Kaleb Tarczewski is expected to rely on the leadership and experience of senior Mark Lyons in the NCAA tournament (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS — From Atlantic City, N.J., to Las Vegas in one year, Arizona senior guard Mark Lyons knows what it’s like to be dealt the losing hand on the basketball court.

Lyons was part of Xavier’s team last season that lost to St. Bonaventure in the championship game of the Atlantic 10 tournament at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Lyons came up short with the Wildcats in a 66-64 loss to UCLA Friday night in the Pac-12 tournament semifinal game at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“I’ve been through this before,” said Lyons in a quiet Arizona locker room. “Last year at Xavier we lost to St. Bonaventure … It was a really close game, came down to one possession. Yeah, I’ve been here before. We just have to carry on.”

Forgive Lyons for his memory error — because of his transition from Xavier to Arizona and the difficult loss to the Bruins — but St. Bonaventure won 67-56 and never trailed against Xavier the entire second half.

The bottom line: Lyons knows the ebbs and flows of a season and how a team that loses in a conference tournament can make a run in the NCAA tournament. Xavier, which entered the 2012 NCAA tournament as a No. 10 seed, 21-12 overall, managed to advance to the Sweet 16 before losing to Baylor. The Musketeers advanced to the Sweet 16 twice with Lyons as a starting guard.

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Javier Morales took first place in the 2010 Arizona Press Club’s Metro Sports Reporting category

In case you missed it: The Top 10 Badass Defensive Players and the Top 10 Badass Offensive Players in Arizona football history

1987-88 Arizona Wildcats (35-3)
–Beat North Carolina 70-52 in the West Regional Final; lost to Oklahoma 86-78 in the Final Four. To note: The Wildcats of 1987-88 continue to hold school records for victories (35), points in a season (3,234), average margin of victory (22.9 points), field goals made (1,147), field-goal percentage (54.5 percent), three-point field-goal percentage (48.3), fewest foul-outs (only six), and fewest blocked shots by opponents (only 1.4 a game).

2010-11 Arizona Wildcats (30-8)
–Lost to Connecticut 65-63 in the West Regional Final. To note: The 2010-11 Wildcats set school records for three-point field goals made (296) and opponent three-point field-goal percentage (only 29.3 percent).

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>> 1993-1994 versus 2004-2005
>> 1996-1997 versus 2002-2003
>> 1975-1976 versus 2000-2001

MATCHUPS

Point Guard

Steve Kerr (1984-1988) vs. Lamont “MoMo” Jones (2009-2011)

Steve Kerr

Lamont MoMo Jones

A Kerr vs. Jones matchup at the starting point guard spot is as contrasting as this Elite Eight event can muster. Kerr is the cool, calm and collected player from the serene beach town of Pacific Palisades, Calif., while Jones is the rough and tumble, get-in-your-face player from Brooklyn.

Their polar-opposite characteristics is indicative of the different capabilities each team had to offer. The teams had one thing in common: They share the record for playing the most games in a season (38) in the program’s history. But more contrasts exists than similarities.

The 1987-88 Wildcats, led by the deft outside shooting of Kerr, shot a school-record 48.3 percent from three-point range. The 2010-11 edition, captained by the defensively active Jones on the perimeter, held opponents to a school-record low of 29.3 percent from three-point range.

Who would win the battle? The 1987-88 team with its offensive perfection or the 2010-11 team with its defensive prowess?

Kerr set UA records shooting 57.3 percent from three-point range and posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of almost 5-to-1 (150 assists compared to only 36 turnovers). Jones was not as good of a shooter making only 31.6 percent of his three-pointers last season. But he converted 82.8 percent of his free-throw attempts and was clutch in memorable victories over California, scoring a career-high 27 points in a three-overtime game in Berkeley, and Duke, with 16 points, six assists and no turnovers in the Sweet 16 game.

Kerr was the model of reliability and consistency. Little-known fact: Kerr played all 50 minutes (a school record) in a double-overtime 79-72 victory over Cal at McKale Center on Jan. 12, 1986.

Jones is the only starter on an Arizona Elite Eight team who transferred to another school. He switched to Iona this season to be closer to home so he can be near his ailing grandmother. The NCAA granted Jones, a junior, a hardship waiver and allowed him to play this year for Iona.

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PREVIOUS MATCHUP ANALYSIS: THE STARTING PERIMETER PLAYERS

A look at what to expect from the starting frontcourt players Saturday at approximately 4 p.m., Tucson time, at Anaheim between No. 5-seed Arizona (30-7) and No. 3 seed UConn (29-9) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament:

FRONTCOURT

CONNECTICUT

UConn sophomore post player Alex Oriakhi is most dangerous on the glass, averaging 8.7 rebounds a game (US Presswire photo/Gary A. Vasquez)

What’s going right: UConn sophomore post player Alex Oriakhi has the same size as Arizona’s Derrick Williams (6-8, 240), and he is a threat the most on the glass. He averages a team-leading 8.7 rebounds a game, including a respectable 3.8 on the offensive boards. He also leads the Huskies with 61 blocked shots. Freshman forward Roscoe Smith (6-8, 205) is one of the most versatile players on UConn’s roster, the type of player Sean Miller likes. Smith averages 5.2 rebounds a game and is tied for second on the team with 47 blocked shots. Offensively, he can extend to the three-point line, where he has made 25 of 80 attempts (31.3 percent. That’s not a great percentage but his attempts can stretch the defense for Kemba Walker’s penetration.

What’s going wrong: Freshman Tyler Olander (6-9, 225) started against San Diego State but only logged five minutes. The quick hook by UConn coach Jim Calhoun is routine. Olander has started 18 times this season but averages only 10 minutes per game. He averages only 1.5 points and 1.9 rebounds a game. Oriakhi and Smith have subpar field-goal percentages, especially considering how they could use their size to maneuver for high-percentage shots. Orakhi is shooting 49.3 percent (a starting big man should be in the 55-percent range) and Smith is at 38.8 percent.

Oriakhi said Friday: “I think I know what I have to do and that’s rebound because that’s what this team needs from me, but I’m not the only rebounder on the team. I think we do a great job of game rebounding. Kemba is able to get the long rebounds, and Roscoe does a great job of rebounding and so does (reserve) Jamal (Coombs-McDaniel). So I feel if we can rebound tomorrow we’re going to be fine.”

ARIZONA

Look for Derrick Williams to continue his attacking ways against Connecticut to draw fouls and offset Kemba Walker's attacks on the other end (US Presswire photo/Gary A. Vasquez)

What’s going right: Sophomore sensation Williams increased his season total to 721 with his 32-point performance against Duke on Thursday. He is only the third Arizona player (now accomplished four times) to reach that level in a single season behind guard Khalid Reeves’ 848 in 1993-94, and two years by forward Sean Elliott who scored 743 in 1987-88 and 735 in 1988-89. Williams scored 486 points as a freshman. No Arizona player has scored more points in his first two seasons than Williams, who now has 1,207 career points. Solomon Hill has elevated his play at the right time, averaging 12 points and six rebounds a game in the NCAA tournament. He is also shooting 60 percent (15 of 25) from the field, with most of those shots created because of assertive play around the basket.

What’s going wrong: Jesse Perry showed good effort against Duke but he is still trying to find his offense. In the three NCAA tournament games, Perry has almost as many turnovers (3) as field goals (shooting 4 of 15 for 26.7 percent). If Perry concentrates on his rebounds (respectable 4.3 a game in the NCAA tournament) and allows others to create scoring opportunities, Miller would likely be in favor of that. But the concern is there about Perry taking an ill-advised shot or not converting when another player can.

Williams said Friday: “Jesse Perry was a big part of us doing well this season. When he came on his visit we needed a guy just like Jesse, somebody that doesn’t matter about points, he’s going to do the dirty work, get rebounds, going to have put-backs, do anything that Coach asks of you. Solomon, he doesn’t do anything great, but he does everything good. He rebounds the ball, put-backs, shoots the ball really well. He’s a great passer as well. That’s just something you need on your team. You can compare his game to Lamar Odom, and he does everything well.”

Who has the edge? Arizona. A major aspect of Saturday’s game is Williams should not have the stress of shutting down the opposing big man defensively. That was also not a challenge against Duke. In games against Washington with Matthew Bryan-Amaning, UCLA with Joshua Smith and USC with Nikola Vucevic, Williams’ overall game was affected somewhat because his questionable defensive skills were put to the test. Arizona struggled along with him in those games. The combination of Williams and Hill offensively, on the other hand, is a serious challenge for Oriakhi and Smith, both of whom must guard against getting into foul trouble.

NEXT BLOG: A MATCHUP PREVIEW OF THE BENCH PRODUCTION OF EACH TEAM