Bear Down Wildcats

https://heatcheckcbb.com/ncaa-basketbal ... uf-report/

Arizona’s X-Factor

It feels like the sky is falling whenever we talk about Arizona because the wheels kind of came off after an 8-0 start. The Wildcats went 6-5 in their next 11 games, including road losses to Stanford and Oregon State – teams that won’t sniff the NCAA Tournament.

But Tommy Lloyd’s squad has gotten things back on track with five consecutive wins. Though some have been close, Saturday’s thumping of Colorado indicates this group may have gotten its groove back.

There are several reasons for that. Kylan Boswell seems to have gotten out of his slump, Caleb Love isn’t shooting them out of the game and the bigs are producing consistently again.

However, an uptick in playing time for Jaden Bradley is as big a reason as any. The Alabama transfer played more minutes against Utah on Thursday and Colorado on Saturday than any other game this season, and he played well in both games. Bradley has an incredible ability to create offense for himself and has been an underrated defender (third in the Pac-12 in steal rate).

Per Hoop-Explorer, Arizona is significantly better on both ends of the floor when Bradley is playing.



That data shows Bradley’s defensive impact, which is most important to this team. Everyone on this roster can score at a high level and Tommy Lloyd’s system is perhaps the best in the country. Arizona needs to consistently defend well, too, if it’s going to make a run in the NCAA Tournament, and that’s something that wasn’t happening during those recent struggles.

With Bradley off the floor, the Wildcats are allowing nearly 106 points per 100 possessions while letting opponents shoot 38.0 percent from 3-point range. With him on the floor, those numbers fall to 88.9 and 30.5.

So while Arizona does need Boswell and Love to continue to play well and more efficiently, getting Bradley on the court more may be the bigger key.

1 turnover in the last 8 games

20/1 AST to TO in his last 8 games for Bradley

Great to see Bradley bring the D intensity and instant offense off the bench. Exactly what you want from a 6th man.

Starting to remind me of Jet...

He and Lewis have found a real niche and understand their role exactly for this team.

Absolute stud

Can someone remind me- how many more years do we expect from him?

Stud

AAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Pitbulls of Tucson.............. AAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

That is awesome!

What a time to have his best game of the year.

What an overall performance.

All the love today.

Wow, Jaden killed it today. What a stud. Heard Tommy say he expects him to be on of our all time greats by the time he is done….i really hope so. Huge props to Jaden!!!!

Picked a great time to have his best game as a Wildcat. One of the biggest stages in college basketball, and he was nails. Great to have a 6th man that picks up the D intensity and can make big buckets. Reminds me of Jason Terry.

Was going to write something on why Bradley needed to start vs Baylor. The numbers have been the same ever since Lloyd increased his minutes. Bos flashes but also goes dark. Some of the numbers are affected by playing vs starters compared w subs but it is not enough at this point to be statistically significant.

All that said, even if Baylor had won, as of today I feel like messing with the team’s mojo is probably the wrong move.

Despite the numbers.

Not positive on that but that is how it feels.

Start Bradley.

Can't imagine Boswell taking that well. Saw several instances where Lloyd was giving some constructive criticism to him and Boswell wouldn't even look at Lloyd.

Just give him a short hook like Lute used to do with Shakur.

It would be stupid to change up the lineup now...

Idiotic

Minutes is all that matters. Just give Bradley more and have him in at crunch time

I get all of that.

Also, start Bradley.

This would be the perfect time to blow up the team chemistry.

Brilliant

I know Tommy's not going to start Bradley.

Maybe a more productive conversation is considering how quickly Bradley should enter the game, if KB gets off to a rough start.

Jaden is getting a ton of minutes and is 1st off bench and is a key component late in every game.

I really don’t understand what you are talking about

You can't fuck with the formula this late into the season.

Remember Tommy's first season? Pelle won sixth man of the year in the pac, then is rewarded by starting season 2 and being awful at it. So he goes back to coming off the bench, like 6 games into the season, not 36 games.

So not only should you not fuck with the formula this late into the season, you don't even know how Bradley will play as a starter vs coming off the bench.

I love Bradley off the bench. Having a 6th man with no drop off from the starters, who may be an even better player than a starter is a weapon. Boz has a higher upside than Bradley in my opinion, but Bradley is a better defender. Start Boz, and if he's playing well, great. If not, as CTL put it, Bradley is Plan B, and it's a solid plan.

I love the Bradley/JT comparison.

I'm even old enough to remember the key contributions of Jordin Mayes in the 2011 tournament. Also a young guard like JB.

I love the energy that KJ and Jaden bring to the game.

That’s working because it picks up the rest of the team. Start one or both of them and the jolt the bring into the game could be gone.

Beachcat97 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 10:12 am I know Tommy's not going to start Bradley.

Maybe a more productive conversation is considering how quickly Bradley should enter the game, if KB gets off to a rough start.

So Boswell scores 20 in the first game, struggles and it is now time to replace him and potentially screw up team chemistry and show a lack of confidence in what you have done all year. That sounds right.

TheCat wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 1:51 pm

Beachcat97 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 10:12 am I know Tommy's not going to start Bradley.

Maybe a more productive conversation is considering how quickly Bradley should enter the game, if KB gets off to a rough start.

So Boswell scores 20 in the first game, struggles and it is now time to replace him and potentially screw up team chemistry and show a lack of confidence in what you have done all year. That sounds right.

So start Boswell, then?

I like Bradley. He’s been an important player the last few games. But Boswell needs to start for reasons well covered in this thread.

TheCat wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 1:51 pm

Beachcat97 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 10:12 am I know Tommy's not going to start Bradley.

Maybe a more productive conversation is considering how quickly Bradley should enter the game, if KB gets off to a rough start.

So Boswell scores 20 in the first game, struggles and it is now time to replace him and potentially screw up team chemistry and show a lack of confidence in what you have done all year. That sounds right.

For me w Baylor it was matchup based. Bos struggles frequently w perimeter D like Baylor’s and Bradley doesnt. So, dont take the chance of going down say 8 in the first 4 minutes. That posted, I dont think I’d have done it now that I have had time to cool off.

We aren't playing Baylor. What's your point?

TheCat wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 2:45 pm We aren't playing Baylor. What's your point?

That even with a favorable matchup, despite the metrics clearly favoring Bradley, I dont think you can make the move to start him.

Even talking about changing our starting lineup… a lineup we have used for EVERY game of the year…. In a sweet 16 matchup makes us all dumber

Alieberman wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:52 pm Even talking about changing our starting lineup… a lineup we have used for EVERY game of the year…. In a sweet 16 matchup makes us all dumber

Not all of us. Some of us can't get any dumber.

I don’t know, we did really well in the game Weitman started.

It’s not happening so is a moot point.

And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it. The last game should prove to us that CTL understands that.

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:12 am It’s not happening so is a moot point.

And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it. The last game should prove to us that CTL understands that.

This

Bangkok Wildcat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 1:38 am

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:12 am It’s not happening so is a moot point.

And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it. The last game should prove to us that CTL understands that.

This

Arizona has a solid 8-man rotation, and the reserves are all excellent, allowing for individual starters to have off games...

... focus on the team, not the individuals - no matter who's on the court at any particular time!!

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:12 am And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it.

Like Pastner?



Like has oft been said, Lute's quote was similar to: It's not who starts, but who is out there at crunch time.

Ballo and Boswell are often on the bench then.

It didn’t hit me till this morning that if we win tomorrow, we play either Caleb’s or Jaden’s former team.

Merkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 8:29 am

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:12 am And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it.

Like Pastner?



Like has oft been said, Lute's quote was similar to: It's not who starts, but who is out there at crunch time.

Ballo and Boswell are often on the bench then.

Basketball games last at least 40 minutes. D'uh!!!

Oftentimes, the end game situation is consequent to what happened BEFORE - and that's why an 8-man rotation is critical!!!

Players on the floor for close finishes are, as they should be, situation-dependent!!

Merkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 8:29 am

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:12 am And remember, it’s not who starts the game but ends it.

Like Pastner?



Like has oft been said, Lute's quote was similar to: It's not who starts, but who is out there at crunch time.

Ballo and Boswell are often on the bench then.

If our current crop of “Pastner’s” see the court it bodes well for us I think.

Dude is a stud and we don't win against Dayton or have a prayer today without him.

POY in the Big 12 is no easy task but Bradley is up for it.

Winger wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 4:22 pm
That even with a favorable matchup, despite the metrics clearly favoring Bradley, I dont think you can make the move to start him.

My first thought - start Bradley - (despite Clemson not being Baylor) was the right one.

I place Jaden as the leading candidate for starting PG next season - it's his to lose.

Hope he keeps developing. He has good skills, and is a fierce competitor on both ends!

Hope he has competition for the job, but, all things being equal, I place Boz and Martinez as competing for backup.