The Arizona Wildcats put a beat down on the Oregon State Beavers 76-54 Sunday night in McKale Center. With the loss of Brandon Ashley there were a lot of questions on how the Cats would make up without that production, but between the two freshmen Gordon and Rondae along with the bench the gap was filled.
With 8:02 left in the 1st half Gordon made a 3pt shot to start pulling away from the Beavers and put the team up 21-18.
After the game Gordon said, “We knew we needed to come out with a lot of energy today. My defense got me going today, which it usually does. The three I hit gave me confidence too. I know I’m a capable shooter, and it was nice to see one go down for my confidence.”
Between Gordon and Rondae they combined for 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assist. After the game Miller said, “Those two guys they’ve been there the whole year and I know that people are asking hey Aaron does he need to score more, but you forget sometimes these guys are in their first year. Aaron and Rondae are the two players that have had to adjust more than any other players on our team to playing without Brandon. Aaron no longer players any three he did it the whole year not only in games, but in practice and Rondae is playing more four now than he ever has. So with that to see them respond the way they did they were the two best players in the game in my opinion. If you combine their stats they were the lion share of what we did well.”
Other players stepped up for the Cats including Mayes, Korchck, and Pitts combining for 11 points and 6 rebounds not bad for three players that have barely seen playing time thus far this season.
Postgame Miller committed on Pitts saying, ““Elliot has done a good job in the three games he has played. I thought all three point shots he took were good ones. It’s not easy to make them when you’ve been sitting for so long this year, but we talked about being aggressive and he gives us another shooter opens the court up. (He) Gives us a different look for sure. But the thing I’m most proud of with him is he has really battled defensively. It is the thing I love about him as a young player he is ahead of the curve on defense.”
But the game wasn’t really put away till until a momentous dunk by Rondae with 7:20 left in the second half to put the cats ahead bit 62-43.
The key to the big win though lied in defense and rebounding when Miller compared their defense to football saying, “Trust what we do. When you’re a man to man team like we are our analogy is like a running football team. Sometimes you’re only getting 2 to 3 yards a carry, but if you stay with it and do it well sometimes in the second half it opens up and it opens up some other things. That’s the analogy I use with our defense.”
But in the end the Cats just stuck with what has worked for a 23-1 record and Miller concluded on their defense and rebounding dominance, “More of the same. We have no tricks. Just try to do what we do better.”