FOLLOW@CIMINI

EVEN THOUGH I’M NOT SOLD ON ARIZONA BEING A SUPERB TEAM, THEY’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE BELIEVERS OF THAT NOTION TONIGHT. FACING A TEAM IN COLORADO IS FAVORABLE TO THEM FOR MANY REASONS. LAST YEAR ARIZONA AND COLORADO SPLIT THE SERIES, WITH COLORADO DEFEATING ARIZONA ON THEIR HOME FLOOR A YEAR AGO. IF IT WERE NOT FOR A BLOWN LEAD LATE IN THE FIRST GAME COLORADO COULD OF VERY WELL WON BOTH GAMES.

THAT WAS LAST YEARS COLORADO TEAM WHICH HAD BUDDING GUARD SPENCER DINWIDDIE TO DISPERSE THE BASKETBALL AND SCORE. DINWIDDIE WAS AN ALL AROUND TYPE OF GUARD BUT AT 6’6 POSED A CHALLENGE FOR NICK JOHNSON OF ARIZONA. WITH DINWIDDIE OUT OF THE LINEUP THAT MEANS FRESHMAN JARON HOPKINS HAS STEPPED INTO A STARTING ROLE.

THIS IS WHERE ONE KEY FACT WILL EMERGE TO HELP OFFSET THIS BLOATED LINE THAT MAY HAVE YOU THINKING TO PLAY COLORADO. HOPKINS IS FROM MESA, ARIZONA. JUST THINK OF THE PRESSURE IN JUST HIS THIRD START IN HIS HOME STATE AGAINST THE NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY? IN HIS FIRST OFFICIAL START AGAINST UCLA HE HAD FIVE TURNOVERS.

THE OTHER AREA IS COLORADO’S MAIN SCORER IS NOW ASKIA BOOKER. HE CAN SCORE THE BASKETBALL BUT IT COMES IN A DETRIMENTAL WAY AS HE IS SHOOTING JUST 39% FROM THE FIELD. WITH DINWIDDIE OUT AND HOPKINS A NON-FACTOR, THIS MAY BE BOOKER’S WORST SHOOTING NIGHT OF THE SEASON.

LASTLY THE INSIDE PRESENCE OF COLORADO HURT THE WILDCATS LAST YEAR. JOSH SCOTT AND XAVIER JOHNSON HAD THEIR WAY WITH FRESHMAN BRANDON ASHLEY AND Kaleb Tarczewski. BUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE 2013-2014 SEASON YOU CAN SEE THAT ASHLEY AND TARCZWESKI ARE MUCH IMPROVED. THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID FOR JOHNSON AND SCOTT, WHO HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENT AND SEEM TO HAVE REGRESSED.

NOT TO MENTION THE WILDCATS HAVE BIG MAN AARON GORDON THIS YEAR TO GO ALONG WITH AN UNDERRATED WILDCAT RONDAE HOLLIS-JEFFERSON.

EVERY ARIZONA WILDCAT THAT GETS SIGNIFICANT MINUTES (18 OR BETTER A GAME) IS SHOOTING ABOVE 47% FROM THE FIELD. AN INCREDIBLE STAT. THE ONLY CHANCE COLORADO HAS TO STAY IN THIS GAME IS TO FORCE FEED JOSH SCOTT AND XAVIER JOHNSON AND HOPE ONE GETS HOT. WITH THE WAY BOOKER RUNS THE COLORADO OFFENSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

LAY THE BIG POINTS ON ARIZONA.