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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for Arizona</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006-2007 areyouwatchingthis.com</copyright>
		<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:34:06 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:34:06 GMT</pubDate>
		<generator>RUWT?</generator>

		
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				<title><![CDATA[Wise, Horne lead Arizona past Rice 66-49]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- Nic Wise had 15 points, seven assists and
five steals and Jamelle Horne scored eight of his 13 in the
final 5 1/2 minutes to help Arizona pull away from Rice 66-49 on
Thursday night.

Solomon Hill and Derrick Williams scored 12 and 10,
respectively, for Arizona, which is now 2-0 under new coach Sean
Miller.

Arsalan Kazemi, the first Iranian to play major college
basketball in the United States, had 13 points and 10 rebounds
for the Owls (3-1). Tamir Jackson added 11 points for Rice.

The Owls, down 24-6 in the first half, narrowed the lead to six
in the second, using a 9-1 run to make it 44-38 on Connor
Frizzelle's driving floater in the lane with 13:20 to play.

The teams traded baskets, then Arizona scored the next six. Hill
made a baseline layup, Wise sank a 16-footer and Williams had a
dunk. The Wildcats led 52-40 with 10 minutes to play and Rice
never got it to single digits again.

The Wildcats scored the first nine points of the game against
the Owls, who made just two of their first 20 shots.

Three-pointers by Wise and Kyle Fogg put Arizona up 24-6 with
six minutes left in the half.

Rice, though, responded with a 14-4 run to cut it to 28-20 1:55
before the break on Kazemi's put-back after an Arizona turnover.
The Wildcats scored the last five of the half. Brendon Lavender
made two free throws with 1:37 to go, then Fogg's 3-pointer with
8 seconds left gave Arizona a 33-20 lead at the break.

Kazemi scored 11 of Rice's 20 first-half points on 4 of 4
shooting. The rest of the Owls made 2 of 27 shots. The Owls shot
29 percent to Arizona's 45 percent for the game.

Next up for the Wildcats is a trip to Hawaii and a game against
Wisconsin Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational.
Rice is home against Furman on Tuesday, then hosts No. 3 Texas
on Nov. 29.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/135586-Wise-Horne-lead-Arizona-past-Rice-66-49</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/135586-Wise-Horne-lead-Arizona-past-Rice-66-49</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:02:53 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona beats N. Arizona 87-70 in Miller's debut]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- Four Arizona players scored in double figures
to help give new coach Sean Miller a resounding debut as the
Wildcats defeated Northern Arizona 87-70 on Sunday afternoon.

Miller was hired away from Xavier in April to replace interim
coach Russ Pennell. Miller's hiring is widely considered
Arizona's new era of men's basketball after Hall of Fame coach
Lute Olson retired 13 months ago after 24 years at the school.

Nic Wise, who tweaked an ankle in practice earlier in the week,
started the game for Arizona (1-0) and finished with 15 points
and four assists. He played just 11 minutes in the opening half
and was removed from the game with five minutes left and UA
leading 77-59. He came back into the game when NAU (1-1) closed
the gap to 79-66.

Wise's presence helped UA regain its composure for the victory.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/134339-Arizona-beats-N-Arizona-87-70-in-Millers-debut</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/134339-Arizona-beats-N-Arizona-87-70-in-Millers-debut</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:55:17 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[New-look Wildcats ready to open Miller Era]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANDREW BAGNATO
AP Sports Writer

TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- Almost everything about the Arizona Wildcats
seems unfamiliar - their coach, their roster and even the
refurbished McKale Center floor.

"It's really a brand-new fresh canvas," coach Sean Miller said.

One thing hasn't changed: expectations.

In the long run, Miller is charged with returning the Wildcats
to the national prominence they enjoyed during Hall of Famer
Lute Olson's 24 seasons in the desert, which brought four Final
Four trips and a national title in 1997.

This year, the goal is simpler, but perhaps every bit as
daunting.

Miller and his youthful squad are under pressure to extend
Arizona's 25-year string of NCAA tournament appearances, the
nation's longest active streak and two shy of North Carolina's
record run of 27 straight appearances from 1975 to 2001.

The long tourney run is a powerful recruiting tool. But Miller
has warned that it could also be a burden to an inexperienced
group.

" 'The Streak' is 'The Streak' and you can't get past that,"
freshman point guard Lamont 'MoMo' Jones said.

The Wildcats were picked fourth in a preseason poll of Pac-10
media.

March seemed a long way off when the Wildcats opened preseason
drills. They spent much of the fall being introduced to each
other.

Gone are Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger, now playing in the NBA.

The players on this year's team accounted for only 32.9 of
Arizona's 72.3 points per game in 2008-09.

Arizona's only upperclassmen are senior point guard Nic Wise and
junior forward Jamelle Horne. Sophomore guard Kyle Fogg, who
averaged 6.1 points per game last season, is the Wildcats'
third-leading returning scorer.

Wise wavered on returning for his senior season. But with no
guarantees that he'd be drafted last summer, Wise came back and
will play for his fourth coach in as many years.

"It's going to be a big load for me, Jamelle and Fogg, but feels
good to finally have a coach," said Wise.

Wise averaged 15.7 points per game last season, second to
California's Jerome Randle (18.3) among returners in the Pac-10.
Wise also ranked in the top five in assists (4.6 per game),
steals (1.5 per game) and free throw percentage (84.8 percent).

Wise is the latest in a long line of star Arizona point guards.

"You want to be the big man," Wise said. "I've just got to live
up to the role."

Wise is generously listed at 5-foot-10, but he'll be asked to
shoulder most of the leadership responsibility, at least early
on.

"He certainly has the most at stake, coming back for his senior
year, and I certainly wouldn't trade him with any point guard,"
Miller said.

Wise will provide leadership for a flood of new signees,
including 6-foot-6 swingman Solomon Hill of Los Angeles;
6-foot-10 center Kyryl Natyazhko of the Ukraine; Jones, a
5-foot-11 point guard of Harlem; and 6-foot-6 swingman Kevin
Parrom of the Bronx.

Miller won't project a starting lineup, and it's very likely it
will change as the season progresses.

Arizona may be inexperienced, but at least the Wildcats have
some stability on the bench for the first time in three seasons.

Two years ago, Olson took a personal leave of absence before the
season tipped off, turning the team over to interim coach Kevin
O'Neill. Back on the job last fall, Olson spoke enthusiastically
about the upcoming season at media day, then resigned two days
later.

Interim coach Russ Pennell replaced Olson and guided Arizona to
its 25th straight NCAA berth - barely. The Wildcats slipped in
as a 12th seed, then made a surprising run to the regional
semifinals.

After flirting with former USC coach Tim Floyd last spring,
Arizona lured the 40-year-old Miller from Xavier with a
five-year contract that pays him a base salary of $2 million per
year plus a $1 million signing bonus.

Miller will take up residence on the sideline of a refurbished
McKale Center court, which will have a different look this
season. The school's trademark block "A" can be found at center
court, and the "Lute and Bobbi Olson Court" tribute has moved to
the front of the Arizona bench.

"We certainly look forward to the challenge of improvement,"
Miller said, "and at the end of the year, if things line up
right, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we're a very good team,
and a very dangerous team that has improved a lot."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/131277-New-look-Wildcats-ready-to-open-Miller-Era</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/131277-New-look-Wildcats-ready-to-open-Miller-Era</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:12:53 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Young Wildcats ready to begin the Miller Era]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANDREW BAGNATO
AP Sports Writer

TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- Each of the last two years, Arizona had one
coach on media day and another on opening day.

This year, the Wildcats expect it to be the same man - Sean
Miller.

"It sounds crazy, but it'll be the first time that's happened,
and it's actually a fulfilling feeling, you know what I mean?"
junior forward Jamelle Horne said during media day at McKale
Center on Wednesday.

Two years ago, legendary coach Lute Olson took a personal leave
of absence before the season tipped off, turning the team over
to interim coach Kevin O'Neill. Back on the job last fall, Olson
told a media day audience that he was "much more energized."

Two days later Olson resigned, and interim coach Russ Pennell
replaced the Hall of Famer.

Arizona flirted with former USC coach Tim Floyd last spring,
then lured the 40-year-old Miller from Xavier with a five-year
contract that pays him a base salary of $2 million per year plus
a $1 million signing bonus.

Miller has used the last six months to restore stability - at
least on the sideline. The roster is another question.

Miller won't name a starting lineup for the Nov. 15 opener
against Northern Arizona, and even if he did, it's likely to
change as a young team comes together.

The Wildcats' only upperclassmen are senior point guard Nic Wise
and Horne. The players on this year's squad accounted for only
32.9 of Arizona's 72.3 points per game last year.

Sophomore guard Kyle Fogg is the Wildcats' third-leading
returning scorer. He averaged 6.1 points per game last season.

There's still a Hill on the roster - but it's not star center
Jordan Hill, selected eighth in the NBA draft last spring.
Solomon Hill, who is not related to Jordan, is a touted 6-foot-6
freshman out of Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.

Other newcomers who could make an immediate impact include
6-foot-10 center Kyryl Natyazhko of the Ukraine; 5-foot-11 point
guard Lamont "MoMo" Jones of Harlem, N.Y.; and 6-foot-6 swingman
Kevin Parrom of Bronx, N.Y.

They're all part of a recruiting class that fired up Arizona's
fans but also raised hopes that the Wildcats will contend in the
wide-open Pac-10.

As he addressed reporters on Wednesday, Miller tried to rein in
the expectations sweeping this basketball-crazed city.

"Because things have happened here in the past, doesn't
necessarily mean they're going to continue," Miller said.

Miller was asked if he was referring to Arizona's string of 25
straight NCAA tournament appearances, the nation's longest
active streak and two shy of North Carolina's record run of 27
straight appearances from 1975 to 2001.

"I think the streak is something that can really be damaging to
this year's team," Miller said. "In reality, it's something that
we can't control. What happened a year ago or two years ago, 13
years ago, it's all things that we're proud of. It's our
tradition. It's our legacy. It's why you want to be at a program
like Arizona. But what that means in this season, 2009-10, is
nothing."

Solomon Hill acknowledged that the streak is "over everybody's
shoulders," but he said the players aren't bothered by it.

"We can't really worry about team goals," Solomon Hill said.
"We're not even a team yet."

They'll have to become one quickly, because Arizona didn't dumb
down its schedule to help an inexperienced team.

The Wildcats play in the Maui Invitational, where they'll face
Wisconsin in the opener and then might meet Gonzaga in the
second round. They also go to Oklahoma and face North Carolina
State and Brigham Young at McKale Center.

Miller is confident that his team will be better in February
than in November. But he grimaced when asked if he was anxious
to see the Wildcats in action.

"I'm not anxious at all to see a game," Miller said. "Matter of
fact, I don't want to see a game for some time."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/126554-Young-Wildcats-ready-to-begin-the-Miller-Era</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/126554-Young-Wildcats-ready-to-begin-the-Miller-Era</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:05:09 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Regents approve contract for Arizona's Miller]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- The state Board of Regents has approved a
five-year contract for new Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller
that will pay him $1.6 million annually.

The board, which oversees the state's three public universities,
unanimously approved the deal at its meeting in Flagstaff on
Thursday.

Miller was 120-47 in five seasons at Xavier before taking the
Arizona job in April.

The Arizona Daily Star reported on its Web site that Miller's
contract calls for a $900,000 base salary with an additional
$700,000 for peripheral duties through 2014. On top of that,
he'll receive $400,000 from outside sources each year.

The agreement also has a clause that essentially guarantees
Miller a job for seven years, calling for the contract to be
renewed an extra two years after his first two seasons on the
job providing there are no grounds to fire him.

Arizona would be required to pay the 40-year-old coach $4.8
million if he was fired during the first year of the contract,
$4 million during his second year and $3.2 million during the
third year. The buyout would drop to $1.6 million during
Miller's fourth year with the Wildcats.

If Miller leaves before the contract ends, he would owe the
university $500,000.

The contract is loaded with incentives, including an extra $1
million to finish it out.

Miller would earn an extra $25,000 if his team meets minimum
NCAA academic standards; $50,000 if the Wildcats win a
regular-season Pac-10 championship; $50,000 if they win the
Pac-10 Tournament, $300,000 for a Final Four appearance and
$675,000 for a national championship.

Other benefits in Miller's contract include the use of two
vehicles, tickets to university sporting events, country club
privileges and the use of a private jet for 30 hours a year.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/102974-Regents-approve-contract-for-Arizonas-Miller</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/102974-Regents-approve-contract-for-Arizonas-Miller</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:10:26 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Wise decides to remain at Arizona for senior year]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- All Pac-10 point guard Nic Wise decided to
return to Arizona for his senior year and forgo the NBA draft.

Wise made himself available for the draft in April but didn't
hire an agent, leaving the door open for him to return to the
program.

Wise, who averaged 15.7 points last season, called new head
coach Sean Miller with the news on Saturday.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/101185-Wise-decides-to-remain-at-Arizona-for-senior-year</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/101185-Wise-decides-to-remain-at-Arizona-for-senior-year</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:49:58 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona F Hill declares for draft]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Arizona (Ticker) -- Arizona junior forward Jordan Hill 
declared for the NBA draft on Wednesday.

The 6-10 Atlanta native has signed with an agent, prohibiting 
him from returning to school for his senior campaign.

Hill averaged 18.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots 
per game in 34 contests last season, helping the Wildcats reach 
the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.  Hill was named 
to the all-Pac-10 Conference first team.

"I just want to thank the fans of Tucson, my coaches and my 
teammates for all of their support," Hill said. "Playing at 
Arizona has been a great experience and puts me in the position 
to move to the next level.  It's always been a dream of mine to 
play in the NBA."

Hill joins teammate Chase Budinger as early entrants into this 
summer's draft.

Budinger, who averaged 18.0 points and 6.2 rebounds, declared on
Tuesday.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93431-Arizona-F-Hill-declares-for-draft</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93431-Arizona-F-Hill-declares-for-draft</guid>
				<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:34:26 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Budinger enters NBA draft, leaves Arizona early]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Arizona (Ticker) -- While new coach Sean Miller is 
coming in, Chase Budinger's time at Arizona has ended early.

Budinger passed up on his final year of eligibility after 
declaring as an early entry for the NBA draft for the second 
time, the school announced Tuesday.

Budinger, who indicated that he has signed with an agent, 
declared his decision the same day that Miller was officially 
announced as the new coach.

The 6-7 junior forward went through the NBA draft process last 
season before ultimately returning to school, leading the 
Wildcats to their 25th straight appearance in the NCAA 
Tournament.

Budinger averaged 18.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 
35 games with Arizona (21-14), garnering a first-team All-Pac-10
selection.

For his career, Budinger scored 1,697 points to finish 11th on 
the school's all-time list.  The Pac-10 freshman of the year in 
2007, he also ended up sixth in 3-pointers made (190) and ninth 
in scoring average (17.0) while starting all 100 games that he 
appeared in.

"I am so thankful for the fans and alumni at Arizona that have 
been so supportive of me throughout my time in Tucson," Budinger
said.  "I'd like to express my appreciation to my coaches and 
teammates for their support in one of the most important 
decisions I've ever made."

Budinger becomes the 12th Wildcat to declare early for the NBA 
since 1984, and third in the last three years - along with 
Marcus Williams (2007) and Jerryd Bayless (2008) - to not 
return.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93341-Budinger-enters-NBA-draft-leaves-Arizona-early</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93341-Budinger-enters-NBA-draft-leaves-Arizona-early</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:55:37 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Miller accepts Arizona job]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TUCSON, Arizona (Ticker) -- Sean Miller has moved on to the big 
time.

Miller has accepted to take over the high-profile job at 
Arizona, athletic director Jim Livengood announced Monday.

Miller will be officially announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Leaving Xavier after five stellar seasons, Miller succeeds Hall 
of Fame coach Lute Olson, who retired last fall.  Russ Pennell 
served as the interim coach this season, guiding the Wildcats to
a 21-14 record and extending the school's streak of consecutive 
appearances in the NCAA Tournament to 25.

During his tenure with the Musketeers, the 40-year-old Miller 
built on the school's reputation as one of the top mid-major 
powers in the country, guiding it to four straight appearances 
in the NCAAs, including a regional final in 2008.

"It's been an exhaustive week, but it's a good day to be a 
Wildcat," Livengood said. "We believe we've brought in the best 
young coach in the country, a proven winner who will take this 
program into the future."

This season, Xavier went 27-8 for its fourth straight 20-win 
campaign and a third consecutive Atlantic 10 Conference 
regular-season title.  The Musketeers had their season end with 
a semifinal loss to top seed Pittsburgh in the East Regional.

Miller finished with a 120-47 record at Xavier, including a 6-4 
mark in the NCAA Tournament with two trips to the Sweet 16.

A former standout point guard at Pittsburgh, Miller spent 11 
years as an assistant, most notably at North Carolina State from
1996-2001, before being promoted as the head coach at Xavier in 
2004.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93287-Miller-accepts-Arizona-job</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/93287-Miller-accepts-Arizona-job</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:48 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Clark, Louisville dominate Arizona]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Rick Pitino enjoyed watching Friday night's
game almost as much as his Louisville players enjoyed 
celebrating.

Fun-loving forward Terrence Williams danced on the sideline. 
Guard Edgar Sosa posed for the television camera. Even backup 
Kyle Kuric dunked. For the top-seeded team in the NCAA 
tournament, this was more fun than a team scrimmage or a pickup 
game.

Earl Clark scored 19 points and had nine rebounds and the 
Cardinals delivered one of the most crushing blowouts in 
regional history with a 103-64 victory over Arizona.

"We played great tonight because we really passed the ball 
beautifully," Pitino said. "It's fun as a coach to watch the 
guys be so unselfish."

Should they follow the same script Sunday, against Michigan 
State in the Midwest final, the Cardinals (31-5) will return to 
the Final Four for the first time since 2005.

But if they play like this, they could fulfill another goal: 
Winning their third national championship.

The Big East now has four teams playing in this weekend's 
regional finals, including its regular-season and tournament 
champ, Louisville. Pitino improved to 9-0 all-time in the 
regional semifinals.

Louisville was incredibly efficient in the highest-scoring game 
in its NCAA tournament history, shooting 57.6 percent from the 
field and dishing out 29 assists on 38 baskets. It shot 48 
percent on 3-pointers and grabbed nearly as many offensive 
rebounds (11) as Arizona had on defense (17).

Defensively, the Cardinals were even better.

They rattled the Wildcats with constant pressure, forcing nine 
turnovers in the first half and 15 in the game. Arizona was so 
out of sync, it threw away an inbound pass in the first half and
twice had ball-handlers get crossed up just dribbling up the 
floor.

The combination put Louisville within one point of cracking the 
top five for most lopsided victories in a regional round. UCLA 
set the record with a 49-point rout over Wyoming in 1967, and 
the next four all occurred before 1972.

It was by far the Cardinals' biggest rout in their long NCAA 
tournament history, and easily the Wildcats' most-lopsided loss.

And the Louisville players savored every precious moment.

"We came out with more intensity, and that's what you've got to 
do when you're up big because it's hard to play with a lead ," 
Clark said.

It sure didn't look hard in the semifinals.

The Cardinals built a 21-point halftime lead, then quickly put 
it away by opening the second half on an 18-5 run that set off 
the revelry.

For Arizona (21-14), the lowest seed to reach the semis at No. 
12, it was an embarrassing end to a turbulent season. There was 
a coaching change in October, a 2-5 start in Pac-10 play and the
Wildcats lost five of their last six regular-season game, 
putting the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 
tourney appearances in jeopardy.

Yet the committee still took them, for the 25th straight year, 
as one of the final at-large teams in the 65-team field. For two
games, it looked like the committee made the right call as 
Arizona beat Utah and Cleveland State in Miami.

On Friday, though, Louisville demonstrated just how wide the 
disparity between a 1 seed and a 12 seed can be.

Chase Budinger led Arizona with 22 points, and Jordan Hill had 
14 points and 11 rebounds. But Arizona shot 38 percent from the 
field, and never had a chance after the opening minutes.

"They shot the ball well, they moved the ball well and, 
unfortunately for us, we didn't have an answer," interim coach 
Russ Pennell said. "I think there was a reason Louisville was 
seeded No. 1 in the tournament and they showed that tonight."

Did they ever.

Pitino said Thursday he had never seen two teams with such 
similar defenses on tape. In person, it wasn't even close.

Arizona struggled, at times, just to get the ball across 
midcourt and when it did, the Wildcats had trouble getting into 
their halfcourt offense. They couldn't stop Louisville's, 
bigger, stronger, quicker post players, and when the Cardinals 
didn't go inside, their 3-point shooters were money.

Williams hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Jerry 
Smith hit four more 3-pointers and finished with 16. Clark and 
Sosa each added two more threes.

What impressed Pitino, though, was the Cardinals crisp passing. 
They continually found open shooters, leaving Pitino with a 
tough task before Sunday's regional title game: Finding flaws.

"We know that we're not going to play like this again because of
the type of defense that we're going to run into now," Pitino 
said. "I'll find something to be very upset about tonight at 
snack. I think a lack of humility is the greatest killer of 
potential. So we're not going to fall in love with ourselves 
because we had a good game tonight."

Louisville broke to a 17-9 lead, then pulled away with a 14-4 
run that made it 34-19 with 6 minutes left in the first half. At
halftime, it was 49-28.

Then the fun began.

During the decisive second-half run, Williams grabbed a rebound,
whisked it around his back and made a perfect outlet pass to set
up Clark for a 3. Later, Sosa drove in for a layup and drew a 
foul in front of the camera, prompting him to touch his lips and
strike a pose as the Cardinals rolled to their 13th consecutive 
win with an exclamation point.

"It's going to be tough to duplicate playing as well as we did 
tonight," Smith said. "I think this is the best we played all 
season."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92592-Clark-Louisville-dominate-Arizona</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92592-Clark-Louisville-dominate-Arizona</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2009 05:39:32 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona's Pennell focuses on basketball, not job]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By Michael Marot
AP Sports Writer

(12) Arizona (21-13) vs. (1) Louisville (30-5), 7:07 p.m. EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Arizona coach Russ Pennell will play this 
weekend by the book.

Rick Pitino's book.

He's savoring every moment in Indianapolis, from the open 
shootaround to the usually dreaded news conferences, fully 
understanding Friday night's game against top-seeded Louisville 
could be his first and only chance to lead a team into the 
regional finals.

So the man with the interim title spent Thursday blunting 
questions about his uncertain future by focusing on the present.
Or what Pitino once described as the precious present.

"Just the opportunity to walk through this journey this year is 
incredible. It's stretched me, it's forced me to think outside 
the box. It's very unconventional what we've gone through," 
Pennell said. "If this is the only opportunity, so be it. Life 
goes on."

At Arizona, basketball success has exceeded all expectations 
this March.

The tumultuous season began in October with the retirement of 
Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, a move that suddenly put a career
assistant, Pennell, in charge of a program with 24 straight 
tournament appearances.

There were times Pennell found himself on tenuous ground.

Arizona opened the Pac-10 season going an uncharacteristic 2-5, 
and many thought the longest NCAA streak in the nation would end
after the Wildcats lost five of their last six games heading 
into Selection Sunday.

Instead, they were one of the final teams chosen for the field 
and proved they deserved the bid last weekend by beating 
fifth-seeded Utah and 13th-seeded Cleveland State in Miami. That
got them a ticket back to Indy, the same site where the Wildcats
upset Pitino's heavily favored Kentucky squad to win the 1997 
national title.

Now Pennell faces Pitino's Cardinals (30-5), a team that looks a
lot like Arizona.

"It's the closest I've ever seen two teams in the type of 
pressure (defense) they apply," Pitino said. "They do one thing 
different - they bring their center out to the corner sometimes.
But it's almost identical to what we're trying to accomplish."

That's where the similarities end.

No. 12-seeded Arizona (21-13) is the lowest left in the field 
and wasn't supposed to make it past one round, much less round 
two, and now looks like a longshot to get past Louisville.

The Cardinals are still expected to be in Detroit for next 
weekend's Final Four after winning the Big East regular-season 
and tournament titles, taking the No. 1 ranking in last week's 
poll and claiming the top overall seed in the tourney. That 
means anything less than a national title won't suffice.

Yet in a Midwest Regional packed with tradition and familiar 
coaches, Pennell is the exception. A year ago, he was still 
doing color commentary on Arizona State radio broadcasts.

The four teams playing in Indianapolis have combined for eight 
national titles and three of the coaches here - Pitino, Michigan
State's Tom Izzo and Kansas' Bill Self - have national 
championship rings. Pennell does not.

Pitino also owns a sterling 8-0 record in regional semifinals, 
but Pennell sees things differently. "I'm undefeated (in the 
tournament). Better record," he said, drawing laughter, after 
going 2-0 last weekend.

Pennell isn't the only who was being asked about his future 
Thursday.

So was Pitino.

If Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie is out, as rumors suggest, 
Pitino's name will almost certainly resurface as a possible 
candidate in Lexington. Again. It's a distraction the Cardinals 
don't need this weekend.

Then Pitino was asked about another possibility: replacing 
Pennell at Arizona.

"I wouldn't answer any question about any other job because it 
would be disrespectful to Louisville," Pitino said. "Anytime you
hear a player stand up here and say, 'I'm not going pro, I'm 
coming back,' he's gone. Any time a coach says he's not 
interested in a job, he's dead interested in a job. All I can 
tell you is that for eight years, I've given every ounce I've 
had to the University of Louisville and I will continue to do 
that."

The speculation appears to be having no impact on the Cardinals.

They reduced a scheduled 50-minute practice to 30 minutes and 
performed what amounted to a Midnight Madness workout - an 
impromptu dunk contest with an array of half-court shots. 
Players also chatted with the large contingent of fans who made 
the 100-mile drive to Indy, where Louisville won its first 
national title in 1980.

Forward Terrence Williams reflected on his days as a newspaper 
delivery carrier and one of the best smiles in college 
basketball.

Clearly, there's no pressure in Louisville's locker room.

"Even though it's a serious game, you want to win, but you can 
still smile while playing hard, trying to win the game," he 
said. "So I want to be the rare guy that smiles all the time."

Pennell concurs.

Despite the possibility that Friday night could be his last game
with the Wildcats, and perhaps ever as a head coach, Pennell 
isn't worrying about what could happen.

He'd rather take care of business on the court, just like 
Pitino.

"When I signed on to work at the University of Arizona, I was 
hoping we'd be in the Sweet 16, but I had no idea that I would 
be the head coach," he said. "The great thing about life, in 
general, is that it can change quickly. Sometimes it's for the 
best, and this year it's been that for me."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92499-Arizonas-Pennell-focuses-on-basketball-not-job</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92499-Arizonas-Pennell-focuses-on-basketball-not-job</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:08:31 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[No. 12-seeded Arizona beats Cleveland St]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MIAMI (AP) -- As the final seconds ticked off and Arizona fans 
chanted "Sweet 16," a grinning Chase Budinger threw one final 
pass on the perimeter and joined the applause.

The Wildcats relish their new role as long shots.

Seeded only 12th, the NCAA tournament perennials took an early 
14-point lead Sunday and advanced to the Midwest Regional 
semifinals by beating upstart Cleveland State 71-57.

"Making it to the Sweet 16 feels great," Budinger said. "We're 
showing that we're a lot better than what people thought of us."

The Wildcats are appearing in the tournament for the 25th year 
in a row, two shy of the record. But they've never been seeded 
so low and drew criticism as undeserving of a berth.

Now they're bound for the round of 16 for the 12th time since 
1988, and they'll be the lowest-seeded team still playing.

"When you look at the NCAA tournament, a lot of times the teams 
that get hot at the right time are teams that had to struggle to
get in," interim coach Russ Pennell said. "What's happening now 
doesn't surprise me with this team. We've seen it before at 
points in the season."

Nic Wise scored 21 points to lead four double-figure scorers for
the Wildcats (21-13), who earned a trip to Indianapolis. On 
Friday they'll meet the winner of Sunday's game between 
Louisville and Siena.

Bracket-busting Cleveland State (26-11), at No. 13 the 
lowest-seeded team to reach the second round, was unable to 
duplicate its improbable run to the regional final in 1986. 
That's the only other time the Vikings made the tournament.

"Our year is coming to an end as a family," senior guard Cedric 
Jackson said. "But we had a great year. We're just proud that we
could make it this far."

The Vikings struggled to solve Arizona's zone defense, starting 
0-for-11 and 1-for-18 from 3-point range. They finished 
3-for-23, and shot 37 percent overall.

"Arizona's zone was really tough," Cleveland State coach Gary 
Waters said. "That has been our nemesis all year -- the zone."

The Wildcats also hurt Cleveland State with their transition 
game, totaling 15 fast-break points, often to swing momentum.

The Vikings trailed 41-29, then cut the deficit to 48-44 midway 
through the second half but got no closer. From 56-52, Wise 
scored five consecutive points to spark a 13-2 run as Wildcats 
fans filled the half-empty arena with one roar after another.

Arizona put the game away with free throws and finished 
24-for-28 from the line. Cleveland State totaled only five 
points in the last 6:26.

Jordan Hill had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats 
despite being limited to 32 minutes because of foul trouble. 
Chase Budinger and Jamelle Horne had 15 points apiece, and Wise 
had eight assists while shooting 10-for-10 from the line.

The victory is the latest chapter in a roller-coaster season for
Arizona following Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson's sudden 
retirement last fall. The Wildcats barely made the tournament 
after losing five of their final six regular-season games.

After a loss in their opening game in the Pac-10 tournament to 
rival Arizona State, Wise told his teammates he wanted to play 
in the NCAA tournament title game.

"That's the way we're playing," Wise said. "We have the talent 
to do it. We're proving it now, and we're peaking at the right 
time."

Pennell, the team's radio analyst before replacing Olson, said 
he'll need some time to absorb his players' accomplishment.

"To see them happy, looking forward to playing again next 
weekend, that's where I'm getting my joy," he said.

Norris Cole scored 17 points for Cleveland State. Jackson was 
sidelined by a scratched eye in the first half but missed only 
three minutes and finished with 15 points.

The guards penetrated to create open looks for forwards J'Nathan
Bullock and George Tandy, but they shot a combined 4-for-17.

"I couldn't find my shot," Bullock said. "Some nights that 
happens. It's tough when it happens in the second round of the 
NCAA tournament. When you play a zone, you have to make your 
open shots. We weren't able to do that."

The Vikings were hurt early by turnovers, several the result of 
sloppy mistakes far from the basket. Jeremy Montgomery dribbled 
the ball off his foot, and Tandy stepped into the court before 
throwing an inbounds pass.

The Wildcats ran early, scored on their first three possessions 
for a 7-0 lead and increased the margin to 28-14 as Cleveland 
missed 16 of its first 21 shots.

Even the 6-foot-10 Hill became involved in the running game, 
getting out front on one fast break and converting a three-point
play. The 6-7 Budinger showed his athleticism by coming from the
backside twice to take passes near the rim for layups.

"I give all the credit to Arizona," Vikings forward Chris Moore 
said. "A lot of people underestimate how tough they are."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92301-No-12-seeded-Arizona-beats-Cleveland-St</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92301-No-12-seeded-Arizona-beats-Cleveland-St</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:37:11 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Low-seeded Arizona, Cleveland State battle for Sweet 16 berth]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By Steve Wine
AP Sports Writer

(13) Cleveland State (26-10) vs. (12) Arizona (20-13) 2:40 p.m. EDT

MIAMI (AP) --  Like many March Madness fans winding down for the
night, Arizona forward Jordan Hill was watching the final game 
of the first round as scores from other sites appeared at the 
top of the screen.

One caught him by surprise: Cleveland State 84, Wake Forest 69.

"I was in shock, to tell you the truth," Hill said.

Keeping with school tradition, Cleveland State was the biggest 
bracket buster in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. At 
No. 13, the Vikings became this year's lowest-seeded team to 
reach the second round.

They'll play another long shot Sunday: Hill's team from Tucson. 
The No. 12-seeded Wildcats (20-13), derided as an undeserving 
at-large entry, defied critics by beating Utah 84-71 in the 
first round.

"They're playing for something," Cleveland State coach Gary 
Waters said Saturday. "People are saying they don't belong, and 
I think they're trying to show the world they belong."

Waters could say the same about his Vikings (26-10). Their only 
other NCAA tournament appearance was in 1986, when they upset 
Bob Knight and Indiana to become the first 14th-seeded team to 
advance.

The win over Wake Forest was another stunner, and a further sign
of the Vikings' revival. Two years ago they were 10-21, and they
made this year's tournament only by winning four games in eight 
days for their first Horizon League Championship. A three-point 
victory over Butler in the title game clinched the berth.

"They're a very underrated team," Arizona interim coach Russ 
Pennell said. "You've got to be careful in this tournament not 
to read what's on the front of a jersey, because everyone in 
this tournament is good."

But games between teams seeded 12th and 13th are rare. This will
be only the seventh such matchup since the tournament field 
expanded to 16 seeds in 1985.

The winner earns a trip to Indianapolis and a Midwest Regional 
semifinal Friday against the Louisville-Siena winner.

Games at Cleveland State often draw fewer than 2,000 fans, and 
supporters for the first-round victory barely filled one section
at Miami's arena. But the bandwagon is growing, as it did 23 
years ago, and players were inundated with greetings Saturday.

"Yeah, tons of text messages and missed phone calls just 
congratulating us for the victory, saying they didn't really 
expect it but keep up the good work," forward J'Nathan Bullock 
said.

In the wake of the win over Wake Forest, Bullock and his 
teammates barely cracked a smile, saying their tournament goal 
was more ambitious than a single victory. They shrugged at the 
suggestion their team is the most surprising first-round 
survivor.

"We know we're going to be underdogs probably in every game from
here on out," guard Norris Cole said.

Their element of surprise is gone, however. Arizona players had 
an awareness of Cleveland State even before the tournament -- if
only because they feared getting squeezed out of the field by 
the Vikings.

"All we knew is that before we got into the tournament, with 
them beating Butler, we thought they took one of our spots," 
Wildcats guard Nic Wise said. "Friday was an eye-opener -- just 
to know that they're a small-name school but they have big-name 
talent. You can't come out soft, because they'll come out fast 
and they'll hit you hard."

That's what Cleveland State did against Wake Forest, using 
superior quickness on the perimeter to create defensive pressure
en route to a 29-12 lead. The Demon Deacons never recovered.

Waters said he doubts his team can rattle Arizona the same way.

"Wake Forest was younger, and there were things that we could 
exploit because of their youth," Waters said. "When I look at 
Arizona, this is an experienced group. They know what they're 
trying to do, and I think they're a little bit hungrier than 
Wake Forest was."

The Wildcats endured tournament flops in 2007 and 2008, coach 
Lute Olson's sudden retirement last fall and a stumble at the 
finish line this year, with five losses in six games before this
week. They barely kept alive their streak of 25 consecutive NCAA
tournaments, second longest behind North Carolina's 27 in a row 
in 1975-2001.

But the Wildcats have rallied around three juniors -- Hill, Wise
and forward Chase Budinger. The trio combined for 66 of the 84 
points against Utah.

"I had confidence in our team that not a lot of other people 
did," Budinger said. "I knew that our team was going to be very 
talented this year starting with me, Nic and Jordan. I knew that
us three were going to lead this team to have a good season, and
that's what we did.

"We made it to this point and were able to get our first win, 
all three of us, in an NCAA tournament. We're just hoping that 
we can keep on going."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92238-Low-seeded-Arizona-Cleveland-State-battle-for-Sweet-16-berth</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92238-Low-seeded-Arizona-Cleveland-State-battle-for-Sweet-16-berth</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:10:59 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Wise gets 21 in second half as Arizona beats Utah]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[MIAMI (AP) -- Nic Wise held an ice pack to his lip. Chase 
Budinger had one on his left shin. Jordan Hill's was strapped 
atop his left ankle.

Arizona's three stars may have been bruised - but not beaten.

And so much for that notion the Wildcats didn't belong in the 
NCAA tournament.

Wise scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half, Budinger 
added 20 and the 12th-seeded Wildcats - one of the last teams 
into the field of 65 - knocked off fifth-seeded Utah, 84-71, 
Friday night in the first round of the Midwest Regional.

"We deserved to be here," Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell 
said. "Would we have been surprised if we had not been selected?
No, that's a different question. But as far as us belonging 
here, we definitely belong here, and today was not about proving
that. That was not our motivation. Our motivation was to win the
game and move on."

Hill added 17 points and 13 rebounds and Kyle Fogg scored 12 for
Arizona (20-13), which has been in the NCAAs 25 years in a row, 
but hadn't reached the second round since 2006. Arizona sweated 
out Selection Sunday, its tourney streak in serious jeopardy 
after finishing with losses in five of its final six games.

No worries now: Cleveland State awaits Sunday after the 13th 
seed upset No. 4 Wake Forest, 84-69.

"We've had hardships throughout the whole season, but we stuck 
together as a team," Budinger said. "We united and came closer 
with those hardships. That's what made us at this point that 
we're at now."

Tyler Kepkay scored 19 points for Utah (24-10), which was 
8-for-32 from 3-point range and matched a season-high with 20 
turnovers.

The Utes - who were picked to finish fourth in the Mountain 
West, then captured a share of the league title and won the 
conference tournament - trailed 23-10 early, got within two with
about five minutes remaining, but never dug all the way out of 
that early deficit.

"We didn't win, and that's the tough thing about this business. 
Somebody wins, somebody loses," Utah coach Jim Boylen said. "But
we're going to keep building this program. We're going to keep 
getting tougher. We're lifting Monday morning at 6 o'clock. The 
beat goes on."

Luke Nevill, the Utes' 7-foot-2 Australian center, had two fouls
by the time the game was three minutes old. He finished with 12 
points and five rebounds, never really being the dominant factor
he often was during the Mountain West season.

Lawrence Borha finished with 11 points for Utah, which got 10 
points and 10 rebounds from Shaun Green.

"We were getting the shots that we wanted," Nevill said. "We 
were shooting the ball great the day before. It just wasn't our 
night. The balls were good shots, they were bouncing in and out.
If you take them again, they might go in."

The Wildcats' lead was a comfortable 63-53 with 8:15 remaining, 
when Wise hit a 3-pointer from the left wing.

That's when the Utes came rushing back with what became a 9-1 
run over the next three minutes.

Kepkay capped the spurt with a 3-pointer from the right corner 
that made it 64-62, causing Pennell to pace his share of the 
sideline even more quickly.

Alas, he needed not to worry, as his Wildcats would answer with 
a 10-1 burst.

"I think the adrenaline, the travel, everything else I thought 
caught up with us at times," Pennell said. "We kind of got 
through that and re-established ourselves."

The Utes went the next 3:47 without a field goal. With Utah's 
big man burdened by four fouls, Hill went over Nevill for a 
score with 3:12 left, Budinger drove past Nevill for another 
layup a half minute later, and the Wildcats held on.

Utah came into the game averaging 13.6 turnovers; the Utes had 
14 by halftime. In the game's first 15 minutes, Arizona had 12 
points off Utah's turnovers - and that was exactly the margin, 
29-17, when Hill scored inside off Utah's 13th giveaway of the 
half.

Eventually, the Utes settled down, getting within 34-29 at the 
half on Green's 3-pointer from the left wing with just under 
five seconds remaining. But the Wildcats shot 16-for-26 - a 
sizzling 62 percent - after halftime to keep the Utes at bay.

"It feels great to prove the people wrong who said we didn't 
belong," Arizona's Zane Johnson said. "We knew that if we got 
into the tournament, we would make some noise."

Arizona had never been lower than a No. 10 seed in the NCAA 
tournament, has seen a revolving door of coaches - from Lute 
Olson to Kevin O'Neill and now Pennell - in the past three 
years, had awful showings in the 2007 and 2008 tournaments and 
dealt with that end-of-season slide this year.

It only made Friday seem the more sweeter.

"We overcame adversity again," Wise said, "and proved that we 
really should be in the tournament."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92169-Wise-gets-21-in-second-half-as-Arizona-beats-Utah</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92169-Wise-gets-21-in-second-half-as-Arizona-beats-Utah</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2009 05:20:43 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona looks to prove worth vs. Utah]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By Tim Reynolds
AP Sports Writer*

(12) Arizona (19-13) vs. (5) Utah (24-9), Midwest Region, 7:10 p.m. EDT

MIAMI (AP) -- Arizona forward Jordan Hill described the 
Wildcats' NCAA tournament opener in the simplest of terms.

"It's all the B's," Hill said. "All the biggests."

Biggest game.

Biggest stakes.

Biggest opponent, too.

A big man himself at 6-foot-10 and 235 pounds, Hill will be 
dwarfed by 7-2, 265-pounder Luke Nevill on Friday when Arizona 
meets Utah in a first-round South regional matchup. Hill has 
never played anyone bigger, and said he can't wait to take on 
the tall order.

"We've all seen a good amount of clips on him," Hill said. "He's
a pretty good player. He's real long, real big -- way bigger 
than me."

Hill averages 18.5 points and 11 rebounds, yet his biggest chore
Friday might come on the defensive end. If he can find a way to 
elevate to the level of Nevill - who averages 16.9 points and 
9.1 rebounds on 61 percent shooting - the Wildcats might be in 
good shape; they were 8-1 when Hill blocked three or more shots 
in a game this season, 10-12 when he didn't.

It's the matchup getting plenty of attention, but Nevill shook 
off any notion that this is a glorified game of 1-on-1 for a 
trip to the second round.

"I don't need to have, you know, a stellar game offensively for 
us to be successful," Nevill said. "You know, defensively, I 
have to have a great game, but offensively we have a great bunch
of shooters. We can score from a lot of different areas on the 
floor. You know, offensively, I'm just going to go out there and
do what I have to do to win."

It's the 49th meeting between the schools, the first since 2005,
and probably one of the very few where both teams might be able 
to make a case for being slighted.

Arizona was one of the last teams into the tournament, getting 
into the field for the 25th straight year amid some outcry that 
other schools were more deserving of an at-large berth. Utah 
drew a No. 5 seed after winning the Mountain West title, yet 
there's no shortage of experts -- not to mention oddsmakers -- 
saying the Utes will lose Friday.

Go figure, says interim Arizona coach Russ Pennell.

"It's amazing people are critical of us being in and then they 
fill out their bracket and they move us forward," Pennell said. 
"Again, those things have very little, if anything, to do with 
us playing, and it comes down to us putting the ball in the 
basket and stopping them from doing it."

If there's someone who can attest to how little seeding means in
the postseason, it's Utah coach Jim Boylen.

He was an assistant with the Houston Rockets in 1995, when they 
were the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoffs and wound
up winning nine times on the road on the way to their second 
straight NBA title.

"When you play a team like Arizona that has tradition and a 
national kind of following, they assume that it's a game maybe 
that we should not be picked in," Boylen said. "You know, we've 
been facing that stuff all year. But I think that's what's 
happened. All I can tell you is we'll be ready to play."

Boylen's players almost seem to wear the disrespected label with
pride.

"We were picked fourth in our conference, and we ended up being 
tied for first. I don't think anybody picked us to win the 
conference tournament, and we ended up winning that," said Shaun
Green, the Utes' top reserve. "Now we're underdogs it seems like
again for the NCAA tournament, and that's fine. I mean, we've 
been that all year."

One thing's probably certain: Few people in Australia, Nevill's 
homeland, are aware of who's the underdog or the favorite in 
this one.

The NCAAs aren't exactly a big deal to Aussies, and Nevill 
himself said he didn't know much about the tournament before 
coming to the United States five years ago.

As a redshirt, he accompanied Utah into the Sweet 16 his first 
season in Salt Lake City. He's now two wins away from getting 
there again, and his mom - who visited twice from Australia this
year - will be in Miami to see if her son can make it happen.

"It has become a huge deal to me, and definitely to Utah and the
program," Nevill said. "I take great pride in making the 
tournament, and it's a huge accomplishment for us as seniors to 
be able to do that. It wasn't a big deal before, but it's 
definitely a big deal now."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92065-Arizona-looks-to-prove-worth-vs-Utah</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/92065-Arizona-looks-to-prove-worth-vs-Utah</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:02:36 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Harden, Arizona State KO Arizona]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Arizona State extended its recent 
domination of Arizona on Thursday, putting the Wildcats' long 
NCAA tournament streak in jeopardy.

ASU coach Herb Sendek doesn't believe there should be a cause 
for debate.

"Admittedly biased, but I think our league is as deep and as 
talented and as balanced as any in the country," Sendek said 
after the 23rd-ranked Sun Devils beat Arizona, 68-56, in the 
quarterfinals of the Pac-10 tournament. "Do I believe Arizona is
one of the top 65 teams in the country? I would say yes. As 
competitors, we have great respect for them."

Pac-10 player of the year James Harden had 27 points and eight 
rebounds for the fourth-seeded Sun Devils (23-8), who won for 
just the second time in their last five games. Ty Abbott added 
11 points and Jeff Pendergraph had 10 and nine rebounds for ASU,
which advanced to Friday night's semifinals.

"I think the biggest challenge for us right now will be 
recovery," said Sendek, who used only seven players against 
Arizona. ASU is playing without top reserve Jamelle McMillan, 
sidelined with a sore groin.

Jordan Hill had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Nic Wise scored 18
for fifth-seeded Arizona (19-13), which has appeared in 24 
straight NCAA Tournaments, the longest active streak and 
second-longest behind the 27-year streak by North Carolina from 
1975-2001.

The Wildcats, losers of five of their last six games, will find 
out Sunday if their NCAA Tournament streak is extended when the 
brackets are announced. Arizona sweated out the selections last 
year before drawing a 10th seed and losing to West Virginia in 
the first round.

"It's just out of our hands," said interim coach Russ Pennell, 
hired when Hall of Famer Lute Olson officially retired in 
October after sitting out last season on a personal leave of 
absence. "We'll be just like everyone else sitting there 
watching on Sunday. It just boils down to at the end of the day,
is our body of work good enough?"

The Wildcats have beaten the likes of Kansas, Gonzaga and UCLA 
but went 9-9 in the Pac-10.

"Whatever happens on Sunday is whatever happens," said Wildcats 
star Chase Budinger, held to eight points on 3-for-15 shooting 
including 1-for-9 from 3-point range. "We're going to be 
practicing and watching film, just keep on playing the season. 
We're just going to try to get better as a team, forget about 
the past and look forward."

The win gave ASU a three-game sweep of Arizona this season and 
was its fifth straight over the Wildcats - the Sun Devils' 
longest winning streak over their in-state rival since they won 
nine in a row from 1979-83.

"For me, it feels great, never losing to U of A in my career so 
far," said Harden, a 6-foot-5 sophomore. "They had the upside 
for most of the years, so it just feels great and it is special 
to be a part of that. They are a great team and a powerhouse, 
and we are working to make this team a powerhouse as well."

The Wildcats dominated the Sun Devils during Olson's 24 years as
their coach, going 43-6 against ASU, which had seven coaches 
during that time. Olson attended this game and was warmly 
greeted by Arizona fans. He acknowledged the applause with a 
wave.

Sendek is 5-2 against the Wildcats since becoming the ASU coach 
before the 2006-07 season.

"In the second half, we couldn't get anything to fall, and I 
credit Arizona State's defense for that," Pennell said. "They do
a nice job defensively. Basically, I call it a 
bend-but-don't-break. They just don't give you anything easy, 
you have to earn everything you get against ASU."

ASU shot 52.1 percent to Arizona's 35.5 percent, winning handily
despite being outrebounded 36-30. There were only 14 turnovers 
in the game - eight by the Wildcats.

Harden scored eight points during a 14-5 run to start the second
half, giving the Sun Devils a 46-39 lead, and a 3-pointer by 
Rihards Kuksiks and a dunk by Harden made it 60-48 with 5:13 
remaining. The Wildcats scored the next six points to draw 
within six, but ASU scored the game's final six points from the 
foul line.

ASU shot 7-of-9 to begin the game en route to an 18-11 lead. 
Abbott, averaging 6.3 points, had eight at that stage.

The Sun Devils then went cold, missing eight straight shots 
while being outscored 11-0 to fall behind 22-18. Neither team 
led by more than four points during the rest of the first half, 
which ended with the Wildcats on top 34-32.

Hill got off to a slow start, missing his first four shots, but 
the 6-foot-10 junior finished the half with 10 points and six 
rebounds, leading Arizona to a 17-10 advantage in that 
department.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/91527-Harden-Arizona-State-KO-Arizona</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/91527-Harden-Arizona-State-KO-Arizona</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:35:40 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona faces Arizona State in Pac-10 tournament]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[Arizona (19-10) vs. (23) Arizona State (22-8), 3:00 p.m. EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Looking to nail down another NCAA 
Tournament berth, Arizona also will be seeking revenge when it 
faces 23rd-ranked Arizona State on Thursday in the quarterfinals
of the Pac-10 Conference.

The Wildcats, who are hoping to secure a 25th straight NCAA 
Tournament appearance, lost both regular-season meetings with 
the Sun Devils.  Arizona State won, 53-47, in Tucson and 70-68 
in Tempe, holding off a big rally in the second half.

It marked the second straight season that Arizona was swept by 
its rival and the two losses could have the Wildcats on the 
bubble.

However, a victory over the Sun Devils would give the Wildcats 
(19-12) 20 wins and might be enough to get them back into the 
NCAA Tournament.

Arizona ended the regular season with a 101-87 victory over 
Stanford, snapping a four-game losing streak that jeopardized 
their postseason.  The Wildcats are in their first season under 
Russ Pennell, who took over when Lute Olson, the Wildcats' coach
for the past quarter century, officially retired after taking a 
leave of absence in 2007-08.

Arizona State (22-8) had lost three in a row before beating 
California, 83-66, in its final regular-season contest.

The Sun Devils have won 20 or more games in consecutive seasons 
for the first time since 1980-and 1981.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/91493-Arizona-faces-Arizona-State-in-Pac-10-tournament</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/91493-Arizona-faces-Arizona-State-in-Pac-10-tournament</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2009 05:52:14 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Washington clinches share of Pac-10 title]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Jon Brockman and Isaiah Thomas each scored 
19 points to lead No. 21 Washington to an 83-78 victory over 
Arizona on Saturday.

With the win, the Huskies (22-7, 13-4 Pac-10) clinched a share 
of the regular-season conference title.  They can win it 
outright next Saturday with a victory over rival Washington 
State.

Arizona led 36-32 at the half but lost Chase Budinger to fouls 
late in the second half and Jordan Hill for a stretch with an 
ankle injury.

Hill finished with 27 points and Budinger had 20 for the 
Wildcats (18-11, 8-8).

"I knew (Hill) was going to be back, he's a warrior, a 
competitor," Brockman said. "When I found out it was his ankle I
knew he would be right back out there on the court as soon as he
could. That dude's a beast. He's a big time player. Give him all
the respect, he had a great game tonight."

Brockman scored 14 of his points in the second half to help 
Washington overcome a double-digit deficit.

"Another team effort by our guys," Washington coach Lorenzo 
Romar said. "I thought we came out a little sluggish in the 
first half. In the second half we got down, but yet as this team
has done many times, continued to persevere and continued to 
work together and we were able to pull it out. Jon Brockman was 
big but nothing was bigger than his free throws down the stretch
in that game. Lot of heroes in this game."

Arizona was up 10 midway through the second half before 
Washington responded with a 15-4 run to take a 63-62 lead with 
7:45 to go.  Washington took the lead for good on a three-point 
play by the freshman Thomas with 5:25 to go.

The Huskies went 10-of-12 from the line down the stretch to earn
a share of the conference title for the first time since 1985.  
The Huskies will have the opportunity to claim their first 
outright conference title since 1953 with a win over the Cougars
next Saturday.

Arizona has lost three straight to follow up a seven-game 
winning streak.

"Our effort was a lot better than it was the other night and 
that's more typical of us," Arizona coach Russ Pennell said. 
"This is a tough place to play and they're Pac-10 champs, so to 
play them like we did today, I was proud of our team. Right now,
I feel as good about our team as I have all year, even though we
lost."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/90449-Washington-clinches-share-of-Pac-10-title</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/90449-Washington-clinches-share-of-Pac-10-title</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:52:54 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Washington aims to inch closer to Pac-10 title]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[Arizona (18-10) at No. 21 Washington (21-7), 3:00 p.m. EST

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Washington looks to take another step toward
clinching the Pac-10 Conference title when it hosts Arizona on 
Saturday.

The 21st-ranked Huskies (21-7, 12-4 Pac-10) got a huge win on 
Thursday, outlasting No. 11 Arizona State, 73-70, in overtime.

Jon Brockman had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Justin Dentmon 
scored 16 in the win, which moved the Huskies 1 1/2 games ahead 
of the Sun Devils (10-5) in the standings.  California (10-5) 
and UCLA (10-5) are also tied for second place in the 
conference.

Washington has never won the Pac-10 conference crown outright, 
and it last won a conference title in 1953 when the Huskies were
in the Pacific Coast Conference.  Washington had a share of the 
Pac-10 title in 1984.

Arizona (18-10, 8-7) is hoping to boost its NCAA Tournament 
resume.

The Wildcats fell at Washington State, 69-53, on Thursday - 
their second straight loss after a seven-game winning streak.

Nic Wise scored 19 points and Jordan Hill had 15 for Arizona, 
which has made 24 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Arizona won the first meeting, 106-97, on January 29.  The 
Wildcats were 41-of-51 from the foul line in the win.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/90354-Washington-aims-to-inch-closer-to-Pac-10-title</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/90354-Washington-aims-to-inch-closer-to-Pac-10-title</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:10:40 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Arizona State hangs on to end Arizona's win streak]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[TEMPE, Arizona (Ticker) -- For the second straight year, Arizona
State owns the bragging rights for men's basketball in "The 
Grand Canyon" state.

James Harden had 18 points and nine rebounds and Rihards Kuksiks
scored 17 as No. 11 Arizona State edged rival Arizona, 70-68, on
Sunday.

Jeff Pendergraph added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Sun 
Devils (21-5, 10-4 Pac-10), who swept the season series with the
Wildcats for the second straight year.

Arizona State, which was 5-of-28 from the arc in the first 
meeting, made 10-of-16 3-pointers in the first half as it took a
44-34 advantage at the break.  Kuksiks, who leads the Sun Devils
in 3-point shooting at 47 percent, made three consecutive 
outside shots late in the first half.

"They were giving me open looks, the sophomore told the Arizona 
Republic.  "I thought, 'Why don't I try to make them pay?'  It's
like disrespect."

The Sun Devils pushed the lead to as many as 17 early in the 
second half but the Wildcats stormed back.

Trailing by 11 with just over seven minutes to play, Arizona 
surged ahead with a 13-0 run - capped by Jamelle Horne's 
3-pointer - to take a 62-60 edge with 4:13 remaining.  The 
Wildcats made five straight shots during the burst.

"I just have never sensed these guys are going to mail it in, 
and I hope it's because they care about each other and they 
respect our staff enough to know that we would never take that 
approach," Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell told the 
newspaper.  "That's one of the things I've enjoyed the most 
coaching these guys.  I think our chemistry right now is really 
good."

The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes and, with 
Arizona leading by one, Kuksiks' fifth 3-pointer of the game put
Arizona State in front, 68-66, with 1:15 left.  Jordan Hill tied
the score with a putback off Nic Wise's miss with 55 seconds to 
play.

The Sun Devils regained the lead at 70-68 as Pendergraph made a 
pair of free throws with 25.6 ticks on the clock.  Pendergraph 
collected the rebound and was fouled after Hill blocked Harden's
floater in the lane.

Arizona (18-9, 8-6) had a golden chance to tie the contest 
again, but Hill's layup in traffic missed and Zane Johnson's 
wide-open putback attempt also rolled off the rim.

Derek Glasser missed the front-end of a one-and-one with five 
seconds to play, but the Wildcats failed to advance the ball 
past halfcourt before losing control.  Time expired before 
either team could gain possession.

Wise scored 17 points and Hill and Kyle Fogg each added 14 for 
the Wildcats, who had their seven-game winning streak snapped.

"We fought back, showed a lot of heart," Wise told the Arizona 
Republic.  "We're still good, it's just a bump in the road.  We 
have to forget about this game and get ready for Washington 
State on Thursday."

The win moved Arizona State within one-half game of Washington 
(11-4) in the Pac-10.  The Sun Devils visit the Huskies on 
Thursday.

"We have an incredibly tough weekend ahead of us," ASU coach 
Herb Sendek told the newspaper.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[ncaab]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/89757-Arizona-State-hangs-on-to-end-Arizonas-win-streak</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/ncaab/news/89757-Arizona-State-hangs-on-to-end-Arizonas-win-streak</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:15:15 GMT</pubDate>
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