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Arizona Wildcats @ Stanford Cardinal Basketball Recap

Arizona 78, Stanford 69

They’re BAAAAAAAA—AAAAAAACK!

Well, they’re not back, but they sure are getting there, and they’re getting there faster than most people expected.

One year after the music died in Tucson, a proud basketball program is picking up the pieces with all due speed and efficiency. The recollections of a messy few years in the Desert Southwest are giving way to the resurrection of a big-name program.

Yes, the path back to prominence is being carved out in the Pac-10: The Arizona Wildcats defeated the Stanford Cardinal on Thursday night at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California. The Wildcats improved to 8-2 in Pac-10 play and are now alone in first place after Oregon State upset the then-first place Washington in the night's other conference clash of considerable consequence. This loss to Arizona dropped the Cardinal to 4-6 in conference play.

Yes, Arizona’s in first place. The distinction might not be enjoyed for very long, and it does have to be said that Arizona’s resume is so much thin soup this year. The Wildcats’ best non-conference win is North Carolina State; in other words, nothing. The Pac-10 is down again this year and is likely to put no more than three teams into the NCAA Tournament.

But that’s just half the story.

True, Arizona is not doing a lot of heavy lifting, but then again, the Wildcats are 19-4 on the season. They ARE beating the teams they’re supposed to beat. They ARE taking care of business with a consistency that wasn’t quite expected from the program this quickly after the program’s ugly years at the end of the Lute Olson era, which was cut short by the legendary coach’s health problems and some NCAA violations. Under new coach Sean Miller, who is now in his second season at the helm, the U of A is cleaning up its act on and off the court, and an NCAA bid is not just a distinct possibility, but a probability, with one month of play left in the regular season.

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Superstar Derrick Williams continued to put the Wildcats on his back with his strong play. Williams scored 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds to pace Miller's men to their fourth straight victory. Williiams shot an efficient 8-for-14 from the field. Three other Wilidcats scored in double figures. Lamont Jones posted 15 points while Jesse Perry added 12 and Kyle Fogg had 11.

Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins's squad was outmatched on the front court all night long. In the end, the SU crew simply didn't have an answer for Williams. Jeremy Green had 21 points to pace the Cardinal. Josh Owens had 13 points while Jarrett Mann added 11. Stanford struggled mightily behind the arc, shooting only 24 percent on 25 attempts from long distance. Outmaneuvering the Wildcats on the offensive glass was not enough for the struggling Cardinal to score the upset over the nationally-ranked Wildcats, who are clawing and scratching their way back to prominence in the Pac-10 Conference.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer