University of Arizona Review 3

Final Score: UW-77 UA-75

WHAT A FINISH! Isaiah Thomas embodying the spirit of Quincy Pondexter nailed a fade away jumper as time expired after juking out Lamont Jones. In Overtime. I want a Title match up against Arizona so bad. That would be an exciting game. I.T. put the team on his back tonight. 28 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists. Sure the 5 turnovers marred his stat line a bit, but he was monstrous tonight. Not only did he nail the game winner, but at the end of regulation I.T., Terrence Ross, and C.J. Wilcox nailed HUGE 3 pointers from both corners and top of the key. C.J. Wilcox was also on the receiving end of a great full court pass from I.T. and he jammed it home in overtime to put us up 75-72. Kevin Parrom of UA came down and hit a 3 pointer to tie the game with 20.4 to go. I.T. brought the ball up, Romar had a timeout to use, but he let I.T. be a leader and do his thing. Romar's belief in his players has payed off huge. Pondexter nailed the Marquette shot, now I.T. has this one to hang his hat on. After the shot I.T. yelled and flexed for the crowd and camera. His teammates engulfed him, media swarmed and I.T. laid on the ground, exhausted (123 minutes of 125 in the tournament) and it looked like he was crying. His teammates picked him up and put him on their shoulders. He put the team on his back. They put him on theirs. It was a beautiful thing. The kid is an athlete and winner and he put everything into this tournament. With Venoy Overton serving his suspension, I.T. played all, but 2 minutes in the Oregon game and only missed 2 offensive possessions.

Romar made a very smart coaching decision late in regulation and put C.J. Wilcox at the point and let I.T. roam around the court as a shooting guard. His hand was hot tonight and we needed his points. Speaking of points, Terrence Ross was looking like BRoy tonight and was the only other Husky in double digits with 16 on the night. Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Wilcox both had 9 points.

Wilcox was not the only player with a sweet dunk. Terrence Ross rose up and caught a brilliant pass from I.T. for the wide open alley oop. Howdidhegetupthere? Magic. He is made of magic.

UW started a tad slow again, but got an early lead only to see it washed away by a strong Arizona run. UW went into halftime down 3, 36-33. MBA had 0 points going into half time as did Justin Holiday. Holiday finished scoreless again on 0-3 shooting. In the final minute regulation UW's line up was I.T., Ross, Wilcox, Suggs, and Gant. We needed shooters and MBA had 4 fouls. It payed off. We hit three 3 pointers for our final 9 points in the second half.

This game should not have had to go into overtime. I'm not sad it did now, that finish was absurd, but UW missed EVERY SINGLE FREE THROW in the second half. Unacceptable. After a 7-7 first half, UW went cold at the line including several AND1's and 1-1's. UW didn't hit a free throw until overtime when MBA split his free throws. MBA fouled out with 3 minutes to go in overtime, thankfully UW had Darnell Gant to take over. Gant had 6 points and 8 rebounds on the night.

The game had an ominous feel about it when I.T. had a lay-in blocked form behind that was clearly goaltending, but the refs missed the call once more. Darnell Gant evened the score almost immediately after with his own monster block. Gant had 2 great blocks in the game. He has become a very strong 6th man. Aziz N'Diaye had 7 rebounds off the bench, 4 offensive, and missed a dunk, but grabbed the ball and layed it in thankfully.

Arizona was uncharacteristically bad at the free throw line tonight. 20-30 is well below their average. Derrik Williams was 8-13. UW only attempted 14 free throws and missed 6.

UW dominated the glass after getting destroyed in the last match up. UW had 43 rebounds, 16 offensive, including 2 in a row twice in the game. Once with 5 to go in regulation and the other with 2 minutes or so to go in overtime. Arizona only managed 32 with 11 offensive. Williams led the Wilcats with 11. No other player had more than 6 for Arizona.

Watching the replay over and over is the greatest thing ever. Gus Johnson's call was brilliant. GAME CLOCK AT 8! HE'S GUNA DO IT HIMSELF! THOMAS! SHAKE! CROSS OVER! STEP BACK! GGGGGGAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Needed Improvement

Free Throw Shooting

My health was far too endangered by their second half free throw shooting. If they had made their damn free throws we wouldn't have needed that ridiculous come back to win the game. Got to hit the free ones and you especially cannot miss the front end of 1 and 1's.

Fouling

UW had 25 fouls on the night. MBA fouled out and both Aziz and I.T. had 4 when all was said and done. 30 free throw attempts gives opponents too many opportunities to win games. When we are running an 8 man rotation we cannot afford to foul this often.

What was Good

ISAIAH THOMAS

He went all out all game, all tournament. 123 minutes of 125 possible. All 45 in the championship game. I.T. scored 59 points, had 30 assists, 10 rebounds, and 8 steals. To average 19.7 points and 10 assists is ridiculous. The fact that the final minute of regulation he led is completely overshadowed by his buzzer beating shot is a testament to how amazing it was. I.T. starting the come back by hitting a 3 to bring it within 1 point with a minute or so to go. He also dished to C.J. Wilcox in the corner who hit the game tying 3 with only seconds to go in the game. That was, by the way, the only 3 pointer Wilcox hit all game. Talk about getting it done when you need to. I think Wilcox was inspired by I.T. and Ross sacking up in the two previous possessions. But I digress....I.T. put the team on his back. Too bad he couldn't pick up a third straight double double. His performance tonight was legendary. Evidently, Isaiah waved off Romar in the final 20 seconds. He knew what he was doing. He wanted that shot and boy he did not disappoint. I will relive this shot over and over and over. Good game I.T.

Rebounding
 
I.T., Holiday, Gant, and Aziz were terrific on the glass. MBA only managed 3 rebounds, all in the second half. The first four combined for 27 of UW's 43 boards. We also did a great job keeping Arizona off the glass. Great offensive rebounding and solid boxing out was what did it for us.

Player by Player Reviews

Coming later. I'm off to celebrate this win tonight. GO DAWGS!