Sean Miller challenged his players after a sloppy loss to UCLA and the Arizona Wildcats responded in a big way. In what is a must-win game for the UA, the 'Cats lead the USC Trojans 32-16. Even with the solid lead, Arizona should have been up even more; silly turnovers and a sloppy final minute allowed USC to stay in the game at least somewhat.
The Wildcats shot just 1-for-9 from behind the arc, although they hit 11 of their 19 other attempts from the field. They also converted seven of their nine free throw chances. Jesse Perry started off well and leads all scorers with eight points. Solomon Hill had to deal with foul trouble, but the junior forward has been a force when on the court with seven points and three rebounds. Josiah Turner continued to play well, and while his numbers may not reflect it, he has done a nice job on both ends of the court.
USC shot just 20.7% from the field in the first half and did not make a 3-pointer (0-for-10). Maurice Jones leads the way with six points, while Byron Wesley added four points and four rebounds. Alexis Moore shot 1-for-8 from the field, although he has the only two assists for the Trojans.
Arizona should blow this game wide open early in the second half. Anything less than a double-digit victory would probably be viewed as a moral loss for most.