Scouting report: No. 7 Arizona vs. Washington State

Game info

Matchup: No. 7 Arizona (21-3, 9-2) at Washington State (11-13, 5-7) 

Location: Beasley Coliseum, Pullman, Wash. 

Time: 4:30 p.m. Sunday

TV: Fox Sports 1

Radio: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM 

Probable starters for Arizona

G T.J. McConnell (6-1 senior)

G Stanley Johnson (6-7 freshman)

F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (6-7 sophomore)

F Brandon Ashley (6-8 junior)

C Kaleb Tarczewski (7-0 junior) 

Probable starters for Washington State

G Ike Iroegbu (6-2 sophomore)

G DaVonte Lacy (6-4 senior)

F Dexter Kernich-Drew (6-7 senior)

F Josh Hawkinson (6-10 sophomore)

C Jordan Railey (7-0 junior)  

How they match up

The series: Since they were crushed in Pullman during Sean Miller’s first season at Arizona, the Wildcats have owned this series. UA has won seven straight, including three in a row at Beasley Coliseum. The Wildcats skipped the Washington swing last season but destroyed the Cougs 60-25 at McKale Center. UA leads the series 58-16 overall. 

Washington State overview 

Dexter Kernich-Drew had 48 points over his first 11 Pac-12 games — and 27 against ASU on Friday. The Cougars have some depth behind standouts Josh Hawkinson and guard DaVonte Lacy, and they use it to help push the pace. The Cougs have the same kind of spirit if not quite the same explosiveness that Ernie Kent’s vintage Oregon teams had, and Miller says Kent has infused confidence in their style. WSU averages the fifth-most points in Pac-12 games (69.5) after beating ASU 74-71 on Friday. Besides Kernich-Drew, WSU has capable wing scorers in Que Johnson, Ike Iroegbu and Brett Boese. Hawkinson , meanwhile, has emerged as the Pac-12’s leading rebounder after averaging only 6.4 minutes as a freshman under Ken Bone last season and Lacy is performing at an all-league level as he was expected to. The Cougars’ biggest problems usually come on the defensive end, where they allow Pac-12 opponents to shoot 47.8 percent. 

Arizona's key player: T.J. McConnell 

Under even more pressure without backup Parker Jackson-Cartwright around lately, UA’s fifth-year senior continues to excel. Today he’ll have to contain WSU’s capable perimeter players and keep his teammates focused for a game that’s often hard to gear up for. 

Washington State's key player: DaVonte Lacy

Playing in Pullman almost automatically makes standout players underrated – remember how little attention Klay Thompson drew while playing for the Cougars? – and Lacy is no exception. But he’s the fifth-leading scorer in Pac-12 games for a reason, his experience and skill making him a threat all over the floor. 

The scout says

“(Kernich-Drew) was out of his mind. Hopefully he comes down to Earth against us. … Hawkinson is a really confident post guy who can score in a variety of ways. He’s really comfortable with his shooting. They have two of the best scoring wings in Que Johnson and DaVonte Lacy. They score in so many different ways. Lacy is a smart, witty player who will have a chance to play professionally. We’ve gotta rebound and get back in transition to make sure they have to play five-on-five. We can’t let them play us with an advantage. We have to get them against size in a defensive set.” — UA assistant coach Book Richardson, who scouted the Cougars. 

WSU offense vs. Arizona defense 

The Cougars aren’t scoring as much as Ernie Kent’s vintage Oregon teams but they have the same DNA, averaging the fifth-most points in Pac-12 games (69.1) while entering the weekend a notch above the 11th place finish they were predicted to have in the conference preseason poll. The Cougs generate almost half of their offense between forward Josh Hawkinson and wing DaVonte Lacy, while they have capable wing scorers in Que Johnson and Ike Iroegbu, as well as shooters Brett Boese and Dexter Kernich-Drew off the bench. Hawkinson has exploded as the Pac-12’s leading rebounder after averaging only 6.4 minutes as a freshman under Ken Bone last season. The Cougars’ biggest problems usually come on the defensive end, where they allow Pac-12 opponents to shoot 47.8 percent. 

The scout says 

“They’re a really talented offensive team. They play really fast. I would be surprised if they slow it down against us because that’s not what they do. Hawkinson is a really confident post guy who can score in a variety of ways. He’s really comfortable with his shooting. They have two of the best scoring wings in Que Johnson and DaVonte Lacy. Lacy is a smart, witty player who will have a chance to play professionally. We’ve gotta rebound and get back in transition to make sure they have to play five-on-five. We can’t let them play us with an advantage. We have to get them against size in a defensive set.” — UA assistant coach Book Richardson, who scouted the Cougars. 

Cats' road trips no honeymoon 

On their way to Pullman, the Wildcats have made a habit of staying at one of the top hotels in the Pacific Northwest – the historic Davenport in downtown Spokane. But even as well-dressed couples crowded the lobby and restaurant at the Wildcats’ team hotel as Valentine’s Day turned into evening Saturday, UA coach Sean Miller was all about business. ”Let me clarify — this isn’t a luxury hotel,” Miller said. “We’re trying to get the best food for our players, we’re trying to get a safe environment and we’re trying to allow them to stay in a good place. … They’re not getting massages during the day or swimming in lap pools or anything like that.

“The decision you make on how to travel, and what to eat — these are players who are growing and have a lot of pressure. To be expected to win every game, we want to back that up by putting them in a good position. We’re not on a honeymoon or vacation by any stretch of the imagination. We have to focus on the task at hand.” 

PJC still doubtful 

Parker Jackson-Cartwright accompanied the Wildcats to practice Saturday but appears doubtful to play again Sunday, having already sat out three games with a concussion. “He’s making progress,” Miller said Saturday. “Every day we try to evaluate him. He had a workout this morning on the things that he’s allowed to do. At this point, it’s iffy whether he’ll be allowed to play tomorrow.” 

Meanwhile, Miller said Rondae Hollis-Jefferson did, indeed, “hit a wet spot” that caused his legs to slide out from under him when he attempted to dunk on a breakaway Friday at Washington. But Holllis-Jefferson was not hurt.

“If he would have jumped off of one leg, I don’t know what would have happened,” Miller said. “We’re fortunate.”

Cats prepare in Spokane 

The two top forecasted seeds in the NCAA West Region were living in a parallel universe Saturday in Spokane. At the same time that Gonzaga was hosting Pepperdine, the Wildcats were finishing up practice at the Zags’ old gym. UA coach Sean Miller and Gonzaga coach Mark Few not only have a mutual respect but also are in the middle of a two-year home-and-home series that will bring UA to Gonzaga next season — and also just might meet to decide the West Region’s champ next month in Los Angeles. But for now, Spokane was just a place for the Wildcats to stop over and prepare for WSU. “I don’t know,” Miller said about the spooky proximity to the Zags. “We’re just excited to be here and we’re trying to put our team in the best path to be successful. (Staying in Spokane) is the path that we’ve chosen.” 

Numbers game

5 — Pac-12 wins for WSU so far, already its most since 2011-12, when the Cougars had seven. 

Numbers game

7 – wins in 25 games against Arizona for WSU coach Ernie Kent, while coaching at St. Mary’s and Oregon. 

Numbers game

22 – UA’s national rank in scoring defense, having allowed opponents an average of only 59.3 points a game.