Arizona Wildcats basketball: On UA's border war, Walton's return, McKale's festive vibes
- Updated
Seen and heard at McKale Center during Arizona's 77-46 win over New Mexico.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
There was a lot of talk this week about the renewed rivalry between Arizona and New Mexico, with the Wildcats and Lobos restarting a series that Lute Olson ended back in the late 1990s.
There’s just one problem — the two programs are in much different places right now.
Arizona is good, even when its beset by injuries. New Mexico is a work in progress.
It took nearly six minutes on Tuesday night for the Lobos to even score their first points.
At one point, a disgruntled Lobos fan chanted, “We want Alford!” at UNM coach Craig Neal. That would be Steve Alford, Neal’s predecessor at New Mexico who is now coaching the No. 2-ranked UCLA Bruins.
Tuesday marked the teams’ first game since 1999. The UA will travel to Albuquerque to complete the home-and-home series next year, and it would make sense for the series to continue beyond that.
So what happened?
New Mexico won a game the 1999 game by 1 point because, as UA coach Lute Olson adamantly argued, the scoreboard operators at “The Pit,” UNM’s arena, didn’t start the clock right away. The Lobos, gifted the extra time, hit a last-second shot to prevail.
After the game, Olson said: “We’ve just got to wipe this off. ... If I were the officials, I would be ashamed. It was on national TV, so it will be out in front of everybody. It’s just disgusting to see this — to see kids being taken advantage of, but that’s what ‘The Pit’ is all about.”
Soon after, Olson ended a series that had been played since 1917. Arizona held true to the ban until Sean Miller arrived.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
14:11: Arizona fans don’t sit down at the beginning of each half until the opponent makes a shot. New Mexico didn’t make its first basket until nearly six minutes had elapsed.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
It was, to borrow a phrase, the greatest day in the history of the world.
Bill Walton — the tie-dye wearing, 7-foot, hyperbolic hoops-legend-turned-announcer — made his 2016-17 McKale Center debut Tuesday night. He called the game alongside play-by-play man Ted Robinson.
We polled Star readers for some of their best Waltonisms from the game. The results?
Walton spoke at length about central Finland. Arizona star Lauri Markkanen hails from Finland.
He mentioned that Eastern New Mexico is the home of the Comanche Indians, so this game has a “special meaning” for UA big man Chance Comanche.
At one point, he accidentally (on purpose?) referred to UA big man Lauri Markkanen as “Mauri Larkknanen.”
He also declared “I love tripping in the desert!” and mentioned Coachella.
Walton will call Pac-12 games throughout the conference season, so expect him to return soon.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
For the second time this season, a Finnish reporter trekked to McKale Center to interview Markkanen.
The Finnish publication Urheilulethti Magazine sent a reporter here.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
UA assistant coach Book Richardson noticed a familiar face on the opposing bench Tuesday night.
Richardson and New Mexico assistant coach Terrance Rencher starred in the backcourt at St. Raymond High School for Boys in the Bronx, New York, in the early 1990s. Richardson was the star point guard and played in college at a few stops, including Florida Atlantic.
Rencher went on to have a standout career for the Texas Longhorns.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
New Mexico’s best player this season has been Elijah Brown, the son of former NBA coach Mike Brown. He entered Tuesday’s game as the Lobos’ leading scorer.
Brown has something of a Tucson connection, and it loosely involves Bill Walton.
How?
Walton’s son, Luke, is an Arizona alum who played for Brown when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011-12. Arizona’s Jordan Hill also played for the Lakers during that season.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Christmastime is here, and McKale acted accordingly.
Wilbur T. Wildcat dressed in a Santa garb, and at one point Arizona’s pep band cheered “jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!” during two Brown free-throw attempts.
Brown missed ’em both.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Wildcats lost a key member for the season Tuesday night — but it wasn’t a player.
Team manager T.J. Dorado said goodbye following the showdown. Dorado is taking a job on the coaching staff of a professional club in Australia. Dorado has been a manager for the UA since 2012.
In January, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas — who often will tweet out props and compliments for team managers — tweeted this about Dorado: “Best manager working the shot clock, operates under pressure with Sean Miller yelling at him after he screws up.”
More like this...
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
There was a lot of talk this week about the renewed rivalry between Arizona and New Mexico, with the Wildcats and Lobos restarting a series that Lute Olson ended back in the late 1990s.
There’s just one problem — the two programs are in much different places right now.
Arizona is good, even when its beset by injuries. New Mexico is a work in progress.
It took nearly six minutes on Tuesday night for the Lobos to even score their first points.
At one point, a disgruntled Lobos fan chanted, “We want Alford!” at UNM coach Craig Neal. That would be Steve Alford, Neal’s predecessor at New Mexico who is now coaching the No. 2-ranked UCLA Bruins.
Tuesday marked the teams’ first game since 1999. The UA will travel to Albuquerque to complete the home-and-home series next year, and it would make sense for the series to continue beyond that.
So what happened?
New Mexico won a game the 1999 game by 1 point because, as UA coach Lute Olson adamantly argued, the scoreboard operators at “The Pit,” UNM’s arena, didn’t start the clock right away. The Lobos, gifted the extra time, hit a last-second shot to prevail.
After the game, Olson said: “We’ve just got to wipe this off. ... If I were the officials, I would be ashamed. It was on national TV, so it will be out in front of everybody. It’s just disgusting to see this — to see kids being taken advantage of, but that’s what ‘The Pit’ is all about.”
Soon after, Olson ended a series that had been played since 1917. Arizona held true to the ban until Sean Miller arrived.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
It was, to borrow a phrase, the greatest day in the history of the world.
Bill Walton — the tie-dye wearing, 7-foot, hyperbolic hoops-legend-turned-announcer — made his 2016-17 McKale Center debut Tuesday night. He called the game alongside play-by-play man Ted Robinson.
We polled Star readers for some of their best Waltonisms from the game. The results?
Walton spoke at length about central Finland. Arizona star Lauri Markkanen hails from Finland.
He mentioned that Eastern New Mexico is the home of the Comanche Indians, so this game has a “special meaning” for UA big man Chance Comanche.
At one point, he accidentally (on purpose?) referred to UA big man Lauri Markkanen as “Mauri Larkknanen.”
He also declared “I love tripping in the desert!” and mentioned Coachella.
Walton will call Pac-12 games throughout the conference season, so expect him to return soon.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
UA assistant coach Book Richardson noticed a familiar face on the opposing bench Tuesday night.
Richardson and New Mexico assistant coach Terrance Rencher starred in the backcourt at St. Raymond High School for Boys in the Bronx, New York, in the early 1990s. Richardson was the star point guard and played in college at a few stops, including Florida Atlantic.
Rencher went on to have a standout career for the Texas Longhorns.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
New Mexico’s best player this season has been Elijah Brown, the son of former NBA coach Mike Brown. He entered Tuesday’s game as the Lobos’ leading scorer.
Brown has something of a Tucson connection, and it loosely involves Bill Walton.
How?
Walton’s son, Luke, is an Arizona alum who played for Brown when he coached the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011-12. Arizona’s Jordan Hill also played for the Lakers during that season.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
Christmastime is here, and McKale acted accordingly.
Wilbur T. Wildcat dressed in a Santa garb, and at one point Arizona’s pep band cheered “jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!” during two Brown free-throw attempts.
Brown missed ’em both.
- Zack Rosenblatt Arizona Daily Star
The Wildcats lost a key member for the season Tuesday night — but it wasn’t a player.
Team manager T.J. Dorado said goodbye following the showdown. Dorado is taking a job on the coaching staff of a professional club in Australia. Dorado has been a manager for the UA since 2012.
In January, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas — who often will tweet out props and compliments for team managers — tweeted this about Dorado: “Best manager working the shot clock, operates under pressure with Sean Miller yelling at him after he screws up.”
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