Cats go big after losing two

Arizona went without two key players Saturday, keeping the news wraps until just before gametime. The team acknowledged an hour before the game that Josh Green (sprained SI joint) would not play against USC — and revealed 10 minutes before tiopff that Max Hazzard (personal reasons) wouldn’t play.

As a result, the Wildcats came out with a starting lineup the Trojans probably didn’t prepare for. Stone Gettings played small forward, with Ira Lee at power forward and Zeke Nnaji at center — and Arizona jumped in front of USC 9-2 in the opening minutes.

Green felt pain in his SI joint earlier in the week. He did not make the trip to Los Angeles because of it, and is unlikely to play Saturday against UCLA. The UA offered no other details about Hazzard's status, or when he might return.

They're back

The illness that kept Nick Rakocevic out of most of the game apparently swept through the entire USC locker room. Jonah Mathews had to leave the game to puke. Brutal circumstances to have on the road.

— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) February 24, 2020

While the Wildcats were shorthanded, the Trojans were close to full strength after a virus zapped starters Nick Rakocevic and Jonah Mathews before, during and after USC’s loss at Utah last Saturday.

Listed at 6 feet 11 inches and 225 pounds, Rakocevic reported losing 16 pounds during the illness. Mathews, meanwhile, missed part of the Utah game when he went to the locker room to throw up.

Both started Thursday. However, guard Kyle Sturdivant missed the game because of the recent death of his father.

Beating the traffic

Just 14 miles separate USC’s Galen Center and UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, but Arizona has found moving hotels between games saves the Wildcats time.

The Wildcats stayed Wednesday in downtown L.A., just over two miles away from USC. They checked out Thursday, drove to USC to play, and then drove to Santa Monica late Thursday night. They'll stay there until Saturday’s game at UCLA.

The move minimizes the Wildcats’ time in traffic, while also allowing them to stay in a resort near the beach before the UCLA game. Arizona will practice Friday at a nearby high school, since Pauley Pavilion is being used — the UCLA women’s basketball team is hosting Colorado.

Ryan Reynolds, the UA’s director of basketball operations, said the late-afternoon workout will allow the Wildcats to stay in their between-game routine.

“It’s more about time than location for us anyway,” Reynolds said. “Having a late-afternoon practice allows us to watch the film (before) and lets the guys sleep.”

Mannion’s stock still high

One of the most frequent questions we receive about the Wildcats these days is whether Nico Mannion is actually an NBA lottery pick.

We passed that one over to ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz, who was on hand for Thursday's game.

Schmitz told the Star that NBA scouts aren’t just drawing on Mannion’s Arizona performances, having seen him play well for the Italian national team and in the Hoop Summit, when he outplayed Cole Anthony.

But still…

“They have a familiarity with him,” Schmitz said. “Of course, he’s going to need to play better to (keep his draft stock high). He’s got to make more shots, he’s got to defend more and he’s got to play better. Hopefully he can do those things.”

Both Mannion and fellow projected first-rounder Josh Green also have unusual athleticism that few players in the projected 2020 class possess, and Schmitz noted that “it’s hard to find guys with that profile.”

Schmitz, a Scottsdale native and UA grad, spent two segments on air Thursday night with broadcasters Dave Pasch and Bill Walton. Schmitz showed off his floral-lined sportcoat to Walton, and shared a years-old selfie of him and the basketball legend.

The big number

72

Estimated length, in feet, of USC forward Onyeka Okwongu buzzer-beating heave before halftime.

Onyeka Okongwu connects on a 3/4-court heave for @USC_Hoops! 😱pic.twitter.com/HajB374o9i

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) February 28, 2020

Check out our special e-edition here: 

Check out photos from Thursday's game here: