No. 3 Arizona has assumed its rightful place (program enthusiasts would contend) among the nation’s elite after a short absence in coach Tommy Lloyd’s first season. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 as a whole has continued the strong play evidenced in the 2021 NCAA tournament. Stanford gave USC its first loss Jan. 11, and Arizona is one of the three teams in the top 16 of the AP poll.
No. 3 Arizona at Stanford
Thursday, 11 pm ET
TV: ESPNU
Record: Arizona 14-1, 4-0 Pac-12; Stanford 10-5, 3-2 Pac-12
Spread: Arizona -10.5
Over/Under: 150.5
Moneyline: Arizona -525; Stanford +385
Injuries/unavailable: Arizona G Kerr Kriisa was held out of an 82-64 victory over Utah on Saturday after suffering an undisclosed injury while “horsing around” with teammates during the pregame meal, but he is expected to play. Only families of student-athletes will be permitted to attend because of Covid-19 guidelines.
Series history: Arizona leads the series 34-16. Stanford swept the season series in 2020-21 while breaking a 19-game losing streak against the Wildcats. The Cardinal has not beaten the Wildcats at home since 2009. Its home game last season was played in Santa Cruz because of Covid-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County.
A look at Arizona
First-year Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd found a niche as a long-time Gonzaga assistant — identifying, recruiting and developing international players, especially big men.
You remember Ronny Turiaf. Domantas Sabonis. Rui Hachimura.
Lloyd has delivered Arizona to its once-accustomed station among the nation’s elite with a strong international cast that includes wing Bennedict Mathurin, post players Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko and guard Kerr Kriisa.
BANG!!💥 Bennedict Mathurin starts the Cats off with 3 points!#BearDown|#AZvsCU|#WeAreZonaZoo pic.twitter.com/8ppgsZ3LNV
— ZonaZoo (@ZonaZooOfficial) January 14, 2022
All of those pieces were in place in Sean Miller’s final season in 2020-21, but the negative vibes surrounding the program due to the NCAA investigation into alleged player payoffs seemed to choke the life out of the season.
Mathurin, a 6-8 sophomore and a projected lottery pick in the 2022 NBA draft, is benefitting from Lloyd’s up-tempo style, which gives him a greater opportunity to attack the basket. Junior 6-11 Koloko is also projected as a first-rounder.
Mathurin is listed at +1600 to win the Wooden Award, DraftKings’ eighth choice and ahead of bigger names Iowa forward Keegan Murray (+1800), Ohio State post Trayce Jackson-Davis (+2000) and Auburn forward Jabari Smith (+2500), who some project as the No. 1 pick in the next draft.
Four players average in double figures. And is there a more natural fit in Arizona than a three-point shooter named Kerr? Kriisa is averaging 11.7 points and has made a team-high 38 threes.
A look at Stanford
Stanford threatened to turn this meeting into another one of the type of series showdowns so prevalent in Lute Olson-Mike Montgomery days of yore before getting ahead of itself in a busy week last week.
After handing USC its first loss of the season on Monday, the Cardinal boarded a flight to Spokane and after touching down used a 23-0 second-half run to win at Washington State on Wednesday.
Coach Jerod Haase’s travel-weary group had a four-game winning streak broken in a 67-64 loss at Washington on Friday, its third game in five days.
Freshman Harrison Ingram, a 6-7 wing, leads the team in scoring (11.9) and rebounding (6.9) and also has been mentioned as a possible 2022 NCA first-rounder, although his stock has slipped a bit recently.
Sneaky tough game for Arizona tonight
Stanford has won 4 of their last 5 and have some real talent in freshman Harrison Ingram
One to keep an eye on
— Terrence Oglesby (@T_Oglesby22) January 20, 2022
The Cardinal pulled a late surprise at Arizona last season to win its second straight in the series. Forward Jaiden Delaire tied a career-high with 21 points as Stanford finished the 73-64 victory on a 20-8 run.
Among the signature marks of their series, Stanford has never been out-physicaled. The Cardinal traditionally rebounds well and is never intimidated by the Wildcats’ interior bulk.
Facts to know
- Arizona is ranked No. 8 in efficiency by KenPom and is one of four teams in the top 15 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
- Stanford is the last Pac-12 team to beat traditional late-bloomer Oregon, which stopped UCLA and USC last week.
- The Wildcats have won their first four Pac-12 games by an average of 20 points, a program first since 1987-88.
Numbers to know
- Arizona is averaging 88.5 points per game, second in Division I.
- Stanford is 7-0 at home and has five Quad 1/2 victories, one more than Arizona
- The Wildcats have a plus-10.2 rebound margin, seventh in Division I.
The pick: Arizona 85, Stanford 75
