Oregon’s E.J. Singler had a team-high 14 points, as well as seven points and seven rebounds. Photo by Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Arizona waited too long to make a run.
The fourth-ranked Wildcats trailed by as many by 14 in the second half — after starting the game on an 11-0 run — and only made a serious run late in the game. With Arizona playing more aggressively, Mark Lyons’ 3-pointer with 1:18 to go capped an 11-2 run for UA.
E.J. Singler made two free throws for Oregon with 1:07 to play, but Nick Johnson — after missing the front end of a one-and-one — answered with a 3-pointer UA grabbed the offense rebound. That made it 69=66 with 50.1 seconds to go.
When Dominic Artis missed a 3-pointer on the other end, Arizona had a chance to tie the game. Johnson was leading the break, but Johnathan Loyd stripped the ball from him past halfcourt and was fouled. Loyd made 1 of 2 free throws with 9.2 seconds left to make the score 70-66.
That’s how the game ended as Arizona’s final shot was off the mark.
The Cats (14-1, 2-1) were one of three undefeated teams in the country. Now, it’s just Duke and Michigan.
Oregon, which entered the game 10th in the league in 3-point shooting (31.5 percent), made 7 of 11 attempts from behind the arc. Arizona’s past three opponents have shot 50 percent (24 of 48) from 3-point range.
* * *
Arizona still fighting. After Oregon misses the front end of a one-and-one, Mark Lyons banks in an off-balance 3-pointer as he tries to draw the foul. No foul, but the shot cut the lead to 67-63 with 1:18 to go.
* * *
Kevin Parrom takes a wild shot then commits a pushing foul to foul out with 3:10 to go. He has seven points and three assists, not a huge game after making his first start of the season.
* * *
Looks like the magic is running out. Solomon Hill converts a 3-point play to get Arizona within 65-55, but time is running out. We’re at the final media timeout with 3:32 to go.
* * *
Tweets ex-Cat Channing Frye: “Why do the #Wildcats dig themselves in such a hole every game? I hope they get the win, but one loss will make us better for the tourney.”
* * *
E.J. Singler hits a 3-pointer with 6:43 left to push Oregon’s lead to 63-52. The Ducks’ hot shooting continues.
* * *
Arizona still has too many possessions in which it takes quick shots; coach Sean Miller would like to see more passing before just settling for the first outside jumper. The Wildcats are still hanging around but can’t be enough together in combination. Mark Lyons has scored UA’s last seven points but the Ducks stubbornly keep the lead at 10 points, 60-50, with 8:34 to go.
* * *
Oregon is 5 of 8 from 3-point range despite entering the game at 31.5 percent for the season, one of the worst marks in the Pac-12. Dominic Artis is 3-for-3 despite entering tonight at 28.6 percent for the season. Maybe the percentages will catch up with Oregon late in the game. Right now, they Ducks leads 53-45 with 11:45 to go.
* * *
The advantage to having Kevin Parrom and Solomon Hill on the court at the same time: They are each a one-man fast break. In back-to-back possessions, they each grab a defensive rebound, dribble quickly up court and attack the basket for a layup. Is it making much difference? Not yet. Arizona still trails by 10, 48-38, with 15:48 to play. The Cats won’t do much unless they start playing defense.
* * *
Headline on the front page of ESPN.com: “O, It Won’t Be Easy”
* * *
With its typical balance, Oregon had eight players score in the first half, none scoring more than seven points. Mark Lyons led Arizona with six. The Ducks E.J. Singler is tied for the team lead with seven points, and he also has six rebounds and six assists.
* * *
Already seems like last week when Arizona led 11-0 in this game. Oregon quickly erased that and then pulled away late in the first half before heading to the locker room with a 41-30 lead.
So, do the math. Oregon outscored the Cats 41-19 after its slow start … and the Ducks also finished on a 21-5 run after Wildcats had regrouped for a 25-20 edge.
The Ducks are shooting 17 of 30 (56.7 percent), getting open 3-pointers and easy baskets in transition.
* * *
Sean Miller calls timeout with 4:13 left after five quick points from the Ducks, who go up 35-28 on a fast-break layup by Damyean Dotson.
* * *
Oregon takes a 30-26 lead on a steal, layup and free throw from senior forward E.J. Singler. Said Arizona coach Sean Miller this week: “Singler is a winner. He’s tough. He plays the game really hard. He really impact the game in so many ways — a lot like how we utilize Solomon Hill.”
* * *
Kaleb Tarczewski struggling around the basket. He’s 0-for-3 from the field tonight, showing he is still raw. He was 6 of 15 from the field in the opening Pac-12 weekend.
* * *
ESPN analyst Bill Walton calls Oregon’s student section the most organized in the conference. Listening, Zona Zoo?
* * *
Lots of action, and Arizona goes up 25-20 with 9:09 left when Brandon Ashley throws down a dunk off a bounce pass by Jordin Mayes and is fouled by Tony Woods. Ashley makes the free throw. At this point, Arizona hasn’t committed a foul and neither team has an offensive rebound.
* * *
In a span of just more three minutes, Oregon went on a 16-2 run to lead 16-13 with 13:23 to go in the half. Nothing seems to come easy for these Wildcats. Mark Lyons gave Arizona back the lead when he scored on drives to the basket on back-to-back possessions, but the Ducks grabbed an 18-17 advantage at the second media timeout with 11:20 to play in the half.
* * *
The game quickly turned into the fast-paced battle we expected, with Oregon storming back on an 8-0 run after Arizona had pushed the lead to 11-0. The Ducks aren’t a good 3-point shooting team (31.5 percent) but they hit two from behind the arc during the run. UA coach Sean Miller continues to be concerned with his team’s 3-point defense. In particular, look at how the Cats handle ball screens on the perimeter. Are they losing their man in those situations.
* * *
Oregon misses its first four shots with a turnover, while the Wildcats take a 9-0 lead on two 3-pointers from Solomon Hill and one from Kevin Parrom. The Ducks call timeout with 17:23 to go in the half.
* * *
Arizona’s Kevin Parrom is making his first start of the season as coach Sean Miller goes with a smaller lineup. Parrom starts at small forward, with Solomon Hill moving up to the power forward spot. The Cats’ best lineups this season have been when Hill and Parrom are on the court at the same time. Freshman post Brandon Ashley is on the bench at tip-off.
* * *
Oregon freshman Arik Armstead, a 6-8 defensive lineman for the Ducks, has been practicing with the basketball team following the football team’s appearance in the Fiesta Bowl. Armstead went through warm-ups tonight … we’ll see if he gets a few minutes. He was a big-time football recruit.
* * *
This is the only meeting of the season against the Ducks. The Oregon schools will not make the return trip to Tucson in the league’s unbalanced schedule.
* * *
The Arizona Wildcats — one of three undefeated teams in the country following Wyoming’s loss to Boise State on Wednesday night — face a difficult test at Oregon tonight.
Dana Altman’s Ducks are 12-2 and have won 16 consecutive games at Matthew Knight Arena.
“I think playing Oregon at Oregon will be one of the most difficult games in our conference, not just for us but for any team that plays them,” UA coach Sean Miller said.
“First of all, they have a very talented team. They have a great coach, somebody we respect a great deal. And they have a system and a style of play that is very frenetic and attacking.”
Oregon won’t mind running, which should be a welcome sight for Arizona after being held to zero fast-break points by a slow-it-down Utah squad.
The Ducks have five players in double-digit scoring, led by freshman guard Damyean Dotson at 11.8 points per game. Senior center Tony Woods (6-11, 243) will be a difficult challenge for Arizona freshman big man Kaleb Tarczewski. Woods averages 10.8 points but only 3.7 rebounds.
“Oregon is tough to defend,” Miller said. “They’re a really good offensive rebounding team.”
Rice transfer Arsalan Kazemi, a 6-7 forward, comes close to giving the Ducks a sixth double-digit scorer (he’s at 8.5), but he averages 9.8 rebounds and a Pac-12-best 2.8 steals per game.
Getting back to the “frenetic” issue, Oregon leads the conference with 9.8 steals per game.
“They change their defense, and their defense can do a lot of things to you,” Miller said. “They can take you out of what you’re used to doing. They can create turnovers. No doubt, they are a really good team.”
* * *
Perhaps you remember Kazemi from Rice, which played at McKale Center early in his freshman season of 2009-10. He came off the bench for 13 points and 10 rebounds in the second game of Miller’s tenure at Arizona. UA won 66-49.
The Cats won 84-57 at Rice a year later, when Kazemi had 17 points and six rebounds.
Related: The opponent’s view: Biggest game yet at Oregon’s Matt Court