Citizen Staff Writer
THE PRESS
STEVE RIVERA
srivera@tucsoncitizen.com
Arizona vs. USC: Steve Rivera’s breakdown of the game • Wildcat notes • Players to watch
BACKCOURT
Advantage: Arizona
Arizona’s Nic Wise is playing like the point guard he was at the beginning of the year. He’s been one of UA’s MVPs lately. Kyle Fogg has been a perfect complement. Daniel Hackett is one of the stronger guards in the league and is aggressive. Dwight Lewis was too much for UA to handle last time. Expect another problem with Lewis.
FRONTCOURT
Advantage: Arizona
Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill are becoming the 1-2 punch Pac-10 teams have long feared. And they are playing well together. Hill will need another double-double and Budinger will need to score at least 20 points. Both are more than capable. USC freshman DeMar DeRozan is a tough, young player. Taj Gibson is a strong veteran.
DEFENSE
Advantage: Even
It looks like Arizona is finally playing well in Mike Dunlap’s 1-1-3 defense. But the Trojans lead the league in field goal percentage defense at 39.6 percent. UA is at 43 percent. The Trojans are also third in scoring defense at 63 points. UA is allowing 65 per game.
OUTCOME
I initially wanted to go with the Trojans because of their potential. But Arizona has played well enough and confident enough, so the nod will go to the Wildcats. It will be decided in the final two minutes, and the first one to 60 will win.
Prediction: UA by 2
UA-USC SERIES AT A GLANCE
All-time meetings: UA leads 54-38
Pac-10 meetings: UA leads 42-22
Longest UA win streak: 11 (1986-90)
Longest USC win streak: 12 (1924-30)
Current series streak: USC, 2 in a row
Earlier this season: USC 65 Arizona 64 (Jan. 17 in Los Angeles)
Last season: Arizona 80, USC 69 (Jan. 31 in Los Angeles); USC 70, Arizona 58 (Feb. 28 in Tucson)
First meeting: Arizona 36, USC 28 (1922 in Tucson)
UA BASKETBALL NOTES
USC dealing with youth issues
USC has won five of seven, losing to perhaps the two best teams in the Pac-10 Conference – at UCLA and at Washington.
The Trojans, who swept UA and ASU in Los Angeles, have beaten the teams they should. But they played their worst game of the year last week against the Bruins, falling to UCLA 76-60.
“Their youth has a lot to do with that,” said UA interim coach Russ Pennell, of USC being inconsistent at times. “Daniel Hackett has some experience, and so does Taj Gibson (both are juniors). But they have guys who they rely on who are young.
“That (inconsistency) is going to occur with most teams. They may be the most-talented team. They are athletic and have size. They look like a basketball team.”
1,000 point club
On Saturday, Jordan Hill became the 43rd player to score 1,000 or more points in Arizona’s storied program. The 6-foot-10 junior forward now has 1,007 points in 86 career games. This season, he’s turned in nine 20-point games.
Johnson’s status
USC freshman Marcus Johnson, who missed the Trojans’ last game against UCLA, has been suffering from a right shoulder injury. It’s not clear how serious the injury is, but he couldn’t brush his teeth after suffering the injury recently.
UP NEXT
THURSDAY: USC (15-7, 6-4) at Arizona (16-8, 6-5), 8:30 p.m. Thursday, FSNA
SATURDAY: No. 11 UCLA (19-4, 8-2) at Arizona, 11 a.m. Saturday, CBS
How teams match up
Arizona USC
71.2 Points per game 68.9
47.3 Field goal % 47.0
65.9 Points allowed per game 62.2
41.8 Foes’ field goal % 39.6
‘As talented as they are, their first five – one through five – is as good as any in the league.’
USC coach TIM FLOYD, on UA
PAC-10 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY: USC at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.; UCLA at Arizona State, 7 p.m.; Oregon at Washington State, 8 p.m.; Oregon State at Washington, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY: UCLA at Arizona, 11 a.m.; Oregon at Washington, 1 p.m.; Stanford at California, 3 p.m.; Oregon State at Washington State, 5 p.m.
SUNDAY: USC at Arizona State, 8 p.m.
PAC-10 LEADERS
Scoring
1. James Harden, ASU 21.9
3. Jordan Hill, UA 18.3
Rebounding
1. Jordan Hill, UA 11.5
2. Jon Brockman, Washington 11.1
Assists
1. Darren Collison, UCLA 5.0
5. Nic Wise, UA 4.8
Blocks
1. Taj Gibson, USC 2.9
2. Jordan Hill, UA 2.0
PAC-10 STANDINGS
Conf. All
School W L W L
UCLA 8 2 19 4
Washington 8 3 17 6
Arizona State 7 4 18 5
California 7 4 18 6
USC 6 4 15 7
ARIZONA 6 5 16 8
Stanford 4 7 15 7
Washington State 4 7 12 11
Oregon State 4 7 10 12
Oregon 0 11 6 17
SPORTS SOUND-OFF
Cats can do it
• If the Wildcats can miraculously pull a sweep at home this weekend, they’re in. Plain and simple. Get it done fellas! 4DMARINE40
• I disagree. They could sweep this weekend and then go in the tank and it would be all over. The focus must be on Thursday night. Beat USC. That’s it, nothing more. On Friday, they can work on what needs to be done Saturday against UCLA. H MR
• Finish the last seven at 4-3 and the Cats are in – 20-11 and 10-8. If one of the four is a victory over UCLA, they’ll do better than a 12 seed. If they go 3-4, they must have a win over UCLA and at least two wins in the Pac-10 tourney. Simple. HOLLAND
• Fans giddy? Who’s giddy? We’re just pleased to see the guys playing to their potential. Giddy were the days when we had to sweat out whether we were a No. 1 seed and be in a bracket closest to home. Ah, those were the days. WILBUR ROCKS
> Got a beef? E-mail: sports@tucsoncitizen.com. Call: 573-4635. Fax: 573-4569.
Jamelle Horne
The UA forward looks for redemption against a USC team that capitalized on his last-second foul to win last month in Los Angeles. Horne can compete athletically with the Trojans, and he has something to prove.
Chase Budinger
Since being stomped on by Houston’s Aubrey Coleman, Budinger has been one of the Pac-10′s top players. Whatever the motivation, he can help UA if he plays as well as he did at USC, with 19 points.
Dwight Lewis
He’s the Trojans’ most prolific scorer. UA found out the hard way last month when he scored 12 of his 21 points down the stretch to rally USC. He’s athletic and not intimidated, which makes him dangerous.
DeMar DeRozan
The forward hasn’t been the best freshman in the Pac-10, as many projected, but he’s been solid. He’ll give UA the most fits near the basket. He had only four rebounds last time. Expect more at UA this time.