Game thread: San Diego State Aztecs vs Arizona Wildcats (exhibition)

[u/R3xw00ds]

[u/justaverage]

ESPN+ used the logo for USD for this game

I will never stop dragging ESPN for being absolute dogshit

[u/glen27 → u/justaverage]

lol I just came here to comment that too. Abysmal

[u/bschmalls → u/glen27]

HS level commentary too 

[u/justaverage → u/bschmalls]

Corey Williams slander will not be tolerated!

But honestly, yeah, he’s not great

[u/Cbake987]

Bear Cherry is gonna be a beast if he stays out of foul trouble

[u/justaverage → u/Cbake987]

If I had a nickel for every dude named “Bear” playing a NCAA sport, I’d have like 10 cents. But that’s 10 cents more than I would’ve thought

[u/rsjur → u/Cbake987]

He's doing good so far!

[u/Cbake987 → u/rsjur]

Especially considering Kriivas (sp?) is likely the best big he’ll face all year, I like what I see so far

[u/jabbahdahut → u/Cbake987]

Might already be first team all American in the name category

[u/rsjur]

We are not playing well on the last few minutes. Gotta give Aztecs credit.

[u/Warm-Hamster-1430 → u/rsjur]

Aztecs defense just clamped down hard in that stretch, been watching them frustrate teams like this for years now

[u/rsjur → u/Warm-Hamster-1430]

It's why they belong in the conference of champions.

[u/TraderJake09 → u/Warm-Hamster-1430]

Pack line defense has been an issue for SDSt opponents for years

Go far enough back and the Cats ran it when Sean Miller was head coach

[u/Cbake987]

Man this team is a unique one in the dutcher era. Excited to see how they mesh. Ball movement already looks like a substantial improvement over previous years

[u/PotentialOkay]

Anyone on this board have any insight into RJ Godfrey’s eligibility. I know all the media articles say he is still waiting. I’m just so sick that other Big 12 teams are getting guys back like Lipsey at ISU and others aren’t being granted eligibility all based on the state you filled the suit in. It’s such a load of crap.

[u/ExcaliburX13 → u/PotentialOkay]

It seems like the guys that were prepared and had their lawsuits early (like Godfrey) are just getting fucked over while all the guys that played summer league and/or decided at the last minute to come back are all eligible. The whole situation is fucked all because the NCAA refuses to just let the class of '22 get the same eligibility rule everybody else is getting.

[u/Maxkpop247 → u/PotentialOkay]

I hear u. Just keep in mind that those who aren’t eligible today may be eligible next week and those who are eligible today may be ineligible next week.

[u/PotentialOkay → u/Maxkpop247]

Also I want Lipsey to be able to play. I just don’t want to see teams not get to play their best players because of eligibility. I want good talent on the floor.

[u/Maxkpop247 → u/PotentialOkay]

Im trying to take a pragmatic view. I think everyone would like this to be fair, it’s unfair if some people with the same exact case are eligible for a particular time period and others are not, but although that isn’t fair that’s just the reality of what is happening and what will be happening this season. I’m expecting that many players including probably Tamin and RJ will go from eligible to not eligible to eligible multiple times throughout the season, total chaos, and just bracing for it.

[u/PotentialOkay → u/Maxkpop247]

Super valid point we had two football players that were eligible for a couple weeks and then the judge reversed the stay and are now ineligible. Since the football season is ticking away they are probably done with their football careers all because the NCAA made an arbitrary cut off date for the new 5 for 5 rule.

[u/rsjur → u/PotentialOkay]

He is ineligible according to the courts although the NCAA says he's suspended for four games. So it's extra frustrating.

I'm skeptical he's gonna play this year. The backup play for RJ was the Pima courts but they denied the football players case.

[u/Cbake987]

Is there anywhere carrying live stats for this game?

[u/I_Hate_Humidity → u/Cbake987]

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/mobile/?id=679528

[u/Cbake987 → u/I_Hate_Humidity]

Legend, ty

[u/justaverage]

Ugh. The Monster logo is on the courts, too? What a fucking travesty

[u/kirkismyhinrich → u/justaverage]

Ya dude. Looked fucking horrible on our court too lol

[u/justaverage → u/kirkismyhinrich]

Honestly, I think I’m even more pissed off that it will be on Naismith Court. Should be a law or something saying it’s a national landmark and can’t be defaced.

[u/rsjur → u/justaverage]

I hate it.

[u/bschmalls → u/justaverage]

Looks like shit 

[u/justaverage]

I just wanna say that Viejas is one of the best venues I’ve ever been to, and the fans there were awesome!

[u/hbgwhite]

Been fun to watch so far! Dutcher dialed up a tough OOC schedule. He must feel good about these guys. Bummer Skoric is out - wanted to see what he could do against good competition. It's nice to see some offense out of the Aztecs. Excited to see them in person. Hope Bear can stay on the court in the second half!

[u/Wickdead → u/hbgwhite]

What’s the deal with Skoric? I thought he was certified to join the team

[u/inevitablescape]

No easy buckets mentioned

[u/R3xw00ds → u/inevitablescape]

3 for 17 in the 1st half is actually diabolical

[u/TraderJake09]

Good to see Arizona's ability to grab offense boards didn't exit with Tobe Awaka

The shooting percentages may give them more opportunities then Cats fans would like to see though

[u/JavelinaPR]

Well, ESPN plus did not let me watch the game but 34% shooting and winning by 15 tells me that we're doing something good with our rebounds, free throws, and/or defense, right?

[u/filthysven → u/JavelinaPR]

Defense was good outside of some lapses. Shooting was just missing open looks, including an insane number of layups. Hopefully that gets better once we're in the swing of things. Sdsu largely left guys open or fouled the shit out of them, so lots of points came from the line since we went through long cold stretches otherwise.

[u/Sandwiichh]

This didn’t even feel like an exhibition. San Diego state and Arizona have an unofficial rivalry

[u/inevitablescape]

Cherry looks like another hooper but I can't put my finger on who

[u/TrustInRoy]

How is Dixon playing?

[u/bschmalls]

Ok just run Sy off screens all day, kid it's lights out 

[u/justaverage]

A block party!

[u/BEARDOWNARIZONA]

I prefer the Mayans over the Aztecs, personally.

[u/R3xw00ds]

If they had a better shooting night this would be even more of a blowout but I do have to give it to San Diego State they are a decent defensive team

[u/Surfer5153 → u/R3xw00ds]

That’s always been our thing. We are always going to play tough defense

[u/bschmalls]

It's a scrimmage and the refs are already giving me an aneurysm

[u/rsjur → u/bschmalls]

They are practicing as well!

[u/justaverage → u/rsjur]

They need it more than anyone

[u/Taengoosundies]

Had to know that those turnaround jumpers would stop falling eventually

[u/Cbake987 → u/Taengoosundies]

Yeah living by the midrange is not gonna be a successful formula here I think

[u/bschmalls]

Elzie looks terrible 

[u/Sensitive-Avocado865]

Bear Cherry gonna be special this year

[u/954gator]

How much is home court affecting the game? Saw a bunch of touch fouls go against SDS in that last few minutes. I get that Sdst plays very physical on D, but so does Zona IMO. It been like that all game?

[u/inevitablescape → u/954gator]

First few minutes there was no fouls called so maybe refs were trying to call them late to rein in the physicality

[u/954gator → u/inevitablescape]

It is what it is. I went and looked up the stats and it was a 16-1 ft disparity when I checked. Meh it just a scrimmage, but that sort of stuff just grinds my gears I guess.

[u/Regular-Hawk2021 → u/954gator]

Some teams draw more fouls... Florida absolutely took advantage of this too

[u/954gator → u/Regular-Hawk2021]

You think it's been called evenly? Honestly, Florida is not a team that gets a very nice whistle historically which I actually appreciate. 164th in the nation at opponent ft per offensive play. We get fouled but also get called for a lot of fouls.

Krivas been getting away with a lot tonight IMO.

[u/ExcaliburX13 → u/954gator]

It's been a VERY physical game. SDSU has been getting away with a lot, too, because that's just how it's been called.

[u/Azzztecs → u/ExcaliburX13]

Eh you guys got more calls then we did.
AZ was the better team, but call it what it is.

[u/954gator → u/ExcaliburX13]

It felt like watching a Duke home game personally, but it doesn't matter Arizona is a very strong team. Just wish they'd have called it a bit more even. They'll call a bunch for SDst toward the end, but as a neutral it didn't look evenly officiated for the majority of the game to my eyes. It's not like its any of y'all's fault.

[u/ExcaliburX13 → u/954gator]

A Duke home game? C'mon, dude. They let a lot go, but it was absolutely both ways. Krivas, Kharchenkov, and Holt took a ton of contact that wasn't called. Was it perfectly even? Probably not, because college refs, as always, are ass, but it was reasonably officiated.

[u/954gator → u/ExcaliburX13]

Listen it was just my opinion, and I actually really like Zona. Easily one of my favorite teams outside of Florida. I also think Krivas is an excellent big, in fact I'd probably pick him over any single big in the nation. I personally just thought the game was called very one sided from when I started watching mid/late first half until the last 4-5 minutes when the game was already a bit out of hand. I thought refs didn't really allow SDSU to battle for any sort of position with Krivas, and on D Krivas was able to be very physical. I'm mostly just talking about body contact/positioning. The calls would have been fine if they were also calling Zona for it equally.

I've been posting stuff like this in game threads as a neutral lately bc I feel like I have to mention it. I fear for the sport now since the top teams have so many more advantages now, that we can't also let officials pile on too. One of the games I thought Florida got a crazy strong whistle last year was vs Arkansas, ask an Arkansas fan how they felt that game. It happens to everyone, but that doesn't make it ok either.

I'll also say this, with the way SDSU came out with that energy and some of the incredibly tough shots they were hitting they would have been giving Florida all they could handle too. Zona's best players missed a lot of shots and they still won comfortably, so again this isn't a shot at Zona...it's a shot at these officials. They have to start getting better.

[u/Surfer5153 → u/954gator]

SDSU*