at the refs.”

Emily laughed.

Then she said, “You ought to go Floyd on them.”

Pennell recounted this story for reporters Tuesday, drawing a roomfull of belly laughs.

Emily indeed has been paying attention to her dad’s profession, smartly referencing USC coach Tim Floyd’s meltdown – two technicals and an ejection in the final minute at Arizona State on Feb. 15.

Russ resumed the conversation, saying, “Don’t you think you’d be a little embarrassed if I did that?

“No,” Emily replied. “I think that would be pretty cool.”

Pretty cool sums up the Pennell family life these days, as dad has gone from assistant coach to interim head coach to multimedia star since Arizona advanced to the Sweet 16 last weekend.

When the Pennell’s older daughter, 12-year-old Morgan, went back to school Monday, her locker was adorned with Arizona stuff, courtesy of her classmates.

“She thought that was petty cool,” Russ said.

See. Pretty cool. Again.

The stress of a basketball season, with its ups and downs and endless commentary from the peanut gallery, can take its toll on a family as well as the coach, but the Pennells seem to be coping just fine.

Part of that is an enduring faith that everything always will be OK.

Remember last year’s interim head coach Kevin O’Neill? A basketball nomad, O’Neill said one thing he had learned about housing over the years was this: Rent, don’t buy.

When the Pennells moved to Tucson in the spring, they bought.

They might have to sell and move again right after the season, but they won’t have any regrets about the joy ride.

“The fun outweighs everything else,” Julie said. “I told Russ (Monday) night, I really am proud of you. What our future is, I don’t know.”

Part of the fun has been that Russ hasn’t taken himself too seriously.

He’s had what could loosely be called an entourage. Pennell’s posse.

He typically brought in friends or family members to news conferences after home games, just to have them share in the experience. For the last game, he had Emily sit right next to him at the table; she even answered a question about how her gymnastics meets were going.

For her part, Julie keeps her distance from coverage of the team and college basketball – “I’m embarrassed to say I don’t watch ESPN all that much,” she said – while taking care of the home front.

“You know what, I don’t think anybody still knows who I am. That’s fine by me. I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of wife.

“When Russ gets home, we try to not talk about (basketball) and have family time when he’s here. We really try to keep that as stress-free as possible.

“Morgan is a seventh-grader, and when we first moved here, I don’t think anyone knew who her dad was for a long time. She kept that under wraps for a while.

“You just try to live life as normal as possible.”

Morgan just wrapped up her basketball season. Emily practices gymnastics from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. four days a week.

When he can, Russ will leave UA and pick her up from class on the East Side, saving Julie a 90-minute round trip from the family’s Oro Valley home.

“That is a treat for Emily,” Julie said.

“They can just chat about their day. I know Russ enjoys it, and she does, too.”

Pretty cool. Just some quality father-daughter time. A dab of normalcy amid a crazy five months.

Until someone says, “You ought to go Floyd on them.”

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail: agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

Lucky Lute got player willing to build skills

University of Arizona center Jordan Hill dunks the ball against Cleveland State on Sunday in Miami during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Arizona won the game 71-57.

INDIANAPOLIS – Talk about potential. Arizona big man Jordan Hill is realizing it.

Every day. Every moment.

“If he improves as much as he has this year, I think his upside is really great,” said Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell, whose team faces Louisville on Friday in the Sweet 16. “Physically, I don’t even think he’s tapped it. He hasn’t physically matured yet as a young man.”

He’s getting there. Those who have followed his career and those who brought him to Arizona see it.

“He was a tremendous find,” said former Arizona coach Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame coach who retired in October but was instrumental in evaluating and then signing the raw-but-talented power forward out of Atlanta via The Patterson School in North Carolina.

The 6-foot-10 Hill ultimately may have been Olson’s most unbelievable find when it comes to project-to-possible pro. Gilbert Arenas went unnoticed, but had the look and feel of future star. One knew he’d be good. And former UA star Channing Frye was a higher-than-100 recruit, but turned himself into a top 10 NBA pick.

It’s a testament to hard work. It’s a testament to good coaching. It’s a testament to talent evaluation.

And for UA’s sake, “It was a stroke of luck, really,” Olson said.

It started in Houston at the annual Kingwood Classic basketball tournament, an AAU event run by Hal Pastner, the father of former UA assistant coach Josh Pastner.

Olson went to watch high school player DeAndre Jordan, who later went to Texas A&M, but was drawn to the lanky-but-athletic Hill. It took all of two minutes and Olson made a call to Pastner, who was at another gym watching other players.

“I asked him, “who is this Jordan Hill?’ ”

Pastner had no idea.

“You’d better get over here in a hurry,” Olson told him.

A week later, Hill was visiting UA and committing to the program. He became part of the recruiting class that featured Chase Budinger and Nic Wise.

“He didn’t know much about the game, but you could tell he could play,” Olson said. “He’d run and jump with so much athleticism. He’d block shots with great timing.”

Four years later, Hill is doing those things as an Arizona junior, helping the Wildcats beat Utah and Cleveland State to advance to the Sweet 16.

Hill credits Olson and his other coaches for helping him develop, but he also knows . . .

“It’s taken a lot of work from me,” Hill said. “I just kept proving myself and kept working hard. I went on the court and had to prove everything I did. It’s helped me become the person I am now.”

Hill remains humble, part of his appeal.

“I always thought I was a pretty good player, that I was a raw player but had potential,” he said. “I thought it would come out of me once I got to Arizona. It had the coaching and it was a big program. I just had to keep working hard.”

He has. And now, he’s become Mr. Upside. It comes with the realization he started playing basketball late in his teens.

Patience has paid off. Two seasons ago he averaged just 14 minutes and 4.7 points a game. Last season, he averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. After averaging 18.4 points and 11 rebounds this season, he became the first UA player since Larry Demic in 1978-79 (19.3, 10.3) to average a double-double for the season.

“In my mind I thought I should be (a double-double guy),” he said. “I know how athletic I am.”

Gonzaga coach Mark Few found out firsthand.

In Arizona’s 69-64 win over the Zags in December, Few said Hill compared favorably with Oklahoma standout Blake Griffin and North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough after Hill scored 22 points and pulled down six rebounds.

“I didn’t hear that,” Hill said of Few’s comments nearly five months ago. “Feels good.”

Since then, he’s played even better, finishing with 23 double-doubles for the season.

Many have praised his efforts. He’s been named a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the nation’s best player. He’s been named a third-team All-America by The Sporting News.

His future is bright, although Hill says he’s unsure whether he’ll declare early for the NBA draft.

But his tone at this week’s news conference at McKale Center, where he opened up more than usual, suggested he would leave after the season.

At least two mock drafts list him as a lottery selection – among the top 14 picks. Hoopshype.com and NBAdraft.net have him going at No. 3.

Chris Monter said given the state of this year’s draft – weak and void of older stars – Hill could go high, particularly if he continues to play well in the NCAA Tournament. To this point, he’s been good.

“He’ll play a good Louisville team, so that’s going to be a good match up for him,” said Monter, of the Monter NBA Draft News.

Monter declined to project Hill at any number, saying he’ll do so later in the summer when teams eventually find their slots after the lottery selection. Hill has the potential to be “a high first-round pick,” Monter said.

There’s that word again – potential, which seems to be the definition of Hill.

Steve Rivera’s e-mail: srivera@tucsoncitizen.com

———

No. 1 Louisville (30-5) vs. No. 12 Arizona (21-13)

When: 4:07 p.m. Friday What: Sweet 16 game Where: Indianapolis TV: CBS Radio: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM Line: Louisville by 9

HILL’S 2008-09 STATS

Overall NCAAs

18.4 Points per game 16.5

11.0 Rebounds per game 11.0

33 Games 2

54.5 Field goal % 50.0

65.0 Free throw % 64.3

58 Blocks 1

29 Steals 3

Jim Livengood

A Sweet 16 edition of sense and nonsense:

1. Arizona athletic director Jim Livengood still has to make the most important decision of his professional life – who will coach Arizona basketball after this season – and he sounds like he would like to stick around to see how the choice plays out.

Livengood will be 65 when his contract expires June 30, 2010, and when I talked to him last summer, I got the impression he was ready to retire. I got that impression because he said this:

“I’m not tired. I’m still energized. I’m still enthusiastic. But do I want to do this for a long time more? Absolutely not.”

Livengood struck a different tone when the Citizen sat down with him last month.

“The biggest thing right now, is I think I want to go longer. I feel good. I’m healthy. I like what I’m doing. I feel I still have a commitment to do a number of things.”

If Livengood is willing to stay, then it will be up to university president Robert Shelton and the Board of Regents to grant his wish.

2. The best thing about Chase Budinger’s two games in the NCAA Tournament?

He kept attacking the basket. He doesn’t have explosive one-on-one skills, but he’s crafty and has excellent body control. Keep driving, Chase.

3. UA associate head coach Mike Dunlap said the break after the Pac-10 Tournament allowed the Wildcats to refocus on their zone defense and being more aggressive, as they were in big nonconference victories early in the season.

“That’s who we are – taking chances,” Dunlap said. “We had wandered away from that. That happens.”

4. Utah and Cleveland State combined to shoot 11 of 55 (20 percent) from 3-point range against Arizona, which is a reflection of good defense and just plain good luck.

Sometimes, even wide-open attempts don’t fall.

Dunlap concedes that “we have to have a little bit of luck,” but adds that UA’s more frenetic pace on defense even affected those open jump shooters.

“When you’re pressing and trapping and rotating, they feel rushed, even if they look open,” Dunlap said.

5. Arizona is the biggest long shot in the Sweet 16, a nine-point underdog to Louisville, the NCAA Tournament’s overall top seed. Sounds about right.

6. Louisville is one of the nation’s finest defensive teams, allowing opponents to shoot 39.4 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc.

If an opponent solves Louisville’s press, it then faces an active 2-3 zone loaded with elite athletes.

Here is what West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said about the Cardinals’ zone this season: “They have incredible size. They stretch from one end of the floor to the other.”

7. There was so much good guard play in the first weekend of the tournament, but it’s hard to beat UA point guard Nic Wise, who scored 50 points, had 10 assists and hit all 17 of his free throw attempts.

“Nic’s a winner,” assistant coach Reggie Geary said on the postgame radio show Sunday. “That’s his thing coming into Arizona. We knew he was a winner and could be successful at this level. Now, he’s getting some national spotlight, which is great.”

8. For as good as Wise has been playing, he’ll need to be all that and more against Louisville.

9. CBS stubbornly chose last week to cut to and from multiple fantastic finishes instead of delivering two games at once in a split screen. Bad move. With TVs as wide as basketball players are tall, there’s plenty of screen room to comfortably show us more than one game.

10. Anybody seen ASU guard James Harden?

11. If you put together a Final Four wish list of head coaches for Arizona, it very well could read like this: Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, Memphis’ John Calipari and Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon.

Yeah, but what if UA interim head coach Russ Pennell beats all of them – in that order – in the next couple of weeks?

It could happen.

12. Jamelle Horne is off the hook. Not only has Arizona’s Sweet 16 run made his costly last-second intentional foul against UAB irrelevant, but college basketball has a new brain-freeze moment of the season.

With his team trailing Missouri by two points with 5.5 seconds left, Marquette’s Lazar Hayward hesitated on the in-bounds pass and stepped on the end line. The Tigers got the ball back and won 83-79 in the second round.

13. UA freshman guard Kyle Fogg appeared completely unfazed in his first NCAA Tournament, playing 72 of a possible 80 minutes last week.

His offense comes and goes, but what Arizona mostly needs is his all-the-time defensive peskiness. Fogg had seven steals in two games.

“Kyle Fogg is a big X-factor on our team,” Geary said. “With his long arms, and his quick feet, he can do some really positive things on the defensive end.”

14. Pennell was on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” on Monday afternoon. Tony Kornheiser asked him how he and Dunlap exist as “co-head coaches” and how that works during a game.

“Well, the best part is I get paid more than him,” Pennell joked to Kornheiser and co-host Michael Wilbon.

“Mike is an unbelievable basketball mind. . . . I just felt like it would be very foolish for me to not draw upon his wisdom. He has just been really good helping our players, especially with their development and also on the defensive end of the floor.

“There is really no confusion. There is comfort in that. We can take turns playing like you guys do – good cop, bad cop.”

15. My revised Final Four: Louisville vs. Memphis and North Carolina vs. Pitt.

16. Lute Olson’s parting gift to the UA program was last spring’s all-new coaching staff: Pennell, Dunlap and Geary.

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

Low-key aide Dunlap plays major role in success

Arizona head coach Russ Pennell and Arizona's Nic Wise hug after Arizona defeated Cleveland State 71-57 during the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Mike Dunlap could have been Arizona’s interim head coach. This could have been his basketball team.

In a very big way, it is anyway.

Russ Pennell has been the face of the program, the steady-calm voice of the Wildcats, who, to great surprise, reached the Sweet 16 after Sunday’s 71-57 victory over Cleveland State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

So, Pennell gets airtime on CBS and ESPN. Pennell is the subject of national columnists’ praise. Fans look at Pennell and wonder, “Why not him?” as UA’s next coach.

Dunlap?

He’s the guy who wouldn’t take the interim head coaching job.

No regrets about that at all, he said Sunday in a phone interview after Arizona’s victory. He said he declined on principle. He wanted a school’s full-time commitment.

After saying no, he called Pennell, who, like Dunlap, joined the team as an assistant last spring. The conversation went something like this:

Dunlap: “I don’t feel comfortable in taking the job. I have my reasons. They are going to come your way next.”

Pennell: “Can we do this thing?”

Dunlap: “Absolutely.”

The Sweet 16 is absolutely what can happen when you get two coaches who really don’t care who gets the credit.

If you’re wondering why Arizona, after a few years of selfish play, turned into a team-first unit this season, look no further than the examples of Pennell and Dunlap, who locked away their egos and just decided to get to the work of making the Wildcats better one day at a time.

Perhaps you’ve noticed. Dunlap often takes charge during timeouts, dispensing strategy in the huddles. During game action, he frequently leaves his seat on the bench, says something to Pennell . . . and the next thing you know Pennell is yelling instructions to the team.

For a head coach, interim or otherwise, to grant that kind of authority is nearly unprecedented.

“Yes, it is rare,” Dunlap said Sunday in a phone interview.

“Russ had to give me permission to do that in the huddle, and I thank him for it. But I also had 17 years of experience on the sideline in different situations, and I thought that I could be a help. But I never would have done it without Russ’ permission.

“Our relationship is a 10 on a scale of 10. He trusted me that I would never do anything to hurt him.

“He and I have been put together in a very difficult situation, and we made it work. It’s a friendship that will be for a lifetime.”

There was this postgame exchange between the two, as passed on by the Citizen’s Steve Rivera:

Dunlap came up as Pennell was doing interviews in the hallway of America Airlines Arena in Miami.

“You need to articulate your words. Stop stuttering,” Dunlap joked.

Pennell laughed.

“You should have been here a while ago when I was buttering your hind end,” he said.

Dunlap: “It would have been the first time.”

Pennell laughed again.

Truth is, there has been plenty of buttering, as Dunlap has been the mastermind behind UA’s 1-1-3 zone, which did much of its best work of the season in the NCAA Tournament.

He has been tireless behind the scenes, working with players one-on-one and quietly forging relationships that go beyond basketball. He is to Pennell what Jim Rosborough was to ex-head coach Lute Olson for so many years.

While Pennell has conceded Dunlap unusual authority, Dunlap has reciprocated the favor by not interfering publicly with Pennell’s leadership, creating a united UA front. That is why you haven’t heard much from Dunlap all season.

The open locker room policy of the NCAA Tournament has changed that. The secret is out.

It’s not that Dunlap, who is known as a brilliant tactician, dislikes or can’t handle the public part of the job; it’s just that it wasn’t his responsibility this season.

“This job required reclusiveness and quietness,” Dunlap said.

“I took on a certain role. Any kind of grandstanding or any kind of chest-beating would have hurt the leader, would have hurt the kids. It was really important to take a deep step back and get into my role.”

Dunlap coached Division II Metro State in Denver to two national titles.

He spent the past two seasons with the Denver Nuggets.

As soon as he turned down UA’s interim coaching job, he sent his wife and three children back to Denver. His oldest son, Holt, was able to jump back into his old high school for his senior year. Now he’s just a couple of months away from graduation.

“That will be a blast and he has done very well,” Dunlap said. “It has worked out.”

Dunlap knows – everyone has known – that he will head back to Denver as soon as Arizona’s season ends. He will resume his search for a Division I college head coaching job.

That also is Pennell’s goal.

Same, too, for that matter for assistant coach Reggie Geary, who has dutifully carried on with recruiting.

They have all been professionals, not letting whatever will happen after the season affect them during the season.

The wins and losses go next to Pennell’s name, but this has been a team effort.

“We’ve been successful in pushing the organization to a better place than when we found it,” Dunlap said. “The facts are on the table.”

And there’s nothing to regret about that.

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail: agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

———

UP NEXT

No. 12 Arizona (21-13)

vs. No. 1 Louisville (30-5)

What: Sweet 16 (Midwest Region semifinal), NCAA Tournament

When: 4:07 p.m. Friday

Where: Indianapolis

TV: CBS

Radio: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM

The play’s the thing as 12-seed UA upsets No. 5

Arizona basketball players (from left) Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger and Nic Wise, who combined for 66 points, walk off the court after their win over Utah in the first-round game in Miami on Friday.

Two of the major sports Internet sites used the same headline after Arizona’s victory over Utah: They belong.

A bit obvious, but, considering the tight word count, it’ll do nicely.

Much of the national media was at its snarky best during the week, picking apart the Wildcats for being an unworthy at-large selection, branding Arizona as being lucky to be in the NCAA Tournament for the 25th consecutive season.

“You know, all the people that were saying that we weren’t going to make it, we just tried ignoring that,” forward Chase Budinger said at Friday’s postgame news conference. “Once our name went up on the board, that was pretty much it.”

Not much need to say anything else about it.

Arizona’s play did its talking.

The 12th-seeded Wildcats, with start-to-finish defensive intensity, pounced on No. 5 seed Utah and then repelled a late charge, winning a first-round game 84-71 in Miami.

“As far as us belonging here, we definitely belong here, and today was not about proving that,” interim head coach Russ Pennell said after the game.

“That was not our motivation. Our motivation was to win the game and move on in this national tournament.”

The season marches happily along.

The primary goal of UA’s season was to preserve the NCAA Tournament streak, which is the second longest ever, behind a 27-year run by North Carolina.

This is gravy. This is house money.

Arizona already had gotten farther than I thought it could after Lute Olson’s retirement last October. I penciled the Cats in for 17 victories and no NCAA Tournament.

They are up to 20 victories and Sunday’s second-round meeting against surprising 13th-seeded Cleveland State, which routed fourth-seeded Wake Forest on Friday night.

I didn’t doubt UA’s front-line talent. Few teams have a point guard, a wing and big man like Arizona’s Nic Wise, Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill.

I figured the cumulative emotional toll of unexpectedly not having Olson around for either of the past two seasons ultimately would unhinge the Wildcats. Like it did last season.

Not this time. Not to this team.

Just two seasons ago Purdue upset Arizona in the first round. Even after the game, the Wildcats remained shocked they lost to a less-talented – but harder-working – team. It would be Olson’s last game.

This is what I wrote at the time:

“It took only a few minutes of Friday’s game to realize that the Boilermakers, a self-described group of overachievers, were tougher, peskier and played the unrelenting brand of defense Arizona hasn’t much bothered to attempt since the 2001 season. You knew it was trouble. . .

“Scrappy little Purdue is the team UA should be whenever it decides to grow up.”

I then quoted Jawann McClellan as saying this about Purdue:

“Coach Olson would love to coach a team like that.”

And now Pennell does.

Given its talent, nobody would label Arizona as overachievers, but on Friday night, the Wildcats were tougher, peskier and played the unrelenting brand of defense Arizona hasn’t much bothered to attempt since the 2001 season.

From the opening tip, the Wildcats pressed and trapped and attacked Utah’s insufficient ball-handling skills. Just as Pennell and associate head coach Mike Dunlap drew it up this week.

“Our practices weren’t easy this week,” freshman guard Kyle Fogg said on the postgame radio show. “We really, really got after it.”

I’d say Arizona has grown up.

That, sometimes, is the upshot of adversity.

It’s hard to overestimate the degree of difficulty for Arizona, which has had three coaches in three seasons, is running its third offense in three seasons and is using its third defense in three seasons.

You can either come together or come apart.

“I just felt that we overcame adversity again,” Wise said Friday, “and proved that we really should be in the tournament.”

Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com – an easy target because he’s never short on opinion – wrote on Sunday:

“Arizona? In the NCAA tournament? The selection committee did a fine job this year with the exception of Arizona, which belonged in the NIT, and not among the NIT’s top 10 teams, either. Arizona. Jeez.”

Five days later, CBSSports.com led with a “They belong” headline.

No doubt.

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

Alicia Cordova, 6, holds up her basketball pool as she sits with her dad, UA student Fabian Cordova. They watched the Wildcats play Utah at No Anchovies!, 870 E. University Blvd.

Cleveland State associate head coach Jayson Gee cheers on his team during the second half in its first-round upset of No. 4 seed Wake Forest in Miami.

Gift of NCAA spot gives Budinger chance to step up

Arizona's Chase Budinger (right) practices at American Airlines Arena in Miami on Thursday. He is hoping to bounce back from a subpar game against Arizona State in the Pac-10 Tournament. Arizona plays Utah on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

MIAMI – Arizona junior forward Chase Budinger knows it’s his time to shine.

He can end the season with impressive performances or go out with people remembering he didn’t live up to his reputation.

But what he knows and what he does are two different things as the No. 12 seed Wildcats prepare for No. 5 seed Utah here at American Airlines Arena.

The game begins at 4:10 p.m. Tucson time Friday.

“This is the biggest stage you could play in in college basketball,” Budinger said. “Big players step up. And that’s what I’ll be trying to do.”

He said he won’t force anything. He won’t try to do more than he knows he’s capable of, although when he first put on an Arizona uniform he was thought to be the next great thing.

Nearly three seasons later, he is still trying to prove himself.

“This is the time to let it all loose,” he said.

Friday in the Midwest regional – more than 2,000 miles from McKale Center – Budinger will have another opportunity.

“It’s pleasing personally to get a second chance to play in the spotlight again,” he said. “I did play poorly against ASU (in the Pac-10 Tournament). I want to show I am a better player than I showed.”

In his words, big-time players step up in big-time games. He mentioned former UA players such as Jason Gardner and Luke Walton doing it earlier this decade.

Arizona is not short of those types. Others included Sean Elliott, Mike Bibby, Damon Stoudamire, Salim Stoudamire and Richard Jefferson.

“The guys were able to win games and lead their teams deep into the tournament,” said Budinger, who is averaging 17.9 points per game this year. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

UA interim coach Russ Pennell says he, too, knows what Budinger is up against.

“I think Chase will play well,” Pennell said. “Chase has had some games this year where he’s been borderline dominant and he’s had games where he didn’t play quite well.

“I know he was disappointed in his last time out, which has served as motivation.”

As if Budinger needs any more. But this season, outside of his three-game shooting slump, he’s been able to bounce back from poor performances. And admittedly, his dreadful performance against ASU was hardly inspiring. He went 3 for 15 and looked indifferent.

“People remember last games and that’s why I was relieved that we got into the tournament,” he said. “It gives me a second chance. I need to bounce back. I don’t look back. I look at what I can do in the next one.”

Utah coach Jim Boylen is prepared. At least he knows what he’s up against. Boylen considers Budinger “one of the better players we’ve played all year.” He added he’s a player with size (6 feet 7)), a shot (47 percent) and ball skills (can play multiple positions).

“We’ll probably guard him by committee,” Boylen said. “We’ll be ready for what he does.”

Budinger said he’ll be ready, too. He said he’ll be more aggressive and get after rebounds more. He’ll be a different player from last week.

“It’s about letting the game come to me,” he said. “And it’s about having fun. That’s what I want to do – go out and have fun.”

No time like the present.

Arizona's Chase Budinger puts up a shot during practice Thursday at American Airlines Arena in Miami, where Arizona faces Utah on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

<h4>QUOTABLE </h4>
'It's amazing people are critical of us being in and then they fill out their bracket and they move us forward.'

RUSS PENNELL,

UA interim hoops coach, on the many who expect his team to beat Utah Friday.

Arizona vs. Utah: Steve Rivera’s breakdown of the game • Wildcat notes • Players to watch

BACKCOURT

Advantage: Even

The Utes don’t mind going at a frantic pace but that might not work for Lawrence Borha & Co. Borha is the scorer in the three-guard lineup Utah uses, although the others (Luke Drea and Carlton Brown) can put the ball in the hoop when needed. UA’s Nic Wise will have to remain poised and come up with about three steals and have at least four 3-pointers. Kyle Fogg must have a good performance.

FRONTCOURT

Advantage: Arizona

Much has been made of Utah’s 7-foot-2 Luke Nevill, the Mountain West’s player of the year. But UA’s Jordan Hill should get a double-double. Hill needs help from frontcourt mate Chase Budinger. This team has lived and died on Budinger’s play. He must step up again.

DEFENSE

Advantage: Utah

Utah’s defense – at least in the numbers – is better than Arizona’s. But we all know it’s not about the numbers. If UA can get after it on the perimeter, extending its zone to make it tough on the shooters, the Wildcats should be able to win. That said, Arizona won’t have it easy getting shots. And sometimes the Cats can have open shots and still miss them.

OUTCOME

Don’t get fooled by all the numbers. There are intangibles that UA has that Utah doesn’t. Athletic ability does count. And Utah doesn’t have the players the quality of Budinger, Wise and Hill – eventually those three will take their toll.

Prediction: Arizona by 7

STEVE RIVERA

UA BASKETBALL NOTES

Wildcats need a Horne of plenty

MIAMI – It’s hard to figure out Arizona sophomore Jamelle Horne.

You just never know what you’re going to get from Horne, a talented but sometimes lackadaisical player.

When asked if he was the X-factor for UA heading into its first-round game against Utah on Friday, he just smiled and said, “I’ll take what I can get.”

What Arizona has gotten is a player who has been an off-and-on starter.

Horne is averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

“I’m here to help anyway possible,” he said. “We need to get this thing going.”

He does feel this year is far different than last season, when UA limped into the tournament having lost four of six games.

It lost in the first round to West Virginia 75-65.

This year, UA is 1-5 in the last six, yet Horne feels a different vibe.

“Everyone is feeling great,” he said. “You can see the team morale is really good. Everyone is really loose. Last year everyone was tight. It’s a huge difference and you guys will see that (Friday).”

If UA shows it, Utah could be in trouble. Horne said when UA is on, it’s tough to handle.

“When everybody comes to play we can definitely come out and put on a great show,” he said. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen every single game.”

Arizona's Chase Budinger answers questions during a news conference Thursday at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Nic

Wise

If the point guard is hitting shots, UA can beat just about anyone. But when he plays out of control, the Cats suffer. He's calmed down a bit, but he needs to play with control vs. Utah.

Jamelle

Horne

He's the Harry Houdini of UA - one minute you see him, the next you don't. UA needs him to show up in the NCAAs, with at least six rebounds and seven points, to help Chase Budinger.

Shaun

Green

He's Utah's team leader on a squad that truly likes to play together. Named the Mountain West's best sixth man, he hits 3-pointers at a 40.3 percent clip and averages 29 minutes.

Lawrence

Borha

The senior guard hit a clutch 3-pointer against TCU in the MWC quarterfinals to help the Utes win 61-58. He's probably the team's best defender and could have duties on Budinger.

———

UP NEXT

No. 12 Arizona (19-13) vs. No. 5 Utah (24-9)

When: 4:10 p.m. Friday

Where: Miami TV: CBS

Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5 FM

OTHER CBS GAMES IN TUCSON

Friday

9:25 a.m.: Tennessee vs. Oklahoma State

11:35 a.m.: Temple vs. Arizona State

6:45 p.m.: Wisconsin vs. Florida State

———

How teams match up

Arizona Utah

72.2 Points per game 71.2

47.5 Field goal % 47.6

68.4 Points allowed per game 64.0

43.6 Foes’ field goal % 40.1

———

Key number

32.3

Percentage of No. 12 seeds that have beaten No. 5 seeds in the NCAA first round since 1985 – a 31-65 record. Sixteen have advanced to the Sweet 16.

———

SPORTS SOUND-OFF

Giving props to Pennell

Re: UA interim coach Russ Pennell

He did hold the team together, and did a pretty good job overall. I still am not a fan of him being permanent head coach. We need a high-profile guy to keep the recruits coming and the NCAA bids rolling in.

3231

Thank you to Pennell and the rest of the UA coaching staff for a job well done. Pennell will get what he deserves for his efforts – a job at a Division I college or university where he will have the chance to prove himself with his own recruits.

RJW52

I have no doubt that Arizona is where it is today because of Russ Pennell. He definitely deserves more than a farewell when this year’s team reaches the end of the “yellow brick road.”

1368

MIAMI – Talk about a buzz kill. There’s no excitement here for the Midwest Regional – at least in terms of fans coming to American Airlines Arena to view practices.

About 20 people watched Arizona State work out Friday, and most seemed disinterested. UA and Utah may have had one or two more fans. Some NCAA practices have drawn thousands to see future stars, but not here.

I’m not sure anyone in south Florida really cares about the games. They might just be a blip on the things-to-do list here in the land of beautiful beaches and sunshine. As of midweek, the Miami Herald reported only 12,000 tickets had been sold for Friday’s games. The arena holds 17,900.

Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell shrugged off the situation, and said the Wildcats signed plenty of autographs when they went for dinner Wednesday night after fans found out who they were.

We’ll have a better gauge when the games begin Friday.

Pennell steers UA through rocky season

University of Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell talks with Chase Budinger (34) and Zane Johnson during Arizona's 84-67 victory over Kansas on Dec. 23 at McKale Center.

MIAMI – Longtime assistant coaches usually don’t get spotlight treatment, but a source sent me an interesting e-mail when Lute Olson hired Russ Pennell a year ago.

“Pennell is a good guy,” said the message from Tempe. “Take good care of him.”

The information proved to be spot on, but it’s Pennell, a former assistant coach at Arizona State, who has taken good care of himself along the way. After all, it’s his makeup and personality to find a way to succeed. He also knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

On that fateful morning in late October, Pennell received a call from Arizona Athletic Director Jim Livengood informing him he would be the next Arizona men’s basketball coach, replacing Olson, who suddenly retired before the season began.

It was only on an interim basis, but Pennell was ready.

“I just felt it . . . was the right time to do it,” said Pennell. “Being the coach at Arizona . . . everybody has their moment in life and mine was just my appointed time.

“Since I’ve had the job, there is no question I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer, making sure I’m doing the right things as consistently as possible.”

Getting Arizona to the NCAA Tournament for the 25th consecutive year is as consistent as one can get.

The 12th-seeded Wildcats face No. 25-ranked Utah – a fifth seed – at 4:10 p.m. Friday in a Midwest Region game.

There were times – many times – it didn’t appear Arizona would make it. UA was 11-8, sputtering in the middle of the season; and then, it limped in at the end, coming in 1-5 in the last six. UA failed to win 20, yet at 19-13 overall was deemed good enough to make the Big Dance.

“They’ve done a great job,” UA junior guard Wise said, talking about the coaching staff in general when he was asked a question about Pennell earlier this week. “Give them all the credit from the beginning to the end of the year. They knew how to manage us, especially us three (Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill and Wise) having played so many minutes.

“The credit goes to the coaching staff. Probably making the tournament is a high more for them because I know they didn’t want to be the coaches (who were part) of breaking the streak.”

Undeniably, it’s been a long and winding road for Pennell – from taking over for the suddenly retired Olson, to seeing freshman Jeff Withey transfer, to freshman Garland Judkins being suspended three times (and no longer in sight), to a hold-your-breath NCAA Tournament bid. Through it all, he has handled things with grace and dignity.

“I knew going in that there was going to be a lot of work to be done,” he said. “But if I didn’t think I could handle it, I would have never taken the job. Like Clint Eastwood said, ‘a man has got to know his limitations.’

“But I felt I could do this job.”

He’s done it by being himself: Good Guy Russ. Simple Guy Russ.

Pennell, 47, knows he’s no Olson, the 74-year-old Hall of Fame coach who commanded respect with his old-school presence and longtime success. He knows he’s not Kevin O’Neill, the often-quotable, often-demanding coach who filled in last season.

“I only know how to be me,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t fill the shoes of coach Olson. I know my goals and role: It was to do right by the kids and the community. I think they’ve appreciated what they’ve done on the court. I think people respect that.”

It hasn’t been easy. He says he got tremendous help from UA assistants Mike Dunlap, Reggie Geary and his father, Dewey Pennell. They’ve helped guide him with decisions and helped with the distractions.

“It’s great to have mentors on your staff; a lot of guys won’t do that,” he said. “Some (coaches) feel threatened because someone might perceive them as not knowing what they are doing. Or, for whatever reason, they feel they have to make all the decisions and not seek counsel.”

Pennell is just the opposite. He seeks input.

“It’s a mistake not to rely on people who have been there,” he said.

Now, Pennell is here in Miami, guiding UA to another NCAA Tournament with a chance to advance and break a two-year first-round losing streak.

If the Wildcats get by Utah, they likely would face fourth-seeded Wake Forest on Sunday for a chance to reach the school’s 12th Sweet 16 since 1985.

Just a year ago Pennell was announcing games in the NIT as a television/radio analyst for Arizona State. Just 10 months ago he was getting a call from Olson to possibly join his staff. Just six months ago he was the second or third assistant.

Fate – yes, he believes in it – has brought him here and put him in this situation.

And seemingly the only thing that has changed about him is his look – going from crewcut to flattop, goatee to unshaven and now well-groomed again.

“I think I have (changed), but in a good way,” Pennell said. “What’s happened is I’ve learned to rely on people around me. Because the job at the University of Arizona is so high profile you have to have good folks around you. You have to rely on them. I’ve done that. And for that I’m grateful because it’s helped me grow as a person.

“If you don’t do that, you get stuck in a rut and aren’t open to new ideas. This year has been really good in that regard.”

Steve Rivera’s e-mail: srivera@tucsoncitizen.com

———

No. 12 Arizona (19-13) vs. No. 5 Utah (24-9)

When: 4:10 p.m. Friday

Where: Miami. TV: CBS.

Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5 FM

OTHER CBS GAMES IN TUCSON

Thursday

9:30 a.m.: Texas A&M vs. BYU

11:45 a.m.: Maryland vs. Cal

4:10 p.m.: Minnesota vs. Texas

6:40 p.m.: VCU vs. UCLA

Friday

9:25 a.m.: Tennessee vs. Okla. St.

11:35 a.m.: Temple vs. ASU

6:45 p.m.: Wisconsin vs. Florida St.

Miles Simon led the Cats to victory in the 1997 NCAA championship game.

A special Wednesday edition of NCAA Tournament sense and nonsense:

No Indiana. No Kentucky. No Florida.

Consider this just a friendly reminder to really stop and appreciate Arizona’s 25-year streak of NCAA Tournament appearances.

Kentucky – which didn’t have to deal with two years of interim head coaches, or have its star incoming recruit run off to Europe, or lose two other signed freshmen to transfers – didn’t make the tournament this season for the first time in 17 seasons.

What’s UK’s excuse?

Indiana, whose 18-season streak ended in 2004, has collapsed under the weight of coaching changes and NCAA infractions. With the kind of talent deficiency that Arizona hopes to avoid next season, the Hoosiers were 6-25 this year.

Indiana, amazingly, has been to only one Sweet 16 in the past 14 tournaments.

This is the first time since 1979 that both Indiana and Kentucky have missed the NCAA Tournament.

Just saying: Good programs – the best, richest and proudest programs – all go through tough times.

But there is, of course, only one program in the past 25 seasons that has gone through tough times and not missed the Big Dance.

Florida hasn’t been back since winning back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. Again, what’s the Gators’ excuse?

North Carolina missed the NCAAs in 2002 and 2003 before finding the right coach in Roy Williams.

Duke missed the tourney in 1995, when coach Mike Krzyzewski sat out most of the season because of back surgery. If not for that, the Blue Devils would be at 26 in a row, one better than Arizona.

Kansas won the national title in 1988, then missed the tournament the next season. The Jayhawks are now at 20 in a row, the second-longest current streak.

Consider teams that have won recent national championships and haven’t had coaching changes:

Syracuse missed the NCAAs in 2007 and 2008. Maryland is making only its second appearance in five seasons. UConn was on the outside twice this decade.

None had to deal with the mess that has plagued Arizona. But the other teams still couldn’t make it to the Dance every year.

UA did.

“The 25 straight years is great for the university,” said UA interim coach Russ Pennell.

“I am proud of the guys. I’m just so happy for them. There is so much uncertainty, and there’s so much that could go wrong.”

Arizona’s past two seasons have been far from perfect, but they could have been worse.

Enjoy the tournament.

Is this it for ASU?

This is arguably Arizona State’s best team since 1981 – only the 1994-95 squad is in the debate – which leads to this question:

Shouldn’t the Sun Devils be . . . well, better?

This is it? The best Arizona State can do is tie for third in a down year for the Pac-10, fall short of a conference tournament title and earn a sixth seed in the NCAAs?

The Sun Devils might make a long, thrilling run in the NCAA Tournament – with James Harden, anything is possible – but, barring that, it’s kind of sad this could be a high-water mark for ASU in about a quarter century.

Kudos to ASU for a five-game winning streak over Arizona. That’s a lot to brag about, and coach Herb Sendek has done a marvelous job. But given that Harden and big man Jeff Pendergraph will be gone after this season, this could be a one-year blip on the radar for the Devils.

Just another reason to appreciate Arizona’s 25 years of success.

Sleeper watch

Only four times has the NCAA champion been seeded worse than No. 3 – including No. 4 Arizona in 1997.

The likeliest possibility this season? I’m going with No. 4 Wake Forest, which beat Duke and North Carolina, tied for the second in the ACC and has a supercharged athletic lineup that can play shut-down defense.

Really, the Demon Deacons should have been better than a fourth seed.

Get it right

It’s safe to assume Arizona was the last team in the field, because only two at-large teams are as low as a 12th seed, and selection committee chairman Mike Slive said the Badgers were bumped lower to accommodate bracket rules, such as avoiding a conference foe in an early round.

That has made the Wildcats a flash point for pundits, who predicted other teams to be in the field and, therefore, must criticize the selection of Arizona.

Much of that debate has centered on UA losing five of its last six games, which is a ridiculous argument. You might as well say Arizona doesn’t deserve to get in because it sometimes wears red. Neither argument matters.

The selection committee doesn’t even consider what a team does in its last six games. Foremost, it considers the full season. Much more secondarily, the committee uses the last 12 games as a guide.

In its last 12 games, Arizona went 7-5 and beat Washington and UCLA. As far as bubble teams go, that’s not bad.

So the next time you hear a national writer whining about UA’s bad finish, just ignore it. It’s a bad argument.

Tidbits

• Best first-round big-man matchup: Arizona’s Jordan Hill vs. Utah’s Luke Nevill.

• Best first-round big-man matchup (honorable mention): Washington’s beefy Jon Brockman vs. Mississippi State’s long, lean shot blocker Jarvis Varnado.

• Best first-round guard matchup: Cal’s Jerome Randle vs. Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez. Just a guess: People in ACC country have little idea how good Randle is.

• Best first-round game for offense lovers: No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. No. 9 Tennessee.

• Best long shot to reach a regional final: No. 8 West Virginia.

• Best long-long shot: No. 14 North Dakota State over No. 3 Kansas. Always look for experience and 3-point shooting in your upset pick. The Bison have four senior starters and nail 41.2 percent from behind the arc.

New coach, another trip

This note comes courtesy of Richard Paige at the UA sports information office: Arizona is the third program to make three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under three different coaches.

The others are Seattle University: (Vince Cazetta, 1962; Clair Markey, 1963; Bob Boyd, 1964) and Southern Illinois (Bruce Weber, 2003; Matt Painter, 2004; Chris Lowery, 2005).

Arizona has done it with Lute Olson, Kevin O’Neill and Pennell.

Who wins it all?

The Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy ranked all 65 NCAA Tournament teams in order of who he thought was most likely to win it all.

Now, this is surprising: Arizona is ranked 21st.

That’s ahead of every Pac-10 team except UCLA (No. 14) and Arizona State (No. 16).

The Bruins are way too high on this list. I’d be stunned to see them get past third-seeded Villanova, in Philadelphia, in the second round.

Anyway, DeCourcy’s top four goes like this: Louisville, North Carolina, UConn, Oklahoma.

Not bad, but my Final Four goes like this:

Wake Forest vs. Memphis. Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina.

The winner?

I’ll definitely have to keep my fingers crossed that DeJuan Blair stays out of foul trouble, but give me . . . Pitt.

———

UP NEXT

No. 12 Arizona (19-13) vs. No. 5 Utah (24-9)

When: 4:10 p.m. Friday

Where: Miami

TV: CBS

Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5 FM

OTHER CBS GAMES IN TUCSON

Thursday

9:30 a.m.: Texas A&M vs. BYU

11:45 a.m.: Maryland vs. Cal

4:10 p.m.: Minnesota vs. Texas

6:40 p.m.: VCU vs. UCLA

Friday

9:25 a.m.: Tennessee vs. Okla. St.

11:35 a.m.: Temple vs. ASU

6:45 p.m.: Wisconsin vs. Florida St.

Wildcats’ silver streak largely because of Silver Fox

Brendon Lavender (left) and Russ Pennell

Twenty-five years. A silver anniversary. Appropriate, because this streak – this Arizona basketball run of 25 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances – is all about silver.

The Silver Fox.

Otherwise known as Lute Olson.

Last year’s brief appearance in the Big Dance goes on the job history of interim coach Kevin O’Neill, and this year’s at-large bid goes next to the name of interim Russ Pennell, but both postseason appearances were orchestrated by the now-retired Olson.

Although Olson hasn’t coached a game in two years now, it was the long arm of the Lute that made both of these NCAA Tournament appearances possible, thanks to his never-flinching desire to schedule the best teams in the country.

The players did their part by winning just enough games, but the key factor each time was that the selection committee fell in love with Arizona’s big victories and strength of schedule.

“I don’t think there is any doubt about that,” Pennell said Sunday after the Wildcats were selected as a 12th seed with a 19-13 record, edging teams with better overall records.

“I think that is what gave us an edge over somebody like, say, Penn State. I think that’s a testament to Arizona and to what Coach Olson always did, which was play the best competition in the nonconference season.”

Olson and Pennell talked after Sunday’s bracket announcement.

“I kiddingly said, ‘The streak is somebody else’s problem now,’” Pennell said. “He said, ‘Congratulations on that one.’ One of the things I told Coach O was that you built a program that is even able to endure a couple of years after you’re gone.”

That’s because of the scheduling.

(And the fact that Olson was on watch when Arizona brought on Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger and Nic Wise.)

But if we have learned anything about Bracketology in the past two seasons it is this: The selection committee values a team’s entire “body of work” – an oft-repeated phrase this time of year – and quality victories much more than the general public does.

Many were fretting last season that Arizona might not get into the field of 65, but the Wildcats were protected by a strength of schedule that was ranked the toughest in the nation after the regular season. Turns out, Arizona was comfortably into the tournament as a 10th seed.

This year, most thought the Wildcats were on the wrong side of the bubble.

Once again, the schedule, while not as difficult as last season, made the difference when the committee sorted Arizona against Saint Mary’s, Creighton, San Diego State, Penn State, Auburn and others.

“The tough schedule certainly had something to do with it,” Olson told the Tucson Citizen on Sunday night.

“When I called Russ, he said the guys were ecstatic. They were as thrilled as thrilled could be. I couldn’t be happier for them.”

Not everyone in the punditry world was happy.

ESPN analyst/cheerleader Dick Vitale wasn’t too happy as he made an on-air case (or tried to) for Saint Mary’s, which was 26-6, losing four of those games when star guard Patty Mills was injured.

“I think Santa Claus came early for them,” Vitale said of the Wildcats.

But the Wildcats separated themselves from Saint Mary’s – and everybody else – because they have wins over No. 3 seed Kansas, No. 4 seed Washington and No. 4 seed Gonzaga, among others.

“We tried to send the message that it’s your entire body of work,” said Mike Slive, the chairman of the NCAA selection committee and Southeastern Conference commissioner.

“In the final analysis, the fact that they (Wildcats) were so successful against good teams, the committee thought they deserved to be in the tournament,” Slive added, pointing to Arizona’s six victories against top 50 teams.

“The end result after a lot of deliberation is that this team had a very strong résumé with that number of wins.”

Schedule good teams, and beat some of them. That’s the Arizona way. That has been the program’s saving grace in the past couple of seasons.

Arizona might have been the last team in the field this year, but it’s in.

Twenty-five blessed years in a row.

Let’s leave with the words of ex-Cat Eugene Edgerson from last year.

“Arizona not in the NCAAs? That would be like eating Easter Bunny stew,” Edgerson said.

“It’s just not right. It’s just not supposed to happen.”

With a little continued help from the Silver Fox, it didn’t happen this year, either.

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail: agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

———

NCAA TOURNAMENT

Who: No. 12 Arizona (19-13) vs. No. 5 Utah (24-9), Midwest Regional

When: 4:10 p.m. Friday

Where: Miami+

TV: CBS. Radio: 1290-AM

A triumphant Lute Olson surrounded by thousands of adoring fans hoists the 1997 NCAA championship plaque. In 2009, they probably won't even get to the tournament.

Sorry to say, but don’t expect Arizona to make the NCAA Tournament.

UA’s drive for 25 consecutive appearances – the Cats have the nation’s longest current streak at 24 – is likely over. Done.

The streak had to end sometime. Why not now, when the Lute Olson era officially ended in October?

An uninspiring performance against Arizona State in a 68-56 loss in the Pac-10 Tournament on Thursday really hurt UA.

The Wildcats’ chances remind me of the movie “Dumb and Dumber” when Jim Carrey’s character asks Lauren Holley’s character if he had a chance to be her love interest.

He asks, “Like one out of a hundred?” in terms of odds.

She says, “I’d say more like one out of a million.”

He says, “So . . . you’re telling me there’s a chance?”

Welcome to the world of Arizona basketball. Not that UA’s chance’s are one in a million, but I don’t like the odds of them getting in at 19-13 – including only one win in the last six games.

I predicted the Cats wouldn’t make it when the season started, as I had them finishing 18-13 overall in the regular season.

And last week, after the Cats lost to California, I said UA needed three more wins to feel comfortable about Sunday afternoon’s selection processes. Instead, it got one.

The selection committee is supposed to look at a team’s “body of work” – UA has quality wins over Kansas, Gonzaga, UCLA and Washington – but Thursday’s lethargic loss just gives the members a reason to look elsewhere.

UA has left itself in a lurch. Talk about March Madness. Heck, the Great Depression will really hit Tucson if UA doesn’t somehow squeak in.

“We can’t worry about it,” said UA junior center Jordan Hill.

For whatever it’s worth, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has UA out of the tournament after it fell to the Sun Devils.

Upset wins by Temple and Maryland on Friday probably didn’t help UA’s cause.

Sunday will either be sour or sensational.

But isn’t that what the season has been? From the high of highs (beating then-No. 4 Gonzaga) to losing to ASU three times.

What fans needed to do – and I said this in early December and referred to it a number of times on the Citizen’s comment section – is enjoy the moment with the players.

It was going to be a bumpy ride. There would be highs and lows – although I never imagined inexplicable intentional fouls (Jamelle Horne’s vs UAB). I never thought UA would go on a seven-game win streak and give people hope for a chance at an NCAA run after being 11-8.

So, here we are wondering what will happen Sunday when CBS announces the pairings for the tournament.

“We all want to get to the tournament and have another shot of doing it,” Hill said. “We’ll just let it come to us.”

Or not, sorry to say.

———

SELECTION SHOW: 3 p.m. Sunday, CBS

BRACKETOLOGY

How ESPN.com‘s Joe Lunardi sees the final spots for the NCAA Tournament playing out:

Last four in: Penn State, San Diego State, Creighton, New Mexico

First four out: Florida, Arizona, UNLV, Saint Mary’s

Next four out: Maryland, Virginia Tech, Temple, Miami

Arizona State continues to bedevil Budinger in important games

Chase Budinger (far right) and the Wildcats can only watch James Harden drive the lane for two of his 27 points.

LOS ANGELES – Chase Budinger arrived as the golden boy of Arizona hoops, anointed, unfairly it seems now, as Lute Olson’s biggest recruit ever.

So said Olson at the time.

There was a time late in Budinger’s freshman season when he stood in McKale Center answering questions about his NBA future. The 6-foot-7 forward said he was coming back for his sophomore season because he wanted to be the best player in college basketball.

Now a junior, it all might end with a whimper.

Arizona, needing a victory as if its streak of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances depended on it, came up short – well short – against Arizona State in the Pacific-10 Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Staples Center on Thursday.

The Wildcats lost 68-56 and it’s easiest to point the finger of blame at Budinger, the only one of the Big Three who didn’t get his points.

Jordan Hill scored 20 and pulled down 13 rebounds. Nic Wise found creative ways to score 18.

Budinger had eight.

“Nothing was falling, inside or out,” Budinger said. “Credit to ASU.”

Yeah, credit to ASU times five.

The Sun Devils, to the great and growing pain of Arizona fans, have won five in a row in the series in the past two seasons, and here is how Budinger shot in those five games, starting with the most recent:

• 3 of 15

• 5 of 16

• 4 of 8

• 1 of 12

• 4 of 13

That’s 17 of 64 (26.6 percent). That includes making just 5 of 33 3-point attempts (15.2 percent).

“They just try to find me more, never let me get a wide-open look,” Budinger said of ASU’s zone defense.

Said interim coach Russ Pennell: “I think they target him. They want to make sure they make his life miserable, and they try to get into him. But for the most part tonight, the shots he took were really good. They just didn’t fall.”

They didn’t fall, and Budinger faded away. He didn’t consistently attack the basket, as was his style in the second half of the conference season.

He attempted just one free throw. He managed a mere three rebounds in 39 minutes.

A day earlier, he had been selected, in an Oakland Tribune survey of conference writers, the most overrated player in the Pac-10 for the second consecutive season. He didn’t do anything to dispel that notion – correct or not – on Thursday.

It will not be Exhibit A in Budinger’s rebuttal to those who say he doesn’t play with passion.

“The unfortunate thing for Chase is he’s just always had such a big reputation to live up to,” Pennell said.

“When that is above you every single day, that’s difficult. Yet, I think he is an outstanding player who has continued to get better, and he has room to keep getting better.”

It is too late, however, for Budinger to be considered an ASU killer . . . unless, of course, he comes back for his senior season.

That doesn’t appear likely, but who would have thought that North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough or Washington’s Jon Brockman, among others, would make it to their senior seasons?

Budinger deflected the question on his future after the game, because, well, um, there might be NIT games (oh, joy) yet to come.

“I’m letting this season play out first and then make a decision,” he said.

Budinger declared for the draft after last season, but withdrew his name after attending several tryouts and failing to elevate his likely draft status to the top 20.

“I personally think he has had a better junior year than sophomore year,” Pennell said. “I have talked to some authorities in the level above us, and they feel the same way.

“They think he is a more well-rounded player. He has shown the ability of handling the basketball and of passing the basketball, and they think he has gotten stronger. They like his effort on defense better. They think he has matured.”

Budinger has been a stand-up guy this season, the team’s unofficial player spokesman. Pennell credits Budinger for leadership on and off the court, while playing for his third coach in three seasons.

“He is going to have a difficult decision to make from this standpoint, and it’s very simple: Does he want to play for another coach and go through that again?” Pennell said.

“Would another year help him? Yeah, probably. But I could also see him going (to the NBA after the season) and being successful.”

But if he goes, he’ll leave with some holes in his college résumé, especially against ASU.

Arizona interim head coach Russ Pennell (left) meets with the team during a timeout during an exhibition game in November at McKale Center. Next to him is his father, Dewey Pennell.

LOS ANGELES – No matter what happens with Arizona basketball the rest of this season – otherwise known as the Pennell Family’s Excellent Adventure – there is one thing that will endure.

Interim head coach Russ Pennell has put the family back in the Arizona basketball family.

Best of all, he has done it with his dad by his side, in his ear, on the bench, arm in arm.

Years from now, when many of us might judge the season on what is still to come – NCAA Tournament or no NCAA Tournament – you gotta think that Russ and Dewey simply will remember this as a father-son chance of a lifetime.

“The biggest thing is that most of us as adults don’t get to spend day after day with our parents,” Russ said. “To have this opportunity to share something we love so much – basketball – that’s priceless.”

He’s right. How do you put a value on that? In this crazy, mixed-up world that has been Arizona basketball, this is one thing that has turned out so much better than expected.

Father and son haven’t spent this much time together since Dewey coached Russ at Pittsburg (Kan.) High School three decades ago.

They could never have imagined being thrown together like this.

When Dewey retired last year from a long high school coaching career, stepping down at Little Rock (Ark.) Christian Academy, he and his wife decided to move closer to Russ and the grandkids in the Phoenix area, where Russ ran a basketball academy.

Dewey was so popular at Little Rock Christian that fans made T-shirts with his face on them.

“Last year, Russ did a clinic in the Phoenix area, and I went up with him,” Dewey said.

“He introduced me and said, ‘My dad and I have always wanted to work together, but it never worked out.’ We had no idea it would be down here, not in our wildest dreams.”

Dewey bought a home in Queen Creek and figured he would help his son at the academy. Then Pennell got the job last spring as an assistant coach at Arizona. And then life changed forever when he got the interim head coaching position after Lute Olson retired in late October.

Fearing charges of nepotism, Russ never would have suggested that his dad join the team. But it was assistant coach Mike Dunlap who proposed just that, and athletic director Jim Livengood agreed.

“I’ll be forever indebted to Arizona,” Russ said.

Matt Brase was elevated from director of operations to assistant coach. Dewey rented a house in Tucson and took part-time control of Brase’s old job.

“It’s been such a blessing for both of us,” Dewey said.

And for Arizona.

The Pennells – with Russ’ optimism and folksy personality, and Dewey’s grandfatherly approachability – helped instill calm into a potential calamity of a season.

“He never once said he was going to get the (full-time) job, but he still did the job as if he was going to be here 20 years,” Dewey said.

“People have come up to him and told him they are appreciative of that. They feel the players have gotten back to playing the game and having fun.”

Watching and critiquing and cajoling as his son directs one of the nation’s premier programs, Dewey said he is most proud of the non-basketball stuff – the way Russ has steered the team through a second season of unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances.

“I think Russ has been positive with the players all along,” Dewey said.

“At first they didn’t know how to respond because they have been through quite a bit. He kept telling them that we’re going to get through it together.

“I think they finally started believing him because he was so consistent in what he did and what he said.”

Russ and Dewey’s coaching philosophies have similar roots. Dewey worked camps for many years with legendary coach Eddie Sutton, and Russ played for Sutton at Arkansas and coached with him at Oklahoma State.

Another thing father and son share: They don’t swear.

“I have coached for more 40 years and never said a curse word to a player,” Dewey said. “Now, that doesn’t make me a saint. But he doesn’t curse either. I’m pleased with that.”

Dewey sometimes has to pinch himself as he travels to the arenas of the Pac-10.

“I went to Mac Court in Oregon and walked up to the top of the place,” Dewey said. “One seat was behind a beam and you could only see half the court. It was amazing.”

Thursday, Dewey will sit on the bench and looked around Staples Center as the Wildcats take on Arizona State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament.

Soon, it will all be over, and Arizona will bring in a new head coach.

Dewey, 70, will go back to Queen Creek.

“One of the high school coaches asked me if I would be available to help him. I might do it,” Dewey said. “Or I might just play golf.”

Golf. Father and son share that, too.

“He beats me, and I don’t like it,” Dewey said. “He doesn’t cut me any slack.”

“When we play,” Russ added with a laugh, “it’s on and it’s real.”

Russ, 48, has positioned himself as a potential head coaching candidate, although that’s not what is on his mind right now. Dewey said his son won’t take any ol’ head coaching job, toiling at a lower-level school that routinely gets bashed by the big boys.

“It’s not an ego thing with him,” Dewey said. “I think he would be happy going back to the Phoenix area and develop players, tutor players one on one.

“But I think what he really would like to do is get a farm and raise cattle.”

Really?

“That’s my ultimate goal – to have enough wealth to buy a ranch,” Russ said.

“My dad’s family had a farm and horses and cattle. I love horses. I just love large animals. That would be a dream of mine someday. I guess I’m a frustrated cowboy.”

For now, he’s UA’s interim head coach working with his dad. The dream of owning a ranch can wait.

Russ is living a dream right now.

Anthony Gimino’s e-mail: agimino@tucsoncitizen.com

Pennell

———

NEXT UP

UA (19-12) vs. ASU (22-8)

When: noon Thursday

What: Pac-10 tourney first round

TV: FSNA Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5 FM

Arizona's Nic Wise (lying on the floor) was on his back in the final seconds of the game against ASU in February, but will be off the deck and ready for Thursday's Pac-10 tournament game against the Sun Devils.

BACKCOURT

Advantage: Even

Arizona’s Nic Wise knows he can play with these guys. And actually, the only player better than Wise in the backcourt for ASU is James Harden. But that’s saying plenty. Harden will be the guy to stop first. He’s always been. Harden hasn’t hurt UA, but he’s due. Expect Wise to have a career game when the Wildcats need it the most at the Pac-10 Tournament.

FRONTCOURT

Advantage: Arizona

UA junior Jordan Hill is the best big man in the conference – period. He’ll show it this time. Arizona junior Chase Budinger is one of the league’s better forwards. He’ll show it. ASU senior Jeff Pendergraph has come a long way since his freshman year. He’ll get his points, but it won’t be enough.

DEFENSE

Advantage: ASU

Not sure whose “D” is better because each has its flaws. If Arizona can extend its zone (and it can), it should give ASU fits. But the Sun Devils’ zone has been solid all year. It ranks third in the league at 40.9 percent in field goal defense; UA is just shy at 43.3. That’s enough of a difference to give ASU the edge.

OUTCOME

Arizona has had its chances against the Sun Devils this season, losing in Tempe 70-68 and at home 53-47. I like Arizona’s chances in a neutral setting: Staples Center in Los Angeles. Plus, the Wildcats might have more to play for – ASU is already in the NCAA Tournament – and it will be tough for the Devils to win three straight against UA this year.

Prediction: Arizona by 5

UA-ASU SERIES AT A GLANCE

All-time meetings: UA leads 138-75

Pac-10 meetings: UA leads 44-19

Longest UA win streak: 17 (1945-52)

Longest ASU win streak: 15 (1958-65)

Current series streak: ASU, 2 in a row

Last season: ASU 64, UA 59 (OT, Jan. 9 in Tempe); ASU 59, UA 54 (Feb. 10 in Tucson)

First meeting: UA 41, ASU 17 (1913 in Tucson)

UA BASKETBALL NOTES

Onobun unsure of status

Arizona senior reserve Fendi Onobun isn’t sure if he’ll play much the rest of the season, saying he’s in a wait-and-see mode.

But he made the most of his chance in Saturday’s win over Stanford. In four minutes – two fewer than his season average – he hit both his free throws and his only shot.

“The thing we love about Fendi is that we can call on him on a moment’s notice,” UA interim coach Russ Pennell said. “What I’ve told Fendi is that it’s unfortunate that he’s playing behind a guy of Jordan Hill’s caliber. I feel comfortable enough to put him in.”

Same goes for freshman Brendon Lavender, who has become a key reserve lately. “I like his progress,” Pennell said. “I liked his ball pressure and his guarding is pretty good.” Lavender has come on because of the suspension of freshman Garland Judkins.

Judkins still away from team

Pennell had no new news on Judkins, only saying that he continues “to be out indefinitely.” Judkins has not been with the team since being suspended for the third time last month for unspecified reasons.

Budinger, Hill honored

For the first time, UA’s Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill were among 10 players named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association all-district team Tuesday.

The others: James Harden, ASU; John Bryant, Santa Clara; Jon Brockman, Washington; Darren Collison, UCLA; Matt Bouldin, Gonzaga; Patrick Christopher and Jerome Randle, Cal; and Patty Mills, Saint Mary’s.

STEVE RIVERA, srivera@tucsoncitizen.com (srivera@tucsoncitizen.com)

Chase

Budinger:

UA needs a double-double from the junior before he likely goes to the NBA. He's capable of it, but he must get beyond his comfort zone (a fast-paced game) and make things happen, starting with 3-pointers.

Jamelle

Horne:

Still one of the Pac-10's more physically gifted players, the UA forward hasn't put it together for a consistent period. Why not now? It's possible but a lot has to fall right. Attacking the basket would be a good start.

Derek

Glasser:

He killed UA in the first game and hit some big shots in the second. The junior ASU guard is a 42.6 percent 3-point shooter and can be the X-factor for the Sun Devils. He's cunningly good on the perimeter and a tough competitor.

Rihards

Kuksiks:

The Latvian couldn't miss against UA in the last meeting - even from beyond the 3-point line. UA's zone will be tested again. He's an underrated player in the league, but the Cats know they must contain him.

———

UP NEXT

Arizona (19-12, 9-9) vs. No. 23 ASU (22-8, 11-7), noon Thursday; first round of Pac-10 Tournament. TV: FSNA. Radio: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM

———

How teams match up

Arizona ASU

72.7 Points per game 69.6

47.9 Field goal % 47.8

68.5 Points allowed per game 59.8

40.9 Foes’ field goal % 43.3

———

‘It’s disappointing when you lose to your rival. In both games, I thought we played well but didn’t get it done.’

RUSS PENNELL,

UA interim coach, on losing twice to ASU

———

PAC-10 TOURNEY GAMES

Wednesday: No. 8 Oregon State vs. No. 9 Stanford, 6 p.m.; No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 10 Oregon, 8:30 p.m. (TV: all FSNA)

Thursday: No. 4 ASU vs. No. 5 UA, noon; No. 1 Washington vs. OSU/Stanford, 2:30 p.m.; No. 3 Cal vs. No. 6 USC, 6 p.m.; No. 2 UCLA vs. WSU/Oregon, 8:30 p.m. (all FSNA)

Friday: ASU/UA vs. Washington/OSU or Stanford, 6 p.m.; Cal/USC vs. UCLA/WSU or Oregon, 8:30 p.m. (all FSNA)

Saturday: Championship, 3 p.m. (CBS)

———

PAC-10 LEADERS

Scoring

1. James Harden, ASU 20.8

2. Jordan Hill, UA 18.5

Rebounding

1. Jon Brockman, Washington 11.5

2. Jordan Hill, UA 11.0

Assists

1. Jerome Randle, California 5.0

6. Nic Wise, UA 4.6

Blocks

1. Taj Gibson, USC 2.9

2. Jordan Hill, UA 1.9

———

FINAL PAC-10 STANDINGS

School Conf. Overall

1. Washington 14-4 24-7

2. UCLA 13-5 24-7

3. California 11-7 22-9

Arizona State 11-7 22-8

5. Arizona 9-9 19-12

USC 9-9 18-12

7. Washington St. 8-10 16-14

8. Oregon State 7-11 13-16

9. Stanford 6-12 17-12

10. Oregon 2-16 8-22

———

SPORTS SOUND-OFF

Hill seen as 1st-round choice in pro draft

Re: Jordan Hill on top of heap, earns Pac-10 honor

• Hill’s fire in the belly, along with his great talent and skill, will land him a number 3 or 4 selection in the NBA Draft. . . . How Chase (Budinger) plays this Thursday will influence his own selection in the draft. He has great talent, but fire on defense is critical for him and the Cats this Thursday. We lost both games to ASU because ASU played defense just a bit better. JCS

• Don’t take me wrong; these players are very good, but I don’t think they are ready yet. They have all the tools to be something great, but they need to fine-tune some things. Don’t be surprised if they come back! Especially if we get a great coach coming in. JUST A FAN

• Here is a 2009 Mock NBA Draft. For those of you who think Jordan will stay, you’re crazy. Hopefully the Clippers will pass on Jordan (another nice reason to stay at Arizona): 1. Sacramento – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. 2. Washington – Hasheem Thabeet, UConn. 3. L.A. Clippers – Hill, UA. 4. Memphis – James Harden, ASU. 5. Oklahoma City – Brandon Jennings; Europe. SELLY22

• Hill, I think, with maturity, will be a NBA player for some time, but Chase still remains a second-round pick, in my mind. Chase, a la Luke Walton, should return for one more year. D3189

• Both Chase and Jordan are very deserving of NBA money. Hill is hands down the most skilled big man to EVER come from Arizona. . . . Chase’s skill set is ridiculous as well. He can pull up from 24 feet and has a very nice midrange game. 4274

• I love Jordan like a brother, but . . . in my opinion Brian Williams was the most gifted UA big man. Sean Rooks also dominated and had a 13-season career in the NBA, and Channing Frye had the best hands and mid-range shot I’ve seen. Hill is the best finisher (thanks to Nic Wise dimes) and has a great upside. . . . He deserves all the accolades. I’m sure he will be a lottery pick. COREY74

> E-mail: sports@tucsoncitizen.com (sports@tucsoncitizen.com). Call: 573-4639.