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Transcript: Q&A with Bruce Pascoe on UA basketball

Here's the transcript of today's live Q&A chat with the Star's basketball beat writer, Bruce Pascoe.

Welcome to today's live chat on UA basketball. Bruce Pascoe will begun answering your questions at noon. If you've already submitted a question, you don't have to submit it again - the questions don't become visible until Bruce is ready to answer them.

by John Bolton, StarNet night... 12/31/2012 6:27:47 PM
Hi everyone. Thanks for joining. Feel free to jump in with questions. We'll get going at noon.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 6:58:14 PM
FWIW, just saw AP Top 25 flash across wire. Still 1 Duke, 2 Michigan, 3 Arizona.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:01:10 PM
Do you see Gabe Yorks minutes increasing this season. Seems like a natural shooter that could come off the bench for instant offense.

by Keo Matthews 12/31/2012 7:03:46 PM
Probably not.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:03:58 PM
I think York's minutes may be limited to when there is foul trouble or injuries to the backcourt, or against teams where UA is winning comfortably with four minutes or less remaining. He is a well-regarded player -- and definitely a good offensive talent who is improving defensively -- but there is too big a gap between him and the three guards ahead of him.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:05:18 PM
Seems like Tarczewski is a big tough kid who can change the game inside the paint defensively. Does he have a go to move offensively. Seems to score more when cleaning up the boards but when the ball is forced down to him he has issues catching the ball. Still really glad he's a Wildcat.

by Keo Matthews 12/31/2012 7:05:27 PM
Agreed. His best move seems to be the hook (or dunk, of course). For a freshman big guy, he's actually pretty smooth with the ball. I've thought more of the problem is that his teammates sometimes just don't get him the ball enough.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:06:57 PM
Bruce, give a prediction on what AZ's conference record will be this year. Even with the lightest conference SOS, i think there are still 2-3 losses in there somewhere. i'll say 15-3.

by Fern Dog 12/31/2012 7:07:08 PM
I think 15-3 is a good guess but i'll be conservative and say 14-4 because (and not to jinx anybody) but this team has been unusually free of injuries, foul trouble and other issues and that often doesn't last an entire season (though it did in 2008-09). This team should have a good chance to run the table at home but all road games (especially OSU, Oregon, UCLA and Colorado) may be dangerous.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:09:02 PM
Am i getting too far ahead of myself by hoping for a #1 seed in March?

by Fern Dog 12/31/2012 7:09:07 PM
Yeah maybe. But 1-4 will work just about the same. the real key is that UA wins the Pac-12 and gets the top western seed. then the path to the Final Four goes through either Salt Lake or San Jose for the first weekend, and LA for the second -- all in Pac-12 country. That can make a big difference getting to the final four.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:10:47 PM
Hi Bruce: Overall, how do you compare the Pac12 to our OOC? Harder, or about the same?

by psiclist 12/31/2012 7:10:53 PM
Harder. There are a ton of RPI 50-100 teams in the Pac-12 this season and very few on the OOC (out of conference schedule), plus more road games instead of two road games on the OOC that were against inferior teams.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:11:59 PM
Will York get more playing time in the conference games?

by Kevin 12/31/2012 7:12:03 PM
Kind of discussed this already but i don't think so unless he makes a big jump in practice -- and it's not because they don't like him. Miller just wants to maximize his chance at winning and the gap is big between the others and York.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:12:56 PM
Who is the MVP of the non-con season for Arizona

by josh 12/31/2012 7:13:04 PM
Great question. This is a team that will be hurt for every individual award because it has so many valuable contributors (witness the fact that it still has not received a Pac-12 Player of the Week award). You could argue either Nick Johnson (most consistent overall, great defense), Solomon Hill (box score filler, leader) or Mark Lyons (clutch player who scores when needed the most)

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:14:53 PM
Behind Arizona how would you rate the teams 2-12

by Ted 12/31/2012 7:15:11 PM
I still think UCLA is the No. 2 team because of its talent, and the fact that they are getting better quickly after so many chemistry issues earlier in the season. Colorado and Oregon have been probably the next impressive. Stanford and Cal are both good also. Washington is still going to be tough at home but after that it's really a close call with USC being probably the most disappointing team because of its talent.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:18:04 PM
Sounds like York is here to stay...for now

by Ato 12/31/2012 7:18:10 PM
that's the impression i've gotten. I get the feeling he'll give it at least a year and a half or two years.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:18:42 PM
What do you in n. Johnson's future for next year?

by Joe 12/31/2012 7:19:35 PM
joe -- not clear if you are asking if Johnson will return? if so, it's too early in the season to tell but, as good as he's been, he still has a lot to prove as an undersized two or a under-experienced one. so i'd think he'd be back but again it's too early.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:21:03 PM
Any recruiting updates? I saw Rooks J wearing an Arizona hat at a recent game.

by Ato 12/31/2012 7:21:17 PM
They are keeping an eye on each other -- Rooks and the staff. That one won't be determined for a while unless he goes elsewhere. I had heard he was leaning strongly toward Washington but that appears not to be the case.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:22:04 PM
What teams are going to challenge the Cats for the Pac-12 crown?

by TNT 12/31/2012 7:22:12 PM
UCLA, Colorado, Oregon IMHO but Cal and Stanford have the ability to if they get it going.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:23:08 PM
Does Parrom remind you of Terry coming of the bench as the 6th man?

by Kevin 12/31/2012 7:23:15 PM
Somewhat. Much different players but their value and attitude are very similar. Also Parrom is a senior and Terry was more of a star as a senior but we all know that Parrom's progression was delayed.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:24:37 PM
What is happening at USC? I was thinking that K.O. was going to build an ugly but hard to beat team by now.

by Ato 12/31/2012 7:24:47 PM
I think everyone is wondering the same thing with USC. Sounds to me like big chemistry issues. KO has talent but it isn't always easy to mesh a lot of new guys together no matter how talented they are.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:25:37 PM
Where do you really feel the Cats are in the top 25 scale?

by arizcat41 12/31/2012 7:25:44 PM
It's really hard to say because their schedule was weak until Dec. 15. I'd say 5-8 range is probably more accurate. They are 8 in Sagarin, which are a pretty good indicator.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:29:19 PM
Can you remember a Wildcat player with worse hands than Chol?

by bayareacatsfan 12/31/2012 7:30:06 PM
Well....lots of them have had issues like that in recent years. In fairness to Chol, that has always been his weakest point and he's still relatively new to the game, though his defense has also been a concern lately.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:32:39 PM
Do you think that York and Chol should have had a few more minutes in case of injury?

by Last Man Standing 12/31/2012 7:32:49 PM
That's a good philosophical question. I do think a few more good real minutes would help their confidence and some other coaches may have done that. But Miller's philosophy has always been to really tighten up the rotation by mid-December and play the guys who will help you win. Considering that all games count equally now toward NCAA tournament consideration it's hard to argue that point. In the days when the late season games counted more, maybe you could afford an early loss at the expense of development.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:34:59 PM
It appears Mayes is struggling this season. Is this the case or is it just everyone around him is much better?

by Ato 12/31/2012 7:35:08 PM
I think it's a little of both, and lack of playing time can erode confidence, so you get sort of a downward spiral. It is something to watch because they need Mayes playing well for a number of reasons.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:36:08 PM
Warren Nolan predicts UA at 28-2 at the end of conference play. Is that too optomistic?

by Last Man Standing 12/31/2012 7:36:19 PM
Well, if you are looking at them doing exactly as they are predicted to for each game it's not. You figure UA may only be an underdog at UCLA at this point. But I still think 3 or 4 losses are very possible. As much as UA likes to play on the road, it's just really, really tough (you may recall that a so-so USC team beat the 1997-98 team in LA even) and this season, as much as ever, teams and their fans are going to be wired for the games when they play UA.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:38:49 PM
Bruce, Am I the only one that doesn't see Solo with rose-colored glasses?? He can contribute across all of the stats but as a senior, his offensive game is out of control with his dribbling, crashing into defenders and forcing 3's. I really would like him to spend more time as a 4 and have Parrom continue getting more minutes. Your thoughts??

by AZ2FLA 12/31/2012 7:39:19 PM
that's a trend to watch. So far though Miller has been very against playing Hill at 4 but you could argue he was more effective there, creating mismatches, etc. Hill has had some decision-making problems and I think if anything its a result of wanting to do too much and forcing the issue. Maybe Hill at 4 and Parrom at 3 is more of a possibility but not if the big guys are effective. He's got 3 future NBA players at 4-5 so it's hard to kick them onto the bench, also.

by Bruce Pascoe 12/31/2012 7:42:16 PM
I understtod that Coach Miller was going to seek a medical red shirt season for Kevin Parrom, is that still a possibility?

by Robert 12/31/2012 7:42:23 PM

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Transcript: Q&A with Bruce Pascoe on UA basketball

Here's the transcript of today's live Q&A chat with the Star's basketball beat writer, Bruce Pascoe.

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Transcript: Q&A with Bruce Pascoe on UA basketball

Here's the transcript of today's live Q&A chat with the Star's basketball beat writer, Bruce Pascoe.

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