Pictured: Mark Lyons and 4 Bruins.
Photo by Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Wildcats basketball team got swept in Los Angeles and senior Mark Lyons was right in the middle of it for all the wrong reasons.

The point guard disparity in the two games was as obvious as Shabazz Muhammad’s college plans. Both Larry Drew II of UCLA and USC’s Jio Fontan ran circles around Lyons. The UA guard’s turnovers and lack of playmaking on the offensive end only widened the gap.

Sean Miller gambled on bringing in Lyons and it hasn’t paid off over the course of the season. But that doesn’t change the fact that it was the right move at the time.

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The Sun Devils took one on the chin in their own gym.
Photo by David Kadlubowski/azcentral sports

Arizona defeated Arizona State on Saturday afternoon in a very satisfying victory for Wildcat fans. It wasn’t just winning in Tempe. It wasn’t merely the 17-point margin of victory. It was beating ASU in a fashion that left no doubt as to who had the better team.

It was a sign that a return to the days of a one-sided hoops rivalry may be on the horizon.

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Nick Johnson’s freshman season wasn’t a slam dunk.
Photo by Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

As soon as your favorite team gets done with this year you start looking toward next year.

For the Arizona Wildcats three key seniors will be replaced by four incoming freshmen. If you look at the recruiting rankings the new players will significantly upgrade the talent on the roster.

After an up-and-down 2012, however, UA fans would be wise to keep next year’s expectations in check.

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Can the football rivalry gap end up like the basketball gap?
Photo by Pat Shannahan/The Arizona Republic

The Arizona Wildcats beat Arizona State handily on Saturday giving Sean Miller his fourth win in five games against the Sun Devils.

Add in the UA football team winning three of the last four Territorial Cup games and Cat fans are swimming in bragging rights.

When was the last time the head-to-head in-state rivalry was this lopsided in the two highest profile sports?

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“Help yourself to an early lead.”
Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

It’s been an all-too-familiar scene for the Arizona Wildcats this season. The opposing team jumps out to an early lead and their bench celebrates. Sean Miller calls time out and the Cats slink over for a stern talking-to.

Why does this keep happening? How can the UA fix it? The numbers may show us the answer.

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