gpikePreview of Arizona and Washington
January 19th 2011 00:55
Break the presses! For the first time in years it seems, two PAC-10 mens college basketball teams are in the top-25. Thursday night brings these two teams head to head. Arizona and Washington.
The Washington Huskies at 15-4 are looking like the class of the PAC-10 this season, as expected. Coach Lorenzo Romar has quite the roster full of athletic guys who can play. This shows when looking at the teams scoring thus far. Washington is second in the nation averaging 87 points per game. An disapointing loss to Stanford last week netted the team only 56 points. The other three losses have come to Kentucky, Michigan State, and Texas A&M, all three top-25 teams. In fact Kentucky and Michigan State were in the top-10 when the teams faced off. The Aggies from Texas A&M are perched at number 10 in the new poll. Isaiah Thomas leads a balanced scoring effort with 17 points per game. Forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning is next averaging 15 points.
Arizona before the season was supposed to be good, nobody knew just how good. After some tough games, the Wildcats seem to have turned the corner at 15-3 on the season. Of the three losses, two came to top-10 foes, BYU and Kansas. The other was to up and coming PAC-10 team, Oregon State. The Wildcats win games by making shots. They average 77 points, not as much as Washington, but shoot the ball well from the field at a staggering 48%. Coach Sean Miller has likely PAC-10 player of the year, Derrick Williams at his disposal. Williams averages 20 points and seven rebounds per game, both tops on the team. Versus Oregon State, Williams still scored 16 points on 6-6 shooting, but not getting him the ball was the difference.
Williams and Thomas both will get their points. Amaning will need to shut down Williams, like Oregon State did. Don't let him get the ball, or he will burn you. The guard matchup of Thomas and Arizona point guard Kyle Fogg is key to how the game goes. If Fogg can hold onto the ball and not turn it over, and get it to Williams, Arizona has a great chance to win at Seattle here.
The Washington Huskies at 15-4 are looking like the class of the PAC-10 this season, as expected. Coach Lorenzo Romar has quite the roster full of athletic guys who can play. This shows when looking at the teams scoring thus far. Washington is second in the nation averaging 87 points per game. An disapointing loss to Stanford last week netted the team only 56 points. The other three losses have come to Kentucky, Michigan State, and Texas A&M, all three top-25 teams. In fact Kentucky and Michigan State were in the top-10 when the teams faced off. The Aggies from Texas A&M are perched at number 10 in the new poll. Isaiah Thomas leads a balanced scoring effort with 17 points per game. Forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning is next averaging 15 points.
Arizona before the season was supposed to be good, nobody knew just how good. After some tough games, the Wildcats seem to have turned the corner at 15-3 on the season. Of the three losses, two came to top-10 foes, BYU and Kansas. The other was to up and coming PAC-10 team, Oregon State. The Wildcats win games by making shots. They average 77 points, not as much as Washington, but shoot the ball well from the field at a staggering 48%. Coach Sean Miller has likely PAC-10 player of the year, Derrick Williams at his disposal. Williams averages 20 points and seven rebounds per game, both tops on the team. Versus Oregon State, Williams still scored 16 points on 6-6 shooting, but not getting him the ball was the difference.
Williams and Thomas both will get their points. Amaning will need to shut down Williams, like Oregon State did. Don't let him get the ball, or he will burn you. The guard matchup of Thomas and Arizona point guard Kyle Fogg is key to how the game goes. If Fogg can hold onto the ball and not turn it over, and get it to Williams, Arizona has a great chance to win at Seattle here.
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