The following is part of the “Nothing but the Notes” installment at WildcatSportsReport.com. The notes column got its start at our partner site WILDABOUTAZCATS.com last year

Former Arizona player and assistant coach Josh Pastner is drawing criticism from some Memphis media and fans in only his second year with the Tigers despite an 8-1 record (US Presswire photo/Nelson Chenault)

Former Arizona player and assistant coach Josh Pastner and his staff are a subject of criticism lately by some Memphis fans and media, particularly Memphis Commercial-Appeal columnist Dan Wolken.

After the Tigers escaped with a 70-68 victory over Austin Peay Thursday night, Wolken wrote some choice observations of Pastner, his team and his assistants. One of the more interesting comments: “Too many handlers whispering selfish poison into these talented young players’ ears. Too many assistant coaches worried about their next raise, rather than the next game. Too many fingers being pointed at the wrong targets, when a look in the mirror would suffice.”

Ouch. At last check, Memphis is 8-1. But then again, Arizona is a respectable 9-2 and coach Sean Miller has arguably been the most critical of his team’s lack of a consistent effort and ability to uphold the Arizona tradition (started really by Fred Snowden and pushed over the edge by Lute Olson).

Pastner is coaching in John Calipari‘s shadow immediately after replacing the high-profile coach who bolted to Kentucky last season. Miller is two interim coaches removed from Olson coaching his last game at Arizona. If Miller immediately replaced Olson and had similar difficulties with some of his players, and the team’s overall execution, the former Xavier coach might be under more of a microscope in Tucson.

Just ask Kevin O’Neill, who immediately followed Olson in 2007-08 and started out hot (and was dubbed Olson’s permanent successor by midseason) before the Wildcats fell apart toward the end of the year and O’Neill was not retained.

UA fans are willing to give Miller at least three years to get Arizona back on solid ground and able to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. The patience appears to be running thin in Memphis for Pastner, who typically tries to put a positive spin on everything.

“Let’s talk about the positive,” Pastner was quoted as saying after the game Thursday. “We found a way to win.”

Pastner has already had to deal with removing freshman Jelan Kendrick, a McDonald’s All-American guard, from the team for personal reasons. Junior center Angel Garcia also left the team last week to pursue a professional career overseas.

More than 160 Memphis fan/follower comments were made at the end of Wolken’s column Thursday with the tone ranging from very supportive for Pastner to being very frank about the young second-year coach.

“Honeymoon’s over, Pastner” was one of the comments.

(more…)

Potential UA recruit Shabazz Muhammad, a Class of 2012 superstar, drew a crowd of who's who among college coaches at the adidas Invitational in Indianapolis on Tuesday

What’s more daunting, facing the background of a college-student cheering section while standing at the free-throw line, or looking up in the stands and seeing a who’s-who of college basketball coaches watch your every move?

That was the situation for top-flight Class of 2012 talent Shabazz Muhammad on Tuesday during the first day of the July evaluation period. Muhammad, of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman, drew a crowd including the likes of UA’s Sean Miller, Roy Williams, Bill Self, Billy Donovan, Mike Krzyzewski and Ben Howland, among many others, at the adidas Invitational at Indianapolis.

The tournament is held at North Central High School, the school that former UA point guard Jason Gardner attended. Muhammad no doubt has seen Gardner’s jersey hanging in the gym. Gardner was the 1999 Mr. Indiana winner as the state’s top boys basketball player. One of Miller’s goals is to restore those kind of recruiting successes.

To some, however, the hunt for Muhammad, potentially the No. 1 recruit of his class by the time he graduates, might be similar to Arizona’s unsuccessful attempt to land Baltimore Class of 2010 standout Josh Selby (who chose to attend Kansas).

Time will tell. The Cats should be in a more favorable position, having three seasons completed under Miller when Muhammad finally plays college hoops. And Miller’s try at Muhammad might be more of symbolism than anything. It shows that Miller intends to keep the direction started by Lute Olson — the cream of the crop will continue to be a recruiting focus.

According to various reports out of Indianapolis, Muhammad, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, lived up to the expectations of the high-profile coaches. He displayed accuracy from beyond the three-point line. He showed a quick first step to the basket. He is also a tough-as-nails defender.

He scored 32 points in a losing effort for the Dream Vision AAU team against Indiana Elite.

Arizona is already in pursuit of one of Muhammad’s teammates at Bishop Gorman — small forward Roscoe Allen, a 6-7 player. Allen unofficially visited the Arizona campus last month.

Other recruiting news: Gary Randazzo, of WildcatSportsReport.com, is reporting that UA assistant coach Book Richardson is in Germany scouting Class of 2011 point guard Quinn Cook, who is playing with USA Basketball’s Under-17 team in the FIBA World Championships. Richardson’s appearance there shows how serious the Cats want Cook, who has the UA on his short list. Richardson is sharing the stands with some strong competition, however, in Hamberg. Kentucky head coach John Calipari and assistant Orlando Antigua are there as well to make themselves seen by Cook. They are also watching commits Marquis Teague and Michael Gilchrist. … Other potential UA recruits at the adidas Invitational include Class of 2012 center Isaiah Austin of Arlington (Texas) Grace Prep, Class of 2012 forward Winston Shepard of Henderson (Nev.) Findlay (who is a teammate of Muhammad with Dream Vision), and Class of 2011 guard Norman Powell of San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln.

Arizona coach Sean Miller reportedly wants to resume the Cats' series with regional rival UNLV (Photo by US Presswire/Kirby Lee)

Arizona will not play regional rival UNLV for the first time in four years next season, but the Las Vegas Sun reports that the series may resume again soon.

Apparently, UNLV coach Lon Kruger and UA coach Sean Miller want the series to resume. Furthermore, former UA athletic director Jim Livengood, now in the same capacity at UNLV, would not balk at the idea.

“Coach Kruger and Miller have talked about renewing that one (the series), I just don’t think we can get it next year (2010-11),” UNLV director of basketball operations Mike Shepherd told the Sun. “Because they need a home game and we do, too.”

Arizona is tentatively scheduled to host NAU on Dec. 27, but that game can be affected by the Big Sky conference schedule, which has yet to be released.

Scheduling a series against UNLV and being part of an event such as the Las Vegas Invitational is a good move on Arizona’s part inasmuch as the prestigious Findlay Prep basketball program is based in Las Vegas suburb Henderson. It’s always good to remain in the public eye of these young top-notch recruits.

Here are some other known non-conference schedules to this point (note that many of the top Division I schools won’t finalize their non-conference schedules until June or July):

Kentucky: John Calipari plans to thank Portland (Ore.) Jefferson standout Terrence Jones for signing a financial-aid agreement with Kentucky by scheduling a game at Portland’s Rose Garden Arena in November.

Kentucky’s likely opponent will be the University of Portland, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Kentucky has never played in Oregon. Duke, with Oregon native Kyle Singler, is tentatively scheduled to play Oregon Nov. 27 at the Rose Garden.

Kansas: The Jayhawks are scheduled to play four Pac-10 schools: Arizona, UCLA, USC and Cal.

Kansas plays the Wildcats in the Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 27. Five days later, on Dec. 6, the Jayhawks host UCLA in the 2010 Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series. The Jayhawks also play USC at Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 18. They travel to Berkeley to face the Golden Bears on Dec. 22.

Memphis, under former UA player and assistant coach Josh Pastner, plays Kansas in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 7 at Madison Square Garden. Look for Arizona to be part of this event in the next couple of years, especially with the Wildcats targeting New York talent with assistant coach Book Richardson.

The Jayhawks’ schedule against Pac-10 foes is a wise move because coach Bill Self has shown that he will not hesitate to recruit in this area. Self lured San Diego product Jeff Withey, a former UA signee, to join the Jayhawks. He also has Las Vegas product Elijah Johnson, and he signed Class of 2010 recruit Royce Woolridge of Phoenix.

Cal: The Golden Bears have attractive home games against Kansas, New Mexico, San Diego State and Southern Miss. Two teams have yet to be determined to join Southern Miss in the Golden Bear Classic. Other opponents slated to visit Berkeley include New Orleans, UC-Davis and Cal Poly.

The Bears’ only non-conference road trips will be against Iowa State in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, and in the Old Spice Challenge in late November at the Milk House at Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. Also participating in the event will be Boston College, Georgia, Manhattan, Notre Dame, Temple, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. Matchups have not been determined.

Other Pac-10 teams: USC — Kevin O’Neill’s club plays two other Big 12 teams other than Kansas — both in the Pac-10/Big 12 Hardwood Series. The Trojans play at Nebraska and host Texas. … Stanford: The Cardinal will host a non-conference game with Virginia. The school has announced a full tentative non-conference schedule will be released in June. … The Pac-10 has decent home games in the its Hardwood Series with the Big 12 other than the Trojans hosting Texas. Oklahoma travels to Arizona, Missouri plays at Oregon and Kansas State takes a trip to the Paloose to play Washington State. … A potential matchup looms between Washington and Kentucky in the Maui Invitational. Think Lorenzo Romar has the dates of the tournament — Nov. 22-24 — circled on his calendar? Calipari talked two potential Washington signees — Jones and Enes Kanter — into signing with Kentucky.