The Arizona Wildcats blew out the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks by a score of 84-49. Tommy Lloyd’s group was a bit sluggish in the latter half of the game as the Jacks were able to turn 17 first-half points into 32 second-half points. Dwayne Aristode tied a freshman record for three point shots made in a game at Arizona with six deep ones. Motiejus Krivas also had an impressive showing in the matchup versus Shane Burcar’s group. Arizona can now safely look ahead to their upcoming matchup with No. 15 UCLA at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Aristode Arrives
Arizona freshman and former 4-star recruit Dwayne Aristode played his best game as a Wildcat so far against NAU. The Netherlands native produced 18 points paired with two rebounds and three assists. His three-point shooting range was on full display in this one as he only attempted one shot from inside the three point arc. Aristode is a player coming into this year that draft analysts have fallen in love with.
His NBA ready frame, deep shooting range, high defensive intelligence and above average athleticism were all reasons for this fawning from experts pre-season. However, as the non-conference schedule has tipped off, some fans have been wondering why Aristode is not having the impact that he was advertised by pundits as having. The reason for this is clear. Aristode needs to warm up and acclimate to the college game.
Aristode missed the entirety of his final season at the high school level due to a lower leg injury. This time away created some rust and if this performance is any indication, it seems like Aristode is nearing the brink of having his “sea legs” back under him so to speak.
Mo’ Krivas, Mo’ Success?
Motiejus Krivas is potentially the player with the most scrutiny on him from Arizona fans this season. With the departure of impact power forward Henri Veesaar to North Carolina in the summer, Krivas became the focus of harsh criticisms about his game in comparison to Veesaar’s. Despite rumors saying that Lloyd did not have to choose between the two bigs and that Veesaar was set on leaving in the summer, fans still focus on Krivas.
For all his flaws, he’s an impactful player no matter which way you cut the apple. His size presents problems for opposing players before they even set foot in the paint. Not only does his size allow him to intimidate and affect shooters, but it clearly gives him a unique advantage when blocking shots. Krivas tallied four blocks versus Northern Arizona and showcased some soft touch on the offensive end, scoring 12 points on 5-7 from the field.
Fans will continue to be focused on Krivas and what they dislike about his game, but with this much talent stacked around him he just needs to play well within his role (as he did against Florida).
It should also be noted that Krivas, like Aristode, missed the majority of his most recent season due to a lower leg injury. Krivas playing well despite still acclimating to the new team dynamic around him should be applauded.
Bring On The Bruins
The next game for the Wildcats will send them to California’s Intuit Dome to face off against Mick Cronin and his UCLA Bruins. UCLA is undefeated on the year but have yet to play an opponent of note. The Bruins struggled in their first game versus Eastern Washington, which they won narrowly. UCLA then struggled to win decisively against Pepperdine as well. Cronin was so frustrated with his team that he said he’d fire himself if he had the choice.
The two teams could not have more opposing outlooks as undefeated top-25 teams. Arizona has a win against the defending national champions under their belt, star freshmen and fan favorite veteran players. UCLA has no notable wins, a frustrated coach and a bunch of new pieces that have yet to announce themselves on a national stage.
The matchup appears to heavily favor Arizona, but you never know with this historic rivalry what UCLA team will show up. Last time these two teams met, UCLA came out on top after some poor rebounding and execution from Arizona down the stretch. Arizona was unable to match the rebounding and physicality of Cronin’s team.
That was last time, and Arizona has changed drastically since that game. Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov seem ready for this level and this type of game. Trey Townsend was a big part of Arizona’s down-the-stretch shortcomings last season versus UCLA and he’s been replaced by one of the best freshman the nation in Peat. Anthony Dell’Orso was starting last year for the Wildcats as a player who admits himself that he was not physically ready for the level of play he faced last season, and he’s made strides on and off the court.
College hoops fans are in for a treat this Friday night when the Wildcats take on the Bruins in LA. For more on this matchup, Arizona athletics, and much more, make sure to tune into the AZ Wildcats Podcast with Damon Fairall and Kevin Thomas.
