Miller no fan of open tournament
That 25-year NCAA tournament streak could become virtually anxiety-free for the Arizona Wildcats if 96 teams start being invited, as reports suggested this week.
But is that a good thing?
UA coach Sean Miller didn't seem like a big fan of the idea.
"Why stop there? Let's make it 190," Miller said, smiling sarcastically. "Those are things as a coach, I probably don't have as good a perspective on. I know that March is a special time in college basketball and what we have now seems to be special. I don't know if adding teams will help that or hurt it. But I know that's the name of the game."
UW's good-luck jersey?
Washington is expected to wear its traditional white jerseys with purple and gold trim tonight, but the Huskies broke out in black last weekend against Washington State. They won by 28 points, and could wear them again.
People are also reading…
"I wish we'd wear them every game in February," guard Isaiah Thomas said.
Mike likes UA's "gets" from USC
Tim Floyd's messy departure from USC last spring didn't just affect the Wildcats, who picked up three valuable would-be Trojans in forward Derrick Williams, guard MoMo Jones and forward Solomon Hill.
It also affected the balance of power in the Pac-10. Cal coach Mike Montgomery saw it firsthand Sunday when the Wildcats beat Cal behind a double-double from Williams and some key contributions from Jones.
"They should burn the incense for USC," Montgomery told the Oakland Tribune, "because Hill and Williams and MoMo Jones are really good gets for them, especially Williams."
Cougars' good-luck jersey?
It may not catch the eye like a UA "red-out" or a Phoenix Coyotes "white-out," but Washington State will attempt to blind the Wildcats on Saturday in Pullman with a "Gray Out."
Coug Gray, of course.
The Cougars have been 3-1 while wearing gray jerseys, as they plan to Saturday, having beaten Eastern Washington at home, San Diego in the Great Alaska Shootout title game and LSU in Seattle. They lost in gray at Washington last weekend.
Fans who want to join in but don't have any Coug Gray on them will be offered the chance to buy a gray T-shirt for $9.99 at the game Saturday.
UW "best environment in" Pac-10
The only team to have beaten Washington in the Huskies' past 23 games at home is Oregon, a 90-79 winner on Jan. 2. How?
"I don't think there's a secret," Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. "You've got to really be focused up there in that environment, because it's such a great environment, and it's such a great home-court advantage.
"You have to go in there and be really, really focused at the task at hand and drown out everything on the peripheral, because it can really be overwhelming. It's just great momentum for them. It's the best environment in the conference."
However, the Huskies are the opposite on the road. In fact, if Washington gets swept in the Bay Area next week, the Huskies will have gone a full year without beating anybody outside the Seattle city limits during the regular season.
The Huskies beat USC in Los Angeles 60-51 on Feb. 22, 2009, but are 0-5 this season.
New Yorker enjoys the West
If freshman forward Kevin Parrom is any indication, the Wildcats' new East Coast recruiting pipeline may have legs.
Parrom didn't watch a minute of Pac-10 basketball as a kid in the Bronx - "To be honest, I always watched Big East basketball," he said - but now says he "loves" being in Tucson.
"I'm happy I'm on the West Coast right now," Parrom said. "I don't have to wear coats. I just go outside and go to class, maybe wear sweats. It's just better weather over here."
UA AT WASHINGTON, 8:30 tonight, FSAZ
He said it …
"They really rely on their pressure defense and sometimes, when you're that team, you require tremendous energy and it helps to have that kind of crowd. Their best offense is created by their defense because there's pressure and denial, and they force steals. They love to go out and pressure you. Their perimeter guys look to take you off the dribble, and if they can't, they'll pound the ball inside with Pondexter or (Matthew) Bryan-Amaning." Arizona assistant coach James Whitford, who scouted the Huskies
UA AT WASHINGTON STATE, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY, FSAZ
He said it …
"Reggie Moore is one of those storylines in our conference that people need to talk about. He's having as good a freshman year as maybe any guard in the nation, when you consider points per game and what he's done on their team." Arizona coach Sean Miller
