Arizona’s Dylan Smith suspended for season opener for violation of team rules

Sean Miller said Smith is one of Arizona’s top seven players

Arizona Wildcats guard Dylan Smith has been suspended for a violation of team rules, head coach Sean Miller announced Tuesday.

The UNC Asheville transfer will miss UA’s two exhibitions and the team’s regular season opener Friday, Nov. 10 against NAU.

Smith, who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, has been one of Arizona’s top seven players so far, Miller said.

“He’s quietly put together a really good stretch of practice,” Miller said of the redshirt sophomore.

“He’s one of our top-seven players right now based on performance. There’s always an advantage early on for those that have played a season before or in his case practiced the year before. When you think about who he’s practiced against, all the different things he’s learned a year ago, that’s to his advantage early on.”

Miller said Smith is a candidate to start in place of Rawle Alkins, who is out until “sometime in December” with a foot injury.

“He can shoot the ball. Dylan has good size and can do a lot of different things,” Miller said. “Very competitive at the wing position, but we love Brandon Randolph, we love Emmanuel Akot.

Smith averaged a team-high 13.5 points per game in his lone season at UNC Asheville. He had seven points (3-10 FG), five assists, and four rebounds in the Red-Blue Game.

Miller said point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright will miss Wednesday’s exhibition due to an ankle sprain, but should play in the team’s second exhibition Sunday.

Freshman Alex Barcello is expected to start in Jackson-Cartwright’s place Wednesday.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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