6 storylines in the Stanford-Arizona game

Lots of question marks for the Wildcats, but they can secure a share of the Pac-12 title with a win

The 19th-ranked Arizona Wildcats host the Stanford Cardinal on Thursday at 8 p.m. MST to begin their final homestand of the season.

The last several days have been quite eventful for Arizona, but not in a good way.

Head coach Sean Miller has been away from the team since Saturday after an ESPN report alleged FBI wiretaps have him discussing a $100,000 payment with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins to secure the signing of prized freshman Deandre Ayton.

Ayton and his family have denied any illegal activity, and UA’s outside counsel has strongly defended Ayton, saying there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests he broke any NCAA rules.

Ayton played Saturday and was declared fully eligible, so his status for Thursday’s game is not in doubt. Lorenzo Romar has been coaching the Wildcats in Miller’s absence, and it is unclear how long that will continue.

The Arizona Board of Regents is set to discuss Miller’s contract Thursday when we might get more clarity on the embattled head coach’s return. But it does seem unlikely that Miller will be on the sideline Thursday.

Arizona is also without star guard Allonzo Trier who has been declared ineligible after testing positive for Ostarine for the second time. Arizona has appealed the NCAA’s suspension, but who knows when that will be resolved.

Then there’s Ira Lee, who remains sidelined with a concussion.

As all these things get sorted out, let’s take a look at some things to watch in Thursday’s game.

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Will Arizona cut down the nets?

Throughout all the mess, it has been easy to forget that Arizona is on the verge of winning another Pac-12 title.

But let’s not actually forget about it.

The Wildcats just need to beat Stanford to clinch at least a share of the conference championship, while a sweep (or a USC loss) this weekend would mean they win it outright.

Now, a Pac-12 title’s significance might seem moot amid all the controversy the UA program is emerged in, but at minimum it is a noteworthy accomplishment for the players who have battled through a season that has had more downs than ups (and not because of their on-court performance).

And yeah, maybe whatever they do will be vacated down the road, but nothing can strip them of that moment they get to step up on that ladder and cut down the net.

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Dusan Ristic can become UA’s all-time winningest player

In an alternate reality without the scandals, this would be Dusan Ristic Week.

His parents have made a rare visit to Tucson from Serbia. He is about to play his final home games at McKale. He can become a Pac-12 champion once again. And he is just one victory away from becoming Arizona’s all-time winningest player.

The senior 7-footer sits at 110 wins, tied with Kaleb Tarczewski and Matt Muehlebach atop the leaderboard.

All those things will probably happen, and normally that would be a tremendous way to wrap up the final regular season of his career. But with every going on, it will be a secondary storyline. Maybe even tertiary.

That is unfortunate, considering all Ristic has done to be in the position that he’s in. He deserves better.

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Will Arizona’s defense be a Travis-ty?

Stanford big man Reid Travis had his way with the Wildcats in Palo Alto back in January. The reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week had 20 points (on 8-of-14 shooting) and 10 rebounds.

Travis was particularly dangerous in the first half when he scored 14 of his 20 points. At one point, Travis blew by Ayton and drew a foul on the UA big man before hollering, “he can’t guard me!”

That was true. Ayton was couldn’t stop Travis, whose blend of skill, strength, and athleticism makes him a tough cover.

But Travis only scored six points in the second half after Rawle Alkins was switched on him. That might have saved the game for Arizona which squeaked out a 73-71 road victory.

But if Romar is coaching Thursday, will he be savvy enough to make that same adjustment? Will Alkins have the energy to do it? Remember, with Trier out, Alkins has had to take on a larger role offensively. Asking him to do that and be Travis’ primary defender could be too much.

And if Alkins doesn’t guard Travis, will Ayton fair better this time? Ira Lee likely won’t be available so maybe Keanu Pinder can step up?

Or maybe Arizona should focus on Stanford’s other scoring threats and assume Travis is going to get his.

One area Arizona needs to be better at in this rematch is controlling the defensive glass. Stanford had 13 offensive rebounds last time.

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Where will the points come from?

Trier is unlikely to play, so Arizona will be without one of the nation’s most efficient scorers for the third straight game.

The Wildcats have to replace his 19.6 points per game somehow. Against Oregon, it was Alkins, Ayton, and Parker Jackson-Cartwright stepping up, combining for 67 points. Dylan Smith, who now starts in place of Trier, added 12 too.

Against Oregon State, Arizona relied on the trio of Ristic, Ayton, and Alkins. Those three will probably do the bulk of the scoring from here on out, but finding a fourth or fifth contributor will be paramount in case one or two of them have off games.

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Akot’s ascension

One beneficiary of Trier’s suspension is Emmanuel Akot. The freshman played 25 minutes against Oregon State and 17 minutes against Oregon last weekend.

His stats don’t pop off the page, and he is not going to come close to replacing Trier’s offense, but the more he plays the more it should aid his development.

Akot is a positive contributor for Arizona’s defense, which now ranks just 103rd in efficiency, but also consider the long-term ramifications — Akot might be one of the few returning players Arizona has next year.

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How will McKale welcome the Wildcats?

Arizona players will likely get a loud welcoming from the UA faithful. Maybe even louder than usual.

But what type of reception will Romar get? What happens if Miller does coach?

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Bracketology: Arizona slips to 5-line without Allonzo Trier, Sean Miller

Roadrunner Roundup: On Adin Hill, high shot counts, power play struggles and Nick Merkley

Here’s latest surrounding the Tucson Roadrunners

The Tucson Roadrunners split their weekend home series with the San Antonio Rampage last Friday and Saturday. They defeated them 2-1 Friday night in overtime, and lost 1-0 in overtime Saturday night.

The loss puts Tucson to 29-16-3-1 on the season with 62 points. They continue to hold on to the lead in the Pacific Division, leading the second place San Diego Gulls by five points.

Here is your weekly roundup on the biggest takeaways you need to know from this past weekend.

Adin Hill gets the double start

The Roadrunners broke off the regular goaltender rotation this weekend, giving the nod to Adin Hill for both nights.

Usually, on back-to-back nights, the Roadrunners will elect to start Hill on the first night, and will give the second night start to Hunter Miska.

“It’s a development league,” Roadrunners head coach Mike Van Ryn said. “So we’ve been trying to develop two young goalies and now we’ll look at the schedule and be a little more calculated to who starts.

“(Hill) was good and those games are tough to play in when you’re not getting a lot of shots... but I thought he was good.”

Hill put aside 31 shots against the Rampage in the Roadrunners 2-1 winning effort on Friday, but had the quietest night for a goaltender the following night. On Saturday, Hill only saw 11 shots faced against him — including the game winning goal in overtime — the lowest among the American Hockey League games this season.

Tucson’s shot count was unreal

Tucson was overall the better team this weekend, unloading 74 shots against the Rampage goaltender, Ville Husso, this weekend.

That included 30 shots in Fridays match, and an additional 44 on Saturday.

“I thought we played pretty well,” Van Ryn said after Saturday’s loss. “In the second we had a lot of real good chances in tight. We just didn’t elevate enough we had them down and out a few times and couldn’t manage to raise the puck over top of them.

“...And that goalie (Husso). we shot 50-something shots on him in San Antonio and I think we scored two. He plays well against us for some reason. He’s in our heads a little bit.”

The Power Play (Dis)Advantage

Despite Tucson’s heavy shot production, the team struggled mightily on the power play against the Rampage this weekend. In both games, the Roadrunners went 0-of-14 combined while on the man advantage.

“That happens,” Van Ryn said, “It comes and goes. And we seem to be streaky as a group about that.”

Van Ryn also noted that it became more tough on Saturday with the absence of Laurent Dauphin.

But power play struggles appear to be a reoccurring theme for the Roadrunners against San Antonio. In all four meetings with the Rampage this season the Roadrunners are 0-for-23 on the power pay..

“That happens at this level and you just can’t get frustrated by it,” Van Ryn continued. “It’s easy to get frustrated by it. Then your PP starts gripping their sticks and it gets even worse. You just gotta relax and their getting looks and it just isn’t going in right now and it will.”

Nick Merkley returns

Tucson Roadrunners forward Nick Merkley returned to the lineup Wednesday against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Merkley is currently 11th among AHL rookies in scoring (35). But was a top-five scorer prior to leaving with injury.

Nearly seven weeks ago, he took a heavy hit to his upper body while playing a game against the Ontario Reign. Merkley tried to play in the late-January series against Chicago, but left immediately.

He played in the AHL All-Star classic, which some say may have made his injury worse. Merkley practiced with the team in the weeks following before the team announced his return on Wednesday.

When asked about how the team plans on getting Merkley back into the lineup, once he was ready, Coach Van Ryn said, “You just play him.”

Other Meeps:

• Despite Saturday’s loss, the Roadrunners claim the series win over San Antonio 7-5, having beat them in all three previous meetings in overtime.
• On Saturday, the Arizona Coyotes recalled forward Laurent Dauphin from the Roadrunners. Dauphin returned from a lower body injury on Friday and was credited with the assist on the game-winning goal in overtime. He was reassigned back to Tucson on Monday.
• In the second period on Saturday, Roadrunners forward Jens Looke was awarded a penalty shot due citing AHL Rules 53.6 & 56.6. Both rules are regarding throwing equipment. Looke missed the shot attempt to keep it scoreless.
• The Roadrunners will head on the road this, taking on Grand Rapids on February 28 and Cleveland on March 2 and 4. They will return to Tucson on March 9 and 10, when they host the Texas Stars.

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ABOR to meet Thursday to discuss Sean Miller’s contract

Sounds like this saga will be ending soon

The Arizona Board of Regents will meet Thursday at 2 p.m. to discuss the future of Arizona Wildcats basketball coach Sean Miller, it was announced Wednesday.

Here is ABOR’s full announcement (bolding is mine):

Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to members of the Arizona Board of Regents and to the general public that members of the Arizona Board of Regents will meet on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the board office, 2020 North Central Avenue, Suite 230, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. It is expected that one or more members of the board will participate via conference call.

The board will convene in executive session pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.03 (A) (1), (3) and (4) for legal advice and discussion regarding University of Arizona men’s basketball and the multiple-year employment contract for head men’s basketball coach.

Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02 (H), the board may discuss and take action concerning any matter listed on the agenda.

Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A) (3), the board may convene in executive session during the meeting to receive legal advice regarding any matter listed on the agenda.

The agenda may be amended at any time prior to 24 hours before the board meeting.

Estimated starting times for the agenda items are indicated; however, discussions may commence, or action may be taken, before or after the suggested times. Any item on the agenda may be considered at any time out of order at the discretion of the board chair.

It is anticipated the meeting will adjourn at 3:00 p.m.

Miller has been away from the team since Saturday after an ESPN report alleged FBI wiretaps have the UA head coach discussing a $100,000 payment with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins to secure the signing of prized freshman Deandre Ayton.

Ayton and his family have denied any illegal activity, while UA’s outside counsel strongly defended Ayton, saying there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests he broke any NCAA rules.

Miller said in a statement that he is confident he will be “vindicated.”

One ABOR member, Jay Heiler, an attorney and former journalist, told bizjournals.com that he has some concerns about the validity of ESPN’s story.

“Speaking for myself, as a former editor and prosecutor, the ESPN story published regarding the continuing investigation may not have been worthy of publication and in any case was deficient in its sourcing and context as the basis for immediate decision,” Heiler said. “Efforts have been under way since to address that deficiency and proceed accordingly.”

Lorenzo Romar coached Saturday’s game at Oregon, and has led practice this week.

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No, Sean Miller didn’t stop recruiting in September

The Wildcats were actually pretty active in February

On Tuesday, Greg Hansen of the Arizona Daily Star said on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station that Sean Miller stopped recruiting in September after the Arizona Wildcats were first implicated in the college basketball corruption and bribery scandal.

That, basically, Miller had given up because he knew what was coming.

“My guess is when the FBI raided his home early (on) that one morning, the same morning they raided (former assistant coach) Book Richardson’s home, he realized it was all over,” Hansen told Bickley & Marotta. “That is just my opinion. He knew there were things out there that would implicate him.”

But, this is just not true. Arizona has been recruiting since September. In fact, its recruiting efforts picked up steam in February.

Here is some evidence of UA’s recent activity:

• Three-star forward Sam Froling took an official visit to Arizona in December (he later committed to Creighton).
• When the Wildcats were in Washington in February, Miller offered three prospects: P.J. Fuller, MarJon Beauchamp, and Jaden McDaniels (you can read about them here). All three are high four-star prospects.
• Only a few days later, Miller offered 2018 Southern California guards Tevian Jones and Devonaire Doutrive. Two four-star prospects.
• On Feb. 13, Miller watched 2020 five-star point guard Nico Mannion, a Phoenix product ranked 24th in his class.
• On Feb. 19, Arizona offered 2019 five-star forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. It is believed he unofficially visited the UA, too.

The story that summed up Hansen’s interview on ArizonaSports.com was later updated to say that Hansen believes Arizona stopped recruiting “at a high level” in September, but even that is a stretch.

Now, that is not to say Arizona isn’t having recruiting struggles — it clearly is. Shareef O’Neal just decommitted because of the ESPN wiretap report (and then committed to UCLA), leaving Brandon Williams as UA’s only 2018 commit.

But that has so much more to do with the cloud hovering over the program because of the FBI investigation and Miller’s future at Arizona than his actual recruiting efforts.

That became clear when several elite 2018 prospects immediately dropped Arizona from consideration once the probe went public. Recruits of that caliber don’t want to jump into an uncertain situation in what could be their only year of college basketball, hence why even blue-blood North Carolina had trouble landing them while it was under investigation.

It’s not because Miller stopped recruiting. That never happened.

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Experts doubt Allonzo Trier’s explanation for PED suspension

Medical professionals say it’s “unlikely” this banned substance reappeared more than a year later

Lost in the chaos surrounding Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller this week is the fact that standout junior Allonzo Trier missed two games in Oregon trip after failing another drug test.

It was announced last Thursday that Trier was declared ineligible by the NCAA for testing positive for the same substance he tested positive for in 2016 which would up costing him 19 games.

“Earlier today, the University of Arizona was notified that the NCAA has declared Allonzo Trier ineligible,” the UA stated. “In late January 2018, Allonzo participated in an NCAA student-athlete drug screening. The results of that test, confirmed today, revealed the reappearance of a trace amount of a banned substance. The amount detected was miniscule by scientific standards and appears to be a remnant of a substance, which the NCAA agreed, Allonzo had unknowingly ingested in 2016. The University is appealing the decision and is hopeful that Allonzo will regain his eligibility soon.”

Trier’s attorney Steve Thompson said, “The experts tell us Ostarine can be stored in fatty tissues for a long time, and tests can be negative but then later be positive as the substance comes out.”

However, some of the most well-respected experts in the field don’t agree with this.

“Certainly a number of negative results in between support the conclusion that the most recent positive was not connected to the original inadvertent use,” Don Catlin, founder and former director of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, told Yahoo! Sports.

Thompson also claimed that Trier tested positive because he was dehydrated that particular morning, but Catlin’s not buying that either.

”It would not seem a very plausible explanation for a positive drug test occurring a year after inadvertent use of Ostarine,” Catlin said. “The pH of the negative samples in between could be compared to that of the original and recent positive to evaluate that further.”

Trier has practiced with the team the last two days, just as he continued to practice with the team during his suspension and appeal last season. However, David Ferguson, professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Minnesota, thinks that Trier faces “an uphill battle” with this particular appeal because of Ostarine’s 24 hour half-life.

“Some people have different levels of enzymes to process drug molecules and things can linger longer, but even if he has deficiencies in his clearance, it wouldn’t go to zero and then come back,” Ferguson said. “That’s highly unlikely unless there was something really odd going on.”

Many people cited what happened with former Georgia offensive lineman Kolton Houston to compare to Trier, but there are some major differences:

1. Houston’s drug levels never went to zero and then came back,
2. The drug was Norandrolone, a true anabolic steroid. Ostarine is what’s known as a SARM, and according to USADA, has not been approved for human consumption or use in the United States or in any other country.

“You do research to pick that drug,” Ferguson continued. “You don’t pick that one by accident. That particular drug is pretty good at targeting muscle and bone and not causing the side effects of anabolic steroids. You don’t get enlargement of your breasts, you don’t get changing of your voice.”

Arizona seems to be forced to move forward without Trier for the rest of the season, and potentially its head coach as well. We’ll see how it impacts seeding moving into the NCAA Tournament as well as how the team plays vs. Stanford, Cal, and in the Pac-12 Tournament next week.

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Ira Lee (concussion) still out as Arizona preps for Stanford, Cal

The freshman has not returned to practice yet

The Arizona Wildcats will likely be without Ira Lee again Thursday when they host the Stanford Cardinal.

Arizona interim coach Lorenzo Romar told Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star on Tuesday that Lee has not returned to practice since he suffered a concussion last week.

That means Lee likely has not fully cleared concussion protocol yet, and it’s hard to imagine that will happen before Thursday’s game. Especially because Arizona likes to have a previously-concussed player practice at least once or twice before returning to action.

Lee suffered the concussion last week in practice and did not travel with the team to Oregon, missing both games of the road trip.

The freshman forward has been the primary backup for Deandre Ayton and Dusan Ristic this season. Lee is averaging 2.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10.6 minutes this year.

Emmanuel Akot received more playing time last week as a result of Lee’s injury, and he played fairly well, especially on defense.

Keanu Pinder got more minutes, too.

Of course, Arizona is also without Allonzo Trier, who remains suspended indefinitely after testing positive for a banned substance. The UA has appealed his suspension, but who knows how long it will take before that amounts to anything.

Pascoe reported that Trier has practiced the last two days, though that is not indicative that he will play this weekend.

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Shareef O’Neal commits to UCLA

The former Arizona commit is staying in the Pac-12

Arizona’s loss is another Pac-12 school’s gain.

Former UA signee Shareef O’Neal has committed to the UCLA Bruins, Josh Gershon of 247Sports reported Tuesday.

O’Neal decommitted from Arizona on Saturday after an ESPN report said Sean Miller, who is currently not coaching the Wildcats, allegedly discussed a $100,000 payment to secure the signing of Deandre Ayton.

O’Neal, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille, signed non-binding scholarship paperwork in November that gave him an out in case UA’s involvement in the college basketball recruiting scandal escalated.

A 6-foot-9 forward from Santa Monica, O’Neal is the No. 33 player in the 2018 class.

UCLA now has the No. 4 recruiting class in the country. Arizona only has one 2018 signee left — four-star point guard Brandon Williams.

Like O’Neal, Williams could bolt too, but he is still waiting to what happens to the Arizona program first.

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‘There’s a lot of dispute’ about ESPN’s Sean Miller wiretap report, per Yahoo!’s Pat Forde

Now another outlet is questioning ESPN’s report

Ever since ESPN reported that Sean Miller allegedly discussed a $100,000 payment for Deandre Ayton, the story’s veracity has only gotten shakier and shakier.

ESPN originally said the wiretapped conversation between Miller and former ASM employee Christian Dawkins about Ayton took place in spring of 2017, but then it corrected it to “spring of 2016” and then just “2016.”

However, 247Sports reported Monday that that timeline doesn’t add up, because the conversations weren’t being recorded then:

A source told 247Sports that Dawkins (who had his phone tapped by the FBI) and Miller had calls intercepted between the timeframe of June 19 of 2017, through Sept. 25.

Sources say that the U.S. Attorney’s office notified multiple parties who had conversations with Dawkins that their phone calls had been recorded specifically during the dates of June 19, 2017 and Sept. 25, 2017.

Plus, 247Sports reported that Dawkins was not involved in Ayton’s recruitment.

Meanwhile, Ayton’s family has denied any wrongdoing, and the UA’s outside counsel strongly defended him, saying there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests he broke any NCAA rules.

And now another outlet, Yahoo!, is questioning ESPN’s report, especially Miller’s role in the scandal.

Here is what Pat Forde, who uncovered federal documents that detailed several potential NCAA violations around the sport, said on ESPN 680 in Louisville on Tuesday (transcribed by our friend Shane Dale at ABC15 in Phoenix):

“There has been a significant amount of smoke out there about Arizona, and some of it did relate to Sean Miller. There was nothing in the documents we reviewed that implicated Sean Miller,” he said.

Yet, just because Miller is not personally implicated doesn’t mean he is in the clear. Two of his former assistants — Book Richardson and Joe Pasternack — were named in the documents, which usually spells trouble for the head coach.

“Now, Arizona certainly, if you look at the emails from Christian Dawkins, talking about the deals that he was allegedly trying to arrange with assistant coaches Book Richardson and Joe Pasternack, and trying to shop Brian Bowen to them, and trying to set up to get Arizona players Lauri Markkanen and Rawle Alkins as clients for ASM, that was absolutely going on,” Forde said. “Do we have anything specifically in those documents that Sean Miller is involved? No.

“Was he involved or not? I don’t know. We’re going to find out. But from an NCAA standpoint, as Rick Pitino can tell you, it doesn’t matter. If your assistants are involved, you by de facto responsibility are involved.”

What will this all lead to?

We should find out soon. Miller and his lawyers reportedly met with University of Arizona administrators Monday to discuss his future, which is expected to be decided “sooner rather than later,” per 247Sports.

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Sean Miller’s fate to be decided ‘sooner rather than later’

And apparently the content of the audio tapes could actually exonerate him

Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller and his lawyers met with UA administrators Monday to try to determine his future, according to a new report from 247Sports.

The report says the UA is expected to make a decision “sooner rather than later.”

Miller has been away from the team since Saturday after an ESPN report alleged FBI wiretaps have him discussing a $100,000 payment with ASM employee Christian Dawkins to secure the signing of Deandre Ayton.

Miller missed practiced Monday and his media obligations were cancelled.

Ayton and his family have denied any wrongdoing, and UA’s outside counsel said there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests Ayton broke any NCAA rules.

ESPN’s initial report said the wiretapped conversation took place in spring of 2017, but then corrected it to “spring of 2016” and then just “2016.”

247Sports reported Monday that timeline doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Here is what Evan Daniels, Brian Snow, and Josh Gershon of 247Sports wrote:

A source told 247Sports that Dawkins (who had his phone tapped by the FBI) and Miller had calls intercepted between the timeframe of June 19 of 2017, through Sept. 25.

Sources say that the U.S. Attorney’s office notified multiple parties who had conversations with Dawkins that their phone calls had been recorded specifically during the dates of June 19, 2017 and Sept. 25, 2017.

After the ESPN report was released, Miller said in a statement that he is confident he will “vindicated,” and it appears he might be.

247Sports is also reporting that the content of the audio tapes could actually exonerate him:

247Sports sources with knowledge of the content of the audio tapes – which remain under a federal seal – believe they would exonerate the coach of ESPN’s allegations.

While those tapes may not ever see the light of day, Miller and his lawyers have fought that the allegations against him are false. Now the ball is in the University of Arizona’s court.

Arizona hosts Stanford on Thursday then Cal on Saturday, so you have to believe the UA wants this situation resolved by then, and it appears it will be.

But given the conflicting nature of the ESPN and 247Sports reports, it’s hard to guess which direction the school will go in.

It once seemed like a certainty that Miller had coached his last game — several folks, including the local paper, called for his job — but this new evidence has made this situation difficult to parse.

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T.J. McConnell, Aaron Gordon, other former Wildcats defend Sean Miller

ESPN’s timeline of Sean Miller’s wiretapped call doesn’t add up, per 247Sports

This story is getting shakier and shakier

ESPN has made two corrections to its report that said Sean Miller allegedly discussed a $100,000 payment with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins for Deandre Ayton.

The first was changing the date of the alleged wiretapped phone call from “spring of 2017” to “spring of 2016.” The second was changing it to just “2016.”

That seemed to make more sense because Ayton committed to Arizona in September 2016, but, according to 247Sports, that timeline doesn’t actually make much sense at all.

Here is what Evan Daniels, Brian Snow, and Josh Gershon are reporting:

A source told 247Sports that Dawkins (who had his phone tapped by the FBI) and Miller had calls intercepted between the timeframe of June 19 of 2017, through Sept. 25.

Sources say that the U.S. Attorney’s office notified multiple parties who had conversations with Dawkins that their phone calls had been recorded specifically during the dates of June 19, 2017 and Sept. 25, 2017.

The 247Sports report also says Dawkins has never been a handler/mentor for Ayton. So, connecting the dots, it wouldn’t make sense why Miller and Dawkins were discussing a payment for the Bahamian big man.

ESPN also made a mistake reporting Miller’s contract, saying he would be paid more if fired with cause than without it, but Anne Ryman of AZCentral proved that to be false.

Then last Saturday an ESPN announcer inaccurately said during the Arizona State-Oregon State game that Miller had been fired by Arizona.

Ayton and his family have denied any illegal activity, while UA’s outside counsel strongly defended Ayton, saying there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests he broke any NCAA rules.

ESPN’s report never said any money actually changed hands between Ayton and Miller/Arizona, and the wiretap recordings could still exist, but this story seems to be getting shakier and shakier since it was first reported Friday.

Miller said in a statement that he is confident he will be “vindicated,” but he wasn’t at Arizona’s practice Monday and remains away from the team after he stepped away before Saturday’s game at Oregon.

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Arizona soccer starts spring season, looks to build on strong 2017

Sean Miller misses practice, remains away from team, per report

The UA has provided no update on Miller’s status

Sean Miller continues to be away from the Arizona Wildcats, and did not attend Monday’s practice, interim coach Lorenzo Romar told Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star.

Romar continues to be unsure about Miller’s status.

Miller did not hold his usual Monday press conference either, and his radio show — usually held Monday nights — has been canceled as well.

Arizona hosts Stanford on Thursday and Cal on Saturday, so it is looking increasingly unlikely that Miller will coach those games.

Arizona has not released a statement updating Miller’s status.

He decided to step away from the team last Saturday after an ESPN report said FBI wiretaps have him discussing a $100,00 payment with ASM employee Christian Dawkins to secure the signing of star freshman Deandre Ayton.

“I believe it is in the best interest of our team that I not coach the game tonight,” Miller said in a statement last weekend. “I continue to fully support the University’s efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated. For now, my thoughts are with our team. They are a great group of young men that will support each other and continue their pursuit of winning a Pac-12 championship.”

Ayton’s family has denied any wrongdoing and UA’s outside counsel has declared Ayton fully eligible, saying the big man has “abided by all applicable rules and regulations.”

There has been no update on Allonzo Trier’s suspension.

The junior has been declared ineligible after testing positive for a banned substance, and he missed both games of the Oregon road trip. Arizona has appealed the NCAA’s ruling. More can be read about that here.

The Wildcats can clinch a share of the Pac-12 title with a win Thursday. Tip-off against the Cardinal is set for 8 p.m. MST on FOX Sports 1.

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ESPN issues two corrections to Sean Miller wiretap report

It has gotten a lot of things wrong lately

ESPN has made two corrections to its report that Arizona Wildcats coach Sean Miller discussed a $100,000 payment to secure the signing of Deandre Ayton.

Mark Schlabach said on TV Friday that FBI wiretaps have Miller discussing a payment to Ayton with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins in 2017, but, perhaps after being notified that Ayton had already signed with Arizona by then, ESPN corrected the date to “spring of 2016.”

It then changed it to just “2016.” Ayton committed to Arizona in September of that year. His family has denied any wrongdoing, while UA’s outside counsel strongly defended Ayton, saying there is “not a shred” of evidence that suggests he broke any NCAA rules. (To be fair, ESPN’s report never said any money actually changed hands.)

ESPN also misinterpreted Miller’s contract details, reporting that he would be paid more if fired with cause than without it, but Anne Ryman of AZCentral debunked that Sunday night.

Even worse: an ESPN announcer inaccurately said during the Arizona State-Oregon State game that Miller had been let go by Arizona.

Not a great look by the Worldwide Leader, and it has some questioning the veracity of Schlabach’s report.

Miller did not coach Arizona on Saturday against Oregon, but said in a statement that he is confident he will be “vindicated.”

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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Michael Wright to be inducted into Pac-12 Hall of Honor

Wright was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection

Former Arizona Wildcats forward Michael Wright will be inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor on March 9 in a ceremony prior to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, the conference announced on Monday.

The late Wright, who was tragically found dead in an SUV in Brooklyn in November 2015, was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection.

Wright is a member of Arizona’s 1,000-point, 750-rebound club, finishing his college career with 1,491 points and 822 rebounds.

Wright received All-American honors in his final two seasons at Arizona, and was part of UA’s Final Four team in 2001.

The Chicago native ranks in the top 10 in a handful of UA career statistics, including field goal percentage, free throws, free throws attempted, rebounds and rebounding average. Wright’s career started with the 1998-99 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year award and ended with enshrinement in McKale Center’s Ring of Honor.

Following his collegiate career, Wright was selected by the New York Knicks with the 39th pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, though he never player in an NBA game, instead spending more than decade playing in some of Europe’s top leagues.

Wright’s legacy has continued after his passing with the establishment of the Michael Wright A-Club Scholarship Endowment. The fund raised over $85,000 dollars to provide financial support to former student-athletes who wish to complete their undergraduate degree after finishing their eligibility.

The endowment was built by the donations of Wright’s teammates, coaches, Arizona staff and Wildcat fans.

10 other student-athletes and a coach will also be inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor on March 9.

They are: Linda Vollstedt (Arizona State), Matt Biondi (Cal), Bill Toomey (Colorado), Andrew Wheating (Oregon), Carol Menken-Schaudt (Oregon State), Kerri Walsh Jennings (Stanford), Rafer Johnson (UCLA), Cheryl Miller (USC), Missy Marlowe (Utah), Sonny Sixkiller (Washington), Laura Lavine (Washington State).

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Arizona drops to No. 19 in the AP Poll

The Wildcats are a difficult team to evaluate right now

The Arizona Wildcats have fallen five spots in the latest AP Poll.

UA now checks in at No. 19.

The Wildcats beat Oregon State and lost to Oregon on the road last week. Both games went into overtime.

Arizona also lost Allonzo Trier to a performance-enhancing drug suspension, and head coach Sean Miller was not on the sideline in the loss to Oregon amid an FBI bribery scandal.

So the Wildcats are a difficult team to evaluate right now, which is why it is no surprise to see them fall so far in the polls.

Here is the new AP Top 25:

1. Virginia Cavaliers
2. Michigan State Spartans
3. Xavier Musketeers
4. Villanova Wildcats
5. Duke Blue Devils
6. Kansas Jayhawks
7. Gonzaga Bulldogs
8. Purdue Boilermakers
9. North Carolina Tar Heels
10. Cincinnati Bearcats
11. Wichita State Shockers
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders
13. Ohio State Buckeyes
14. Auburn Tigers
15. Michigan Wolverines
16. Tennessee Volunteers
17. Rhode Island Rams
18. Clemson Tigers
19. Arizona Wildcats
20. West Virginia Mountaineers
21. Nevada Wolf Pack
22. Saint Mary’s Gaels
23. Kentucky Wildcats
24. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
25. Houston Cougars

KenPom pegs Arizona as the No. 25 team in the country. Even with all the distractions, the Wildcats can clinch a share of the Pac-12 title Thursday with a win over the California Golden Bears.

It is unclear if Trier will play or if Miller will coach.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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Arizona’s outside counsel doesn’t have access to Sean Miller wiretap recordings

Neither does anyone that’s not a charged defendant for that matter

It seems that Arizona Wildcats fans across the country are learning how the legal system works this weekend.

As we get further from the initial report by Mark Schlabach that Sean Miller is caught on FBI wiretaps having discussed a $100,000 transaction with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins to land Deandre Ayton, several things have happened.

Miller did not coach Saturday’s game against the Oregon Ducks, however Deandre Ayton still played. This was not surprising given that the FBI and NCAA had cleared Ayton of any wrongdoing based on current available facts earlier in the year. Ayton’s family and Arizona’s outside counsel have both stated the same.

These statements have no impact on the initial report because it never said anything about Ayton’s involvement in the first place. It only implicated Miller.

Now according to Schlabach, Arizona’s legal counsel doesn’t have access to the tapes as well, and has not heard what is on them. Again, not surprising given that they are under a federal seal.

“Those items are subject to a court-imposed protective order, and only the charged defendants have access to those materials,” Arizona’s outside counsel Paul Kelly stated.

Miller has not been charged with anything but Dawkins has. He is charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with three counts of wire fraud and one count of money-laundering conspiracy.

The protective order itself says the following:

“Any material reflecting (i) sensitive identification information (including, but not limited to, names, telephone numbers, addresses, email addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit card information, other sensitive financial information, and driver’s license information) or (ii) confidential information that could jeopardize the Government’s ongoing criminal investigation (including, but not limited to, video recordings, photographs, audio recordings, judicially authorized wiretap recordings, wiretap applications, and line sheets and transcripts of judicially authorized wiretap recordings) produced by the Goverment in this action is deemed *Confidential Information* and shall be so identified by the Government.”

Schlabach ran with the report because he is confident in his sourced work with people that have knowledge of what’s on these tapes. It’s hard to believe he would unknowingly put his own reputation on the line unless he and ESPN were confidence with what they had to work with.

It does appear that whoever leaked the audio or transcripts violated the protective order, and it appears it could have been anyone associated with any of the defendants including Book Richardson, Lamont Evans, Tony Bland, and Merl Code in addition to Dawkins.

Also, the difference between Yahoo! having actual screenshots of emails implicating Richardson and Joe Pasternack is because that’s not government-generated material. It’s possible that the same group of people that are feeding Yahoo! the emails also had access to the tapes, just don’t have copies to provide journalists with. Also, emails are not explicitly listed in the protective order.

Whatever the case may be, it’s still safe to let this play out and see where it goes and not just assume that ESPN is out to get Arizona.

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Brandon Dawkins could reunite with Rod Smith at Illinois

It’s a “possibility” according to the former Arizona quarterback

When Brandon Dawkins announced his decision to transfer from Arizona on Twitter, Illinois fans immediately flooded his mentions.

“Bring those talents to Illinois!” one fan tweeted. “Your one year might just turn an entire program around!”

Dawkins to Illinois might seem like an unusual fit — the grad transfer is from California and has lived in Hawaii — but the Illini hired Rod Smith this offseason. Smith, of course, was Dawkins’ quarterbacks coach all throughout his Arizona career and was hired by Illinois after Rich Rodriguez was fired.

And there is a real chance Dawkins follows him there. The former UA quarterback told Jeremy Warner of IlliniInquirer.com that Smith is “really on me” and that “I definitely see (Illinois) as a possibility.”

Dawkins added that he hopes to visit the school in the spring. (If you are a premium member of 247Sports, you can read more about it here).

Arizona grad-transfer QB Brandon Dawkins tells Illini Inquirer that #illini OC Rod Smith is "really on me" and that "I definitely see (Illinois) as a possibility." Hopes to visit this spring. Much more detail and insight in this VIP update:https://t.co/Co0NYGPrPa pic.twitter.com/eEyWyPNqsr

— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) February 25, 2018

Illinois went 2-10 in 2017, with the 127th scoring offense (of 130) in the nation.

The Illini are only returning one quarterback who threw a pass in 2017, and that is freshman Cam Thomas who was 28-for-66 with five interceptions (and zero touchdowns) in four games. (He did run for 233 yards, though.)

So not only would Dawkins be reuniting with his former quarterbacks coach at Illinois, he would have a tremendous chance to win the starting job there as well.

Obviously that will be an important factor in Dawkins’ decision, since he only has one year of eligibility remaining.

Dawkins isn’t a great passer, but Illinois finished 122nd in the country in rushing offense, so he can definitely help them in that area. The soon-to-be redshirt senior averaged 6.7 yards per carry in 2017, including eight rushing touchdowns.

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Deandre Ayton has ‘abided by all applicable rules and regulations,’ per UA’s outside counsel

An independent law firm is confident that Ayton is fully eligible to play

An ESPN report surfaced Friday that FBI wiretaps have Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller discussing a $100,000 payment with former ASM employee Christian Dawkins to secure the signing of star freshman Deandre Ayton.

But Ayton’s family has denied any involvement in prohibited activities, and Sunday an attorney from the firm hired by the University of Arizona to independently review the school’s alleged involvement in an FBI bribery scandal said these media reports “are false and unfounded.”

That attorney, Paul Kelly, also added that Ayton has “abided by all applicable rules and regulations and is fully eligible to participate as a member of the Men’s Basketball team.”

Here is Kelly’s full statement (bolding is mine):

“I am aware of media reports and public reaction suggesting that University of Arizona Men’s Basketball student-athlete Deandre Ayton should not be deemed eligible to compete due to a perception that he or his family received money or other benefits in connection with his recruitment at Arizona. These reports are false and unfounded.

“Over the past several months, Mr. Ayton has voluntarily submitted to several interviews, by federal prosecutors and the FBI, but University and Pac-12 compliance official, by representatives of the NCAA, and by Steptoe and Johnson, the independent firm engaged by the University to review these matters. In each of these interviews, Mr. Ayton has credibly and consistently maintained that neither he or nor any member of his family, nor any representative thereof, received any money or extra benefit to influence his decision to attend the University of Arizona. Not a shred of evidence has been adduced suggesting otherwise, which federal investigators and NCAA officials have acknowledged.

“As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney with a deep understanding of the criminal investigative process, and as an NCAA legal practitioner, I can say with confidence that Deandre Ayton has abided by all applicable rules and regulations and is fully eligible to participate as a member of the Men’s Basketball team.

“On a personal note, we have found Deandre to be an outstanding and honorable young man who has been truthful and cooperative in all of our dealings with him.”

Despite the ESPN report, Ayton played in Saturday’s game at Oregon, and now it appears he will stay on the court moving forward.

However, Miller did not coach Saturday and it is unclear when, or if, he will return to the sidelines. Lorenzo Romar filled in for Miller against Oregon, but said he doesn’t know how long he will be the interim.

One thing to note is that the ESPN report did not actually say any money between Miller/Arizona and Ayton changed hands, just that there is evidence of Miller discussing a sizable payment with Dawkins, a central figure in the FBI investigation.

So while the attorney’s statement is a good sign for Ayton’s status at Arizona, it might not mean a whole lot for Miller. But it does seem like we are headed for an extended legal battle rather than a quick solution.

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3 up, 3 down in Arizona’s loss at Oregon

Arizona played hard, but had too many things going against it

Under difficult circumstances, the Arizona Wildcats took the floor in Oregon on Saturday night. Despite a strong effort, the Wildcats fell to the Oregon Ducks in overtime, 98-93.

No Sean Miller on the sideline, an ineligible Allonzo Trier and a raucous Matthew Knight Arena crowd that heckled the Wildcats every chance they got was quite a mountain to climb. After what has been a difficult couple of days for the team, the fight they displayed is what is already a difficult place to play was admirable.

But a loss is a loss. It ends Arizona’s three-game win streak and brings them to 12-4 in Pac-12 play. They’ll have another chance at clinching at least a share of the Pac-12 regular season title on Thursday night back in the friendly confines of McKale Center against Stanford.

Let’s take a look at three up and three down from this Wildcat loss.

3 Up

Energy

The eyes of the college basketball world were focused on Arizona, waiting for more news to trickle out about the status of Sean Miller and Deandre Ayton. It puts the other players in a rather uncomfortable situation, and it was a given that Arizona was coming into an enemy territory eager to see the Wildcats fall flat on their faces. All things considered, it was reasonable to expect the Wildcats to come out flat in Eugene.

Instead, Arizona responded in total opposite form, looking like a well-oiled machine for much of the first half. The ‘Cats immediately came out and took it to the Ducks, jumping out to a 12-point lead in the first half behind a phenomenal amount of energy from Ayton, Rawle Alkins and Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

Alkins’ energy, in particular, was infectious. He appeared determined to destroy everything in his wake and he did a pretty good job of it, totaling 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and a block.

He was part of an unfortunate turning point in overtime though, dunking on Ducks forward Kenny Wooten and receiving a technical foul for screaming at Wooten after the jam. Oregon made their two shots from the line and took off from there. Even with that incident though, it was that energy and attitude that kept Arizona in the game in the first place.

Deandre Ayton

There’s no way of knowing what will happen in these next few days. But if we’re being honest, there’s a chance that Saturday night’s game with the Ducks will end up being Ayton’s last as a Wildcat.

Just in case it was, Ayton gave us a little something extra against Oregon, wrecking his way to 28 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks.

Those numbers are ridiculous, especially considering most of them came in the first 30 minutes. With 10 minutes remaining in the second half, Ayton had 26 points on 11-of-14 from the floor. In the final 10 minutes and the five-minute overtime, Ayton took only one more shot and scored two more points on free throws.

Oregon went to an automatic double-team the second he touched the ball for that final 15 minutes, making Arizona find other ways to win – which they didn’t.

Despite being bottled up for the last third of the game, Ayton was extraordinary. He played loose, he played angry and he played perhaps his best game at Arizona.

This could admittedly be premature. Two games remain in the regular season and as far as we know right now, the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament are still on the table.

But if this was the last time we see Ayton, it doesn’t really seem fair to comment on what’s gone on behind the scenes because none of us really know. All we can really comment on is the basketball side and on that front, not only has it been special to see him go to work. He just might be the most talented to ever play in a Wildcat uniform.

Hopefully this isn’t it but if it is, it’s been fun.

Lorenzo Romar

A year ago, how weird is this reality? Romar on the Wildcats’ sideline as head coach. What a strange course of events it took to get us here.

But he deserves credit for some of what worked tonight. The offense was fast and loose and while that resulted in some turnovers, it also helped Arizona to 27 points in the first seven minutes of the game.

Romar faced as tough a spot as anyone on Saturday night and he handled it well, nearly guiding the Wildcats to a tough road win in very difficult circumstances.

If he ends up being the interim man in charge on Thursday against Stanford or Saturday against Cal, it’s a good sign to see the team feel instantly comfortable with his more free-wheeling offensive sets.

3 Down

Turnovers

By far Arizona’s biggest negative of the night came in giveaways, losing the turnover battle 17-4.

Oregon’s full-court press certainly played a part but the pressure of the moment, the crowd and the lack of structure are as much to blame as anything else.

The person most responsible for the turnovers was, well, let’s go to the next “down.”

Life without Zo

Arizona needed overtime to beat Oregon State on Thursday night without Trier and fell apart down the stretch against the Ducks. It goes without saying that Arizona would have been better off with Trier on the floor.

The biggest evidence of this: the play of Dylan Smith.

Smith got the start in place of Trier and it’s important to mention that Smith did hit three triples against Oregon, including a deep one to knot things up at 83 with 15 seconds left in regulation and eventually send the game to OT.

But other than his shooting, Smith was a mess. He turned the ball over six times and it sincerely felt like more. He committed untimely fouls on the wrong guys and that’s when he was able to keep his man in front of him on defense.

Emmanuel Akot got 17 minutes and might be a solid option to start but he doesn’t offer much in the way of offense. Brandon Randolph has been quite inconsistent on both ends for the last couple of months after showing promise in December.

It’s unknown if there has been any progress on making Trier eligible. Frankly, that’s not even close to the top priority for the program at this point. But with him out, there’s a large gaping hole in the starting lineup that is impossible to replace.

The program

There’s a lot that can happen between now and the next time the Wildcats take the floor. Saturday night felt odd – Romar running the show, Trier sitting on the bench, Bill Walton strangely staying on topic because the topic was Sean Miller and Deandre Ayton. The crazy part is Saturday night’s loss to Oregon could end up being the closest thing to normal that Wildcat fans see for quite some time.

Maybe nothing will be decided between now and Thursday, or even now and April. But that’s the thing – nobody knows anything. Chaos reigns supreme now and it could get ugly in Tucson fast.

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Lorenzo Romar discusses Arizona’s loss to Oregon, Sean Miller, Deandre Ayton, and more

Hear what Romar had to say after the Wildcats lost a tough one in Eugene

The Arizona Wildcats were coached by Lorenzo Romar on Saturday at Oregon as Sean Miller’s status continues to be in limbo after an ESPN report said the FBI has wiretaps of him discussing a $100,000 payment to secure the signing of star freshman Deandre Ayton.

Miller and Arizona decided it was best that he sit out Saturday’s game. Meanwhile, Ayton was ruled eligible by the UA and played. His family released a statement before the game denying that he was involved in any illegal activities.

Ayton was booed loudly by the pro-Oregon crowd, but clearly wasn’t fazed by it, as he posted 28 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks in Arizona’s 98-93 loss.

Romar spoke to the media afterward, and said Miller and UA athletic director Dave Heeke informed him earlier Saturday that he would be coaching against the Ducks.

Here is the transcript of Romar’s presser (the video can be found below). Unsurprisingly, not much was said.

Opening statement:

“It was a heck of a game. The number 42 really sticks out in my mind. 20 points off of turnovers. 22 points second chance. That was the game. (Oregon) did a really good job of applying pressure, picking us up full court and getting us to turn the ball over in one period of the game. I thought it changed the complexion of the game. I give them a lot of credit of that.

“But our inability to keep them off the backboards really hurt us. I thought we did a decent job of defending and they’d get the ball back and then they’d score. I was really proud of our guys, how we came out, the focus that we had. It was really good to see, but we didn’t finish the game.”

Q. When you addressed the team pre-game, it’s a weird situation, what did you say to them?

Romar: “Coach Miller talked to his team. We talked to the team about the game, and it’s just a situation that was tough. If our leader isn’t out there with us, I don’t think we’ve gone out and done anything without him being there, his presence, so it’s tough. But again I thought our guys were phenomenal in how we came out and began that game.”

Q. How do you think Deandre has handled the last 24 hours?

Romar: “He’s getting through it. You look at his play tonight, it seemed like he handled it pretty well.”

Q. What do you think that’s like for such a young guy to be at the center of all of this?

Romar: “Do you remember when you were 19? It’s not easy. It’s not easy for anyone. But again, I thought he did a great job and handled it in a very mature fashion.”

Q. How has he been able to do that?

Romar: “Deandre has a mother than is a rock. She is a rock, and she does a great job of encouraging him, motivating him, and keeping him grounded.”

Q. Do you expect to be the coach for the rest of season?

Romar: “I don’t know I can’t answer that. ... And when I say I can’t answer that it’s because I don’t know.”

Q. When do you expect to have some clarity?

Romar: “I don’t know. ... We have to wait and see what happens. We dealt with this the way we dealt with it tonight, and then we’ll move on and see what happens”

Q. Knowing the program, what do you think is best for everyone right now?

Romar: “I don’t know if I’ll comment on that. I’ll just leave that alone.”

Q. (the question was cut out, but it was probably about how the team handled the situation)

Romar: “First of all tonight, I thought we blocked it out pretty good. So I thought we got a start on it, and we did a pretty good job of that. We just have to continue to persevere and wait and see what’s going to happen tomorrow and the next day, and we’ll tackle it then.

Q. Do you think Deandre got fatigued down the stretch?

Romar: “He probably did. He was playing so well. We didn’t really do a good job getting him the ball the last 10 minutes. He played a lot. 44 minutes. So definitely I’m sure he wore down down the stretch.

Q. There’s a lot of people around the country throwing arrows at your program right now. Even at you because you were involved at the University of Washington with Markelle Fultz. What do you say to all the critics who wonder what’s going on in college basketball, specifically at Arizona?

Romar: “I would have a whole lot to say, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to talk about that right now.”

Q. (the question was cut out, but it was probably something about how the players were able to deal with a situation like this)

Romar: “It’s difficult, but kids are pretty resilient at this age. I also think Coach Miller has done a phenomenal job of keeping things together. Just bringing it at a high level everyday, keeping guys focused and I think that has a lot to do with it.”

Q. When Rawle got (called for a technical foul), did you think that was emotion from the whole day ... or just a dumb decision?

Romar: “I can’t say. I’m not going to call it a dumb decision, but guys compete. It was a hard-fought game. Everyone was competing in there and sometimes those things happen that way. And I’m sure he’d like to take it back if he could, but sometimes those things happen when you’re competing at a high level like that. He was playing very hard tonight.”

Q. What is the worst part of all this for you personally?

Romar: “I don’t know the answer to that. I see this as, I am part of a group, I’m part of a team. And when you’re in the foxhole, you’re trying to figure out how to win. You don’t have time to sit back for self-reflection, how it’s affecting you, and all that. We’re just trying to tackle each day and stay with it.”

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Arizona vs. Oregon game thread/how to watch

Come chat with us about Arizona basketball

The 14th-ranked Arizona Wildcats take on the Oregon Ducks on Saturday in Eugene.

Arizona (22-6, 12-3 Pac-12) has won three straight, and a win over the Ducks would clinch a share of the Pac-12 title. It would also make Dusan Ristic UA’s all-time winningest player. The senior has accounted for 110 wins in four seasons at Arizona.

The Wildcats will be coached by Lorenzo Romar. Allonzo Trier is out after failing a drug test.

For more on all that is surrounding Arizona, go to our Arizona basketball section.

Here’s how you can tune in, and we will be chatting about the game in the comment section below. Join us!

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How to watch

Game time: 8:15 p.m. MST

TV channel: ESPN

Live stream: WatchESPN

Announcers: Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Bill Walton (analyst)

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How to listen

Online radio stream: Arizona IMG Sports Network

Satellite radio: Sirius 126, XM 198

Local Tucson radio: 1290 AM and 107.5 FM

Phoenix radio: KGME 910 AM

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As always, be sure to follow us on Twitter at @AZDesertSwarm and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AZDesertSwarm

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ESPN announcer says Arizona relieves Sean Miller of his duties, takes it back

This was weird

During the ASU/Oregon State game, ESPN play-by-play guy Steve Quis went on-air saying that the Arizona Wildcats had relieved Sean Miller of his duties.

“We have breaking news from Arizona,” Quis said. “Sean Miller has been relieved of his duties at The University of Arizona. It almost renders you breathless, huh?”

Analyst Adrian Branch chimed in with a “wow” in there too.

ESPN reporting Sean Miller is out at Arizona. #12Sports pic.twitter.com/V7DuBnjQg1

— Cameron Cox (@CamCox12) February 25, 2018

Well, the game went to the studio for the halftime show and there was no further mention of it, and there was no word on social media.

So when the broadcast went back to the guys calling the game, Quis had some explaining to do.

“We had an inadvertent report and we apologize for saying that Sean Miller has been fired. That was an inadvertent report from the press row here at Oregon State earlier tonight so we regret that information passed along.”

ESPN just reported it was inadvertent. What a bunch of ------!!! Why do that?!?!?! pic.twitter.com/akDgOGyKhP

— Saul Bookman (@Saul_Bookman) February 25, 2018

The university has since released a statement saying that the information broadcast during the game was incorrect and Miller has not been fired.

Miller will not be coaching the team on Saturday night when they face the Oregon Ducks, but did have this to say earlier Saturday:

“I believe it is in the best interest of our team that I not coach the game tonight. I continue to fully support the University’s efforts to fully investigate this matter and am confident that I will be vindicated. For now, my thoughts are with our team. They are a great group of young men that will support each other and continue their pursuit of winning a Pac-12 championship.”

The Arizona Board of Regents held an emergency session on Saturday and had this to say afterwards:

“The Arizona Board of Regents is very concerned by the media reports regarding allegations against the University of Arizona Men’s Basketball. The board met in emergency executive session today to receive legal advice regarding the issue and plans to reconvene for updates and legal advice in the coming days.

The board holds the highest expectations for a culture of excellence in our intercollegiate athletic programs. Leadership, integrity and honor are core values to advance success and to support our student athletes. These premiums must not be compromised.

The board is confident UA President Robbins will uphold UA’s commitment to its core values and the UA family. Equally, the board is committed to acting in the best interest of our universities.

This is an emotionally charged issue but it is essential that we move forward decisively and based on facts. We must do everything we can to ensure that our programs are of the highest caliber as we must also protect the rights of all involved and respect due process for employees.

The board is reviewing its oversight of athletics and has been making reforms to its policies to ensure greater public accountability.

The board is committed to meeting in the next several days as new information becomes available and to receive additional legal advice.”

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