Postgame Hot Takes

[Zag4Hire]

Mods, feel free to move. More of a stream of thought:

1) Wow. Williams FT shooting style. Wow. That needs to improve or he needs to ride pine during real nail biters with slim lead. Although most players including Zack Attack didn't hit FTs, they have mechanics. Williams looked like your Aunt trying to win a doll at the fair.

2) Karno ISO in the post is the ultimate cheat play in video game mode. Go to it to pad the lead. Don't be afraid to play cheap. Just do it.

3) The athleticism of this GU is not be underestimated. I would hate to draw up a defense against this team. However if I did, it would be a full court press early and often. The ball-handling skills under pressure show a bit of flexing as opposed to passing the rock quickly. Just a note but we will see.

4) Collins & Tille is a tip-top off the bench sub package. It also brings different dimensions vs playing Karno. This is a big + in my book. This is a tough team to D' up.

5) If this team plays hungry & aggressive, they will be tough to stop. They seem to be their own worst enemy in stretches but the combinations off the bench can alleviate some of these flows. The trick is finding the right remedy.

Great win folks. If you were ever mad at any of the past losses to AZ, you have to feel good. It feels great.

[TacomaZAG]

Biggest, most important stat of the night...............9 TO's

If the guys can keep the TO's at 12 or below they are going to be really hard to beat. As the TO's go, so go this year's ZAGS against elite competition.

Go ZAGS

[CDC84]

There are already many people on the internet saying that Arizona would've won that game if Trier and Jackson-Cartwright had played in that game. "Tainted." What else is new. What many of these people don't acknowledge is how many teams fail to take advantage of short-handed teams who still have talented players, and how those short-handed teams often use their situation as a reason to play even harder than usual.

Much will be said about Zona's bad foul shooting, but my gosh, the Zags were bad from the line in the final 7 minutes.

The Zags need to start learning how to put teams away or at least extend leads. They're playing too many games where it "feels" as if they're up by more points than they actually are. It allowed Zona to get back in the game today. Same with the ISU game (BTW - the people on the internet who are commenting about how Zona was short-handed today are also bringing up how ISU nearly beat the Zags with a last second 3 pointer. As a nice photo on this site demonstrated, the shot wouldn't have counted).

The Zags have a "go to" player on this team, despite what others are saying. He's Nigel. He can either create for himself or the weapons around him. Put the ball in his hands and let him go.

I knew that Perkins would thrive when GU landed Nigel. He's an elite long range shooter and an off guard who can play make for others. It suits him better than being a full time point guard.

I am going to really, really enjoy Zach Collins and Killian Tillie as they develop this year. Both are talented, tall, athletic, versatile and play hard at all times, which is always an issue with young big kids.

The Zags need to start incorporating Jonathan Williams more into the offense. He is really talented. He can hit threes, mid range shots and make athletic plays around the post. He relies a little too much on the left hand. But it's easy to forget about him when Karnowski is dominating everyone.

[GonzaGAW]

Biggest, most important stat of the night...............9 TO's

If the guys can keep the TO's at 12 or below they are going to be really hard to beat. As the TO's go, so go this year's ZAGS against elite competition.

Go ZAGS

+ unlike the iowa st game we had no melt down turnovers the last few minutes of the game.

[Goshzagit]

Mods, feel free to move. More of a stream of thought:

1) Wow. Williams FT shooting style. Wow. That needs to improve or he needs to ride pine during real nail biters with slim lead. Although most players including Zack Attack didn't hit FTs, they have mechanics. Williams looked like your Aunt trying to win a doll at the fair.

That last line tho...

LOL

[NEC26]

Just glad we finally beat them.

[TexasZagFan]

Just glad we finally beat them.

Yeah, the monkey's off our back. It matters not that AZ was shorthanded, they've got a lot of physical and athletic players, but they had no answer for Karno.

[seacatfan]

There are already many people on the internet saying that Arizona would've won that game if Trier and Jackson-Cartwright had played in that game. "Tainted." What else is new. What many of these people don't acknowledge is how many teams fail to take advantage of short-handed teams who still have talented players, and how those short-handed teams often use their situation as a reason to play even harder than usual.

Much will be said about Zona's bad foul shooting, but my gosh, the Zags were bad from the line in the final 7 minutes.

The Zags need to start learning how to put teams away or at least extend leads. They're playing too many games where it "feels" as if they're up by more points than they actually are. It allowed Zona to get back in the game today. Same with the ISU game (BTW - the people on the internet who are commenting about how Zona was short-handed today are also bringing up how ISU nearly beat the Zags with a last second 3 pointer. As a nice photo on this site demonstrated, the shot wouldn't have counted).

The Zags have a "go to" player on this team, despite what others are saying. He's Nigel. He can either create for himself or the weapons around him. Put the ball in his hands and let him go.

I knew that Perkins would thrive when GU landed Nigel. He's an elite long range shooter and an off guard who can play make for others. It suits him better than being a full time point guard.

I am going to really, really enjoy Zach Collins and Killian Tillie as they develop this year. Both are talented, tall, athletic, versatile and play hard at all times, which is always an issue with young big kids.

The Zags need to start incorporating Jonathan Williams more into the offense. He is really talented. He can hit threes, mid range shots and make athletic plays around the post. He relies a little too much on the left hand. But it's easy to forget about him when Karnowski is dominating everyone.

It still counts as a W, and that's all that matters. But most teams are gonna struggle when they don't have a PG. And no bench. The only 2 reserves for Arizona today were Comanche and Pinder. Not one perimeter player. You don't have to call it tainted, but it's a depleted team without much margin for error at this point.

[DZ]

There are already many people on the internet saying that Arizona would've won that game if Trier and Jackson-Cartwright had played in that game. "Tainted." What else is new. What many of these people don't acknowledge is how many teams fail to take advantage of short-handed teams who still have talented players, and how those short-handed teams often use their situation as a reason to play even harder than usual.

Much will be said about Zona's bad foul shooting, but my gosh, the Zags were bad from the line in the final 7 minutes.

The Zags need to start learning how to put teams away or at least extend leads. They're playing too many games where it "feels" as if they're up by more points than they actually are. It allowed Zona to get back in the game today. Same with the ISU game (BTW - the people on the internet who are commenting about how Zona was short-handed today are also bringing up how ISU nearly beat the Zags with a last second 3 pointer. As a nice photo on this site demonstrated, the shot wouldn't have counted).

The Zags have a "go to" player on this team, despite what others are saying. He's Nigel. He can either create for himself or the weapons around him. Put the ball in his hands and let him go.

I knew that Perkins would thrive when GU landed Nigel. He's an elite long range shooter and an off guard who can play make for others. It suits him better than being a full time point guard.

I am going to really, really enjoy Zach Collins and Killian Tillie as they develop this year. Both are talented, tall, athletic, versatile and play hard at all times, which is always an issue with young big kids.

The Zags need to start incorporating Jonathan Williams more into the offense. He is really talented. He can hit threes, mid range shots and make athletic plays around the post. He relies a little too much on the left hand. But it's easy to forget about him when Karnowski is dominating everyone.

Great post.

That Arizona was shorthanded and would have been tougher cannot be denied, but as you note, that might well have brought out more toughness in us, especially in the second half. For whatever reasons, we seem to play down to the level of who we're playing in the last 10 minutes.

Though, to be fair, this game is a blowout had we just hit some layups and FTs.

Annddd it woulda' been dicey had NWG not hit that floater in the lane. That was a big time bandage on a deep bleed.

[Goshzagit]

We can hang our hat on that win.

PJC & Trier will return 2nd semester.

Markannen still learning, same with Kobi & Rawle. All elite players. All 1st Round guys.

We caught them at the right time, but we'll also improve, esp our young bigs.

Couldn't agree more about J3, but see him doing big things in WCC play...as Karno will be swarmed like nats at a BBQ in the post.

Arizona will stay in Top 25 all season, contend for Pac 12 Championship. Although UCLA looks terrific.

[GoZags]

It still counts as a W, and that's all that matters. But most teams are gonna struggle when they don't have a PG. And no bench. The only 2 reserves for Arizona today were Comanche and Pinder. Not one perimeter player. You don't have to call it tainted, but it's a depleted team without much margin for error at this point.

Zags didn't get a lot of sympathy last year when they had to go to a 6 man rotation.

[Mantua]

Zags didn't get a lot of sympathy last year when they had to go to a 6 man rotation.

Absolutely! That's the first thing that came to my mind.

I don't remember any opponents who thought their wins against were tainted last year or, going back, when Perkins was out.

[Rangerzag]

Zags didn't get a lot of sympathy last year when they had to go to a 6 man rotation.

+1

[maynard g krebs]

Zags didn't get a lot of sympathy last year when they had to go to a 6 man rotation.

Good point. I guess Seton Hall and Utah had tainted blowout losses to those 6 guys.

[DZ]

Should have noted above, the biggest takeaway to me (besides the W) is that Karno is fully back and accepting the role of the 5th year senior leader.