Skip to main contentSkip to main content
Register for more free articles.
Log in Sign up
Back to homepage
Subscriber Login
Keep reading with a digital access subscription.
Subscribe now
You are the owner of this collection.
Edit Collection
You have permission to edit this collection.
Edit
Arizona Daily Star
99°
  • Sign in
  • Subscribe Now
  • Manage account
  • Logout
    • Manage account
    • e-Newspaper
    • Logout
  • News
    • Sign up for newsletters
    • Local
    • Arizona
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Nation & World
    • Markets & Stocks
    • SaddleBrooke
    • Politics
    • Archives
    • News Tip
  • Arizona Daily Star
    • E-edition
    • E-edition-Tutorial
    • Archives
    • Special Sections
    • Merchandise
    • Circulars
    • Readers' Choice Awards
    • Buyer's Edge
  • Obituaries
    • Share Your Story
    • Recent Obituaries
    • Find an Obituary
  • Opinion
    • Submit a Letter
    • Submit guest opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Opinion & Editorials
    • National Columnists
  • Sports
    • Arizona Wildcats
    • Greg Hansen
    • High Schools
    • Roadrunners
  • Lifestyles
    • Events Calendar
    • Arts & Theatre
    • Food & Cooking
    • Movies & TV
    • Movie Listings
    • Music
    • Comics
    • Games
    • Columns
    • Play
    • Home & Gardening
    • Health
    • Get Healthy
    • Parenting
    • Fashion
    • People
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Faith
    • Retro Tucson
    • History
    • Travel
    • Outdoors & Rec
    • Community Pages
  • Brand Ave. Studios
  • Join the community
    • News tip
    • Share video
  • Buy & Sell
    • Place an Ad
    • Shop Local
    • Jobs
    • Homes
    • Marketplace
    • I Love A Deal
  • Shopping
  • Customer Service
    • Manage My Account
    • Newsletter Sign-Up
    • Subscribe
    • Contact us
  • Mobile Apps
  • Weather: Live Radar
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
© 2026 Lee Enterprises
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy
Arizona Daily Star
News+
Read Today's E-edition
Arizona Daily Star
News+
  • Log In
  • $1 for 3 months
    Subscribe Now
    • Manage account
    • e-Newspaper
    • Logout
  • E-edition
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Opinion
  • Wildcats
  • Lifestyles
  • Newsletters
  • Comics & Puzzles
  • Readers' Choice Awards
  • Jobs
  • 99° Sunny
Share This
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
Seen and heard: Sean Miller's milestone, Nico Mannion signs and Brandon Williams' dimes
Share this
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Email
  • Print
Editor's Pick

Seen and heard: Sean Miller's milestone, Nico Mannion signs and Brandon Williams' dimes

  • Justin Spears
  • Nov 15, 2018
  • Nov 15, 2018 Updated Dec 22, 2018
Prefer us on Google

The Arizona Wildcats cruised to another victory at McKale Center on Wednesday night to start the season 3-0 for the ninth consecutive time under Sean Miller. But it wasn't even the head coach's most impressive feat on a night of sports celebrities, national letters of intent and an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio.

Milestone victory

University of Arizona vs UTEP

Arizona guard Brandon Williams (2) listens to head coach Sean Miller during a pause in the action against UTEP in the second half of their NCAA basketball game at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Wednesday’s win was Arizona head coach Sean Miller’s 250th career victory at UA, in just 324 games. He is one of the fastest coaches to reach the milestone at one school. The only coaches to reach 250 program wins faster than Miller: Kansas’ Bill Self (in 299 games), Kentucky’s John Calipari (303), Gonzaga’s Mark Few (314) and North Carolina’s Roy Williams (316). Miller won 250 games faster than Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, Tom Izzo at Michigan State and Jay Wright at Villanova.

Celebrity sightings

University of Arizona vs UTEP

Former baseball player and current Indians coach Terry Francona, right, courtside for the Wildcats game against UTEP in the second half of their NCAA basketball game at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

A pair of sports celebrities sat courtside at McKale Center, one of them a MLB manager and the other a former Olympic swimming coach. Former UA baseball standout and Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona and former longtime Arizona swim coach Frank Busch had their feet on the hardwood to watch some college hoops action. Busch coached at Arizona from 1989-2011 and helped win 49 individual NCAA titles and two NCAA championships. Francona, or “Tito,” is a frequent attendee at basketball games when he’s not in the Indians’ dugout. Former UA point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright wasn’t courtside, but he was in attendance for the game. He was added to the pregame hype video and was the first snippet of “This is Arizona” before Miller closed it out as usual. Jackson-Cartwright played at Arizona from 2014-18 and was recently drafted by the Raptors 905 in the G League Draft and released shortly after. Three recognizable faces for a Wednesday? Just another night at McKale Center.

International connection

Nico Mannion signs NLI for Arizona

Nico Mannion is expected to play significant minutes as a freshman with the injury of sophomore combo guard Brandon Williams.

Photo courtesy Pace Mannion

Wednesday was the start of college basketball’s fall signing period for high school student-athletes to sign letters of intent for 2019. Five-star point guard Nico Mannion signed the dotted line to play in Tucson next season, his dad, Pace Mannion, told the Star on Wednesday. Fellow five-star commit and Mannion’s travel ball teammate Josh Green told Adam Zagoria that he plans on signing his letter of intent on Friday. Green, the 6-foot-6-inch, five-star small forward committed to Arizona in October over North Carolina. Although Green plays high school ball at IMG Academy in Florida, he’s originally from Australia, and if he signs with UA, it would mark a fourth consecutive recruiting class that Arizona has had an international player. Since 2016, Arizona has signed Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Keanu Pinder (Australia), Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Emmanuel Akot (Canada), Omar Thielemans (Belgium) and now Green. If three-star center Christian Koloko signs for 2019, the Cameroonian will be another foreign-born player for Miller.

The big number

University of Arizona vs UTEP

One of the twirlers performs as the Wildcats are introduced before Arizona's game against UTEP at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

50

Consecutive home wins for Arizona against nonconference opponents. It’s also Miller’s age, as the head coach turns the big five-oh on Saturday. Miller disciples Aaron Gordon, Deandre Ayton, Lauri Markkanen, Dusan Ristic, Nick Johnson and T.J. McConnell sent in videos wishing the coach a happy birthday, as shown on the McKale Center video board just before the second half.

New look for Jeter

University of Arizona vs UTEP

Arizona center Chase Jeter (4) gives a shout after a and-one against UTEP in the second half of their NCAA basketball game at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

Chase Jeter was the last Wildcat to take the floor for warmups, but the co-captain walked out with a new haircut. Jeter used to sport an afro with a taper fade in the back and blonde tips. He cut his hair down a couple of inches, ditched the blonder coloring and trimmed the sides. How did Jeter do in his haircut debut? He scored 15 points and made 7 of 9 shots from the field.

He said it

Golden State Warriors basketball

Head coach Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors have been dealing with an internal issue between All-Star forward Draymond Green and two-time finals MVP Kevin Durant.

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

“You play at a really high level and you’re competitive, things happen. Every team that I’ve ever been on, things have happened. By the way, I kicked (Michael Jordan’s) (explicit).”

— Golden State Warriors head coach and former Wildcat Steve Kerr on the recent feud with Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Kerr was asked about his altercation with NBA legend Michael Jordan when then two were teammates in Chicago.

Another big number

University of Arizona vs UTEP

Arizona guard Brandon Williams (2) gets handled on his drive against UTEP in the second half of their NCAA basketball game at McKale Center, Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

14-0

Brandon Williams’ assist-to-turnover ratio through the first three games of the season. Williams scored a career-high 21 points and made 6 of 12 shots from the field.

Justin Spears

Justin Spears

Sports Reporter

  • Author facebook
  • Author twitter
  • Author email

Related to this collection

Photos: Arizona Wildcats 79, UTEP 46, NCAA men's basketball

Photos: Arizona Wildcats 79, UTEP 46, NCAA men's basketball

The Wildcats lead from start to finish in 79-46 win over the Miners, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona defense finds moxie in win over UTEP, while Brandons put it all together

Arizona defense finds moxie in win over UTEP, while Brandons put it all together

Three games into the regular season and it’s still not clear how much scoring Arizona can count on from anyone not named Brandon.

Greg Hansen: Arizona Wildcats lifted their veil for fans to see a different Sean Miller

Greg Hansen: Arizona Wildcats lifted their veil for fans to see a different Sean Miller

UA shed its curtain — if only for eight minutes — and showed fans and recruits a side to Sean Miller that few are familiar with.

Nico Mannion signs NLI for Arizona; Josh Green expected to sign Friday

Nico Mannion signs NLI for Arizona; Josh Green expected to sign Friday

Arizona has the consensus No. 3 class in 2019 so far, according to 247 Sports.

Watch: 9 best things Arizona Wildcats said after handling UTEP

Watch: 9 best things Arizona Wildcats said after handling UTEP

Best moments from Arizona's post-UTEP press conference which includes Maui Invitational thoughts, Sean Miller's milestone victory and birthday…

College basketball scoreboard: Arizona Wildcats vs. UTEP Miners

College basketball scoreboard: Arizona Wildcats vs. UTEP Miners

Arizona Wildcats vs. UTEP - Curated tweets by DominicBaciocco

The Wildcast, Episode 149: First week provides glance at Arizona’s guards, frontcourt rotation

The Wildcast, Episode 149: First week provides glance at Arizona’s guards, frontcourt rotation

Justin Spears and Dominic Baciocco return to the studio to talk some Arizona hoops, including the Wildcats' rotation through the first two gam…

The Brandons each score 21 to lead Arizona Wildcats to 79-46 win over UTEP

The Brandons each score 21 to lead Arizona Wildcats to 79-46 win over UTEP

Williams, Randolph combine for 42 points as Wildcats move to 3-0.

Arizona-UTEP postgame: On UA's 'growing' defense, unwise 3s, and Sean Miller's (almost) birthday

Arizona-UTEP postgame: On UA's 'growing' defense, unwise 3s, and Sean Miller's (almost) birthday

Sean Miller says winning 250 games "doesn't mean much at Arizona."

After three near-campus attacks, UA police say student safety a priority

After three near-campus attacks, UA police say student safety a priority

A University of Arizona student walking home from campus earlier this month was shoved from behind and pinned to the ground.

Ex-Arizona teacher sentenced to 21 years in prison for molestations

Ex-Arizona teacher sentenced to 21 years in prison for molestations

PHOENIX — A Gilbert man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for molesting two 6-year-old girls while he was a kindergarten teacher on the…

Kirstjen Nielsen's DHS replacement to face same border challenges

The list of potential replacements for Nielsen includes a career lawman, two military officers and former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement head Thomas Homan — a tough-talker who echoes Trump's border rhetoric.

Pentagon: Troop contingent on US-Mexico border 'pretty much peaked'

In addition to the 5,800 active duty troops in the border area, about 2,100 National Guard troops have been providing border support since April.

6 places to get Thanksgiving dinner in Tucson

6 places to get Thanksgiving dinner in Tucson

It's time to give thanks and be with family — here are a few places where you can enjoy the holiday without the mess.

The Wildcast, Episode 151: Previewing Arizona's crucial road game against No. 8 Washington State

The Wildcast, Episode 151: Previewing Arizona's crucial road game against No. 8 Washington State

Justin Spears, Ryan Finley and Michael Lev get back into the studio before Arizona's tough game on the road against No. 8 Washington State. Wh…

Four-star forward Zeke Nnaji sets decision date; C.J. Walker drops Arizona

Four-star forward Zeke Nnaji sets decision date; C.J. Walker drops Arizona

Could Gronk have played for Lute Olson?

Here's what we know about the Arizona Wildcats through three games

Here's what we know about the Arizona Wildcats through three games

The Star's Bruce Pascoe evaluates the Arizona Wildcats through the first three games of the season, from 3-point shooting to defense.

For Arizona Wildcats, Maui Invitational often a sign of what's to come

For Arizona Wildcats, Maui Invitational often a sign of what's to come

The Arizona Wildcats in the Sean Miller era have found both success and failure in paradise. A more revealing trend shows that Arizona's resul…

Arizona Daily Star
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Bluesky
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Arizona Daily Star Store
  • This is Tucson
  • Saddlebag Notes
  • Tucson Festival of Books
Prefer us on Google

Sites & Partners

  • E-edition
  • Classifieds
  • Events calendar
  • Careers @ Lee Enterprises
  • Careers @ USA Today Co.
  • Online Features
  • Sponsored Blogs
  • Get Healthy

Services

  • Advertise with us
  • Register
  • Contact us
  • RSS feeds
  • Newsletters
  • Photo reprints
  • Subscriber services
  • Subscription FAQ
  • Licensing
  • Shopping
© Copyright 2026 Arizona Daily Star, PO Box 26887 Tucson, AZ 85726-6887
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertising Terms of Use | Do Not Sell My Info | Cookie Preferences
Powered by BLOX Content Management System from bloxdigital.com.
  • Notifications
  • Settings
You don't have any notifications.

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Topics

News Alerts

Breaking News