LIVE BLOG: Wildcats versus Trojans

TUCSON -- Hello and welcome to yet another Wildcat Live Blog. Tonight, Arizona (16-8, 6-5 Pac-10) looks to build on its current five-game winning streak as it hosts the athletic USC Trojans (15-7, 6-4).

It’s not too early in the season to say this game has massive NCAA tournament implications. The winner here has a huge leg up in the race to claim one of those 65 tourney berths.

USC is the type of team with enough talent to beat anyone in the nation, but with enough youth an inconsistency to lose to anyone. Suffice to say every USC game this season hasn’t always been pretty, but it’s always been interesting.

LAST TIME: No Wildcat will soon forget the wild 65-64 loss in Los Angeles on Jan. 17. Just when you thought Jamelle Horne would never commit another bone-headed last-second foul 40 feet from the hoop in a tie game after the UAB debacle, he went and did it again against the Trojans. Daniel Hackett hit the free throw, and that was that.

Prior to that play, Nic Wise drew one of the most bogus technical fouls in Pac-10 history. Lewis stood defiantly over Wise near the sideline after the UA point guard lost his footing. As Wise looked to the official, seemingly saying “Hey, get this guy off me!” or something to that effect, Wise simply stood up. Hackett fell over, and the official whistled Wise for a tech, resulting in a four-point swing that changed the momentum for good.

This loss seemed to hurt interim head coach Russ Pennell more than any other this season. He constantly praises his team for how well it played against USC and often cites that contest as the turning point for the UA season.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: USC is as gifted athletically as any team in the conference. DeMar DeRozan has the physical gifts of an elite NBA shooting guard and Taj Gibson is among the most physically powerful interior players in the nation.

Hackett and Dwight Lewis are blindingly quick and everyone on this roster seems to be able to jump out of the gym -- DeRozan in particular. The Trojans rebound very well and really hurt UA on the offensive glass last time around.

However, this team struggles with bouts of sloppy play from time to time. They will turn the ball over and they will miss shots. USC is shooting a meager 31 percent from three-point range.

Arizona will need to capitalize on those miscues to capture its sixth straight win.

The Trojans are also known as a terrific defensive squad. Head coach Tim Floyd will toss out plenty of gimmicky looks to fluster an offense, whether it’s box-and-one, triangle-and-two, match-up zones, full-court presses, or something he invented on his chalkboard. USC plays mainly man-to-man against UA the first time out. It will be interesting to see how the Trojans attack the Wildcats tonight.

Another x-factor could be burly freshman Leonard Washington. He missed five games due to injury -- including the UA game. But this guy will be a serious factor against Jordan Hill and on the glass if he’s ready to go tonight.

As for the Wildcats, they will need Jordan Hill to stay out of foul trouble battling Gibson. They can’t afford to lose Hill, even for a few minutes, due to foul trouble.

Chase Budinger has been Mr. Everything for Arizona during this five-game winning streak. Hill even said he’s playing like his freshman year -- yes, the same season when Budinger took home Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors and looked like a sure top-10 pick.

19:37 REMAINING: Budinger takes it hard to the hoop, sweeping across the middle

19:24: An early UA press forces a USC turnover. Lewis and Hackett are both turnover prone.

19:07: Wise pulls the trigger on a gorgeous three-pointer. 5-0 Wildcats and it’s already rocking here at McKale. When Wise has that moon-ball of his going, there isn’t a prettier shot in the Pac-10.

18:41: After another USC turnover, Floyd angrily burns a timeout. USC looks dreadful right now.

18:07: Kyle Fogg sticks a tough pull-up jumper in the lane. It’s 7-0 already.

17:50: DeRozan breaks USC’s scoreless streak with a funky leaner in the lane.

17:30: Another high-arching shot from Wise, this time from inside the arc. You can tell right away with Wise, whether he’s on or not. He’s on tonight.

16:59: DeRozan sneaks backdoor for another hoop. He was awfully over-hyped coming into USC, with some scouts calling him the next Vince Carter. Now that the hype has worn off, DeRozan finally looks comfortable in his own skin. His jumper still needs work, though.

16:32: Hill told us in the weekly press conference that he was too quick for Gibson. He was right. He blows by Gibson on the baseline and draws a blocking foul. On the ensuing inbounds play, Hill beats Gibson to the block and draws a second foul. Hill hits one of the two freebies.

16:20: There’s the famous USC athleticism. Hackett goes baseline to baseline in less than three seconds and explodes for a jaw-dropping slam. Wow.

16:03: Another rainbow from Wise. That three had a hang time of roughly 15 seconds. OK, maybe not, but it sure seemed like it.

15:48: Fogg flusters Hackett into another turnover, leading to a Budinger three. It’s 16-6 Wildcats and the fans are on their feet. These guys can’t miss!

15:20: DeRozan is attempting to keep this from becoming a blowout. He sticks a baseline jumper to temporarily quet the crowd.

15:16: Wise hit’s a couple free throws after the media timeout for an 18-8 advantage. A few smart alecks in the student section try to get the “We have more than twice your score” chant going

14:33: Everyone is getting in on the act. Zane Johnson found himself standing all alone in the corner, where he could make himself a sandwich, eat it, and still bury that three without a USC player getting a hand in his face.

14:03: Johnson with another! It’s pandemonium at McKale! 24-8 Arizona. This is, without question, the best Arizona has looked all season. There’s no way they keep up this level, is there?

13:29: Jeez, without DeRozan, this would be a total blowout. He gets another tough one in the lane to go. He has eight of USC’s 10 points.

13:06: Hill commits UA’s first miscue with a bad pass out of bounds. It only took seven minutes for Floyd’s vaunted defense to force a UA mistake.

12:43: DeRozan with a baseline jumper. That was always the knock on him -- his jumper. If he consistently hits that 17-footer, watch out.

12:11: DeRozan skies for an offensive board and draws an iffy foul call. Can’t knock the effort, though. He’s playing his heart out right now.

12:08: Hill jumps high for that missed free throw and lands VERY awkwardly. He’s not getting up. Associate head coach Mike Dunlap goes out there to help Hill to his feet, who looks to have tweaked his back or something. Alex Jacobson will attempt to hold down the fort until Hill returns. It’s 24-13 right now.

11:45: Sensing that the momentum had dipped, Budinger confidently knocks down a three from the wing. He’s finally put it all together.

11:15: USC attempts to exploit Hill’s absence by going into Gibson. He misses the short turnaround, but DeRozan sticks the put-back. DeRozan has accounted for 13 of USC’s 15 points thus far.

10:58: He’s baaaaack. Hill jogs over to the scorer’s table and checks back in, much to the delight of the UA crowd.

10:40: From the post-up, Budinger surveys the floor and finds Fogg for another open three. It’s 30-15 Wildcats, who are shooting 10-11 from the field. It’s unreal!

9:32: The bucket must be 10 feet wide tonight. Budinger finds an open Wise on the wing, who pump-fakes his defender in the air and drills another long-range bomb.

9:16: Wow, someone other than DeRozan hit’s a shot for the Trojans. Lewis buries that three to cut UA‘s lead to 15.

9:00: Budinger grabs an offensive rebound off the Hill miss, but whiffs on perhaps the easiest shot UA has had all night. Oh, well. Budinger is having an excellent all-around game tonight and is displaying a level of court vision rare in college hoops.

8:20: Hackett nails a three of his own. USC looks to have weathered the storm. The lead is down to a dozen.

7:46: Media timeout. DeRozan’s spectacular play early on seems to have kept the rest of his team’s head above water. Now that the other Trojans have finally figured out that there’s a basketball game tonight, they might be poised for a run of their own.

7:25: Lewis explodes to the basket and draws a Budinger foul -- only the third for UA so far.

7:05: Gotta love Pac-10 officials. Budinger makes a terrific back-cut to get the ball on the block, only the official furthest from the play whistles him for traveling. The official with a clear look at the play didn’t whistle anything. Of course, the officials repay the favor by whistling Gibson for a walk of his own.

6:21: Gibson shoves Hill a good three feet on that play, leading Wise to throw it out of bounds. No call, Trojan ball. The hits just keep on coming.

5:58: Gibson tips the ball five feet in the air and it somehow drops through. Unreal. By the way, it’s only a nine-point lead now.

5:39: Fogg, Mr. Big Play himself, gets a tough shot in the lane to drop through.

5:01: Hill panics when the double-team comes, leading to an ill-advised pass and a turnover. Jamelle Horne volleyball spikes the lay-up attempt.

4:50: Hackett drills a three to keep USC in this game.

4:31: Budinger answers with a really tough one-handed floater in the lane.

4:16: Here’s that intense, fiery Budinger we saw in Oregon. He gets a great break on that pass and nearly makes the steal before Marcus Simmons takes him down. It should’ve been a two-shots-and-the-ball foul, since Budinger had an unobstructed path to the hoop, but whatever.

3:55: Media timeout. DeRozan hasn’t scored in a while, but everyone else is chipping in. Hackett has a couple threes and the rest of the Trojans are starting to get really physical with the Wildcats. Wise tacks on a couple freebies after the break to push the UA lead to 39-27.

3:20: Shot-clock violation, USC. That’s always the most satisfying thing for a coach to hear. Just a terrific defensive set from UA.

2:34: Hackett buries yet another three. Might want to guard that guy, huh?

2:14: Hill executes a perfect slip cut and Budinger delivers the pass right on the money. He appeared to have an easy layup, but Washington hacks him hard across the arm. Hill sticks both freebies to push the lead back to 11.

1:55: Washington bullies his way into the lane for a hard-earned bucket. That kid is a load.

1:13: Hill pokes the entry pass away from Gibson, but gets called for a REALLY ticky-tack reach-in foul. In a game this physical, you just can’t make that call. Ugh.

1:05: Well, that was way too easy. Washington finds himself all alone in the lane for an uncontested dunk. Despite Arizona’s unbelievable start, it’s only a six-point lead. Since starting the game 10-11, Arizona is only 2-10 since then.

0:21: Hackett leaves that three short, but out-hustles Johnson to the rebound.

0:01: Wise misses that three, but Johnson commits a turnover after grabbing the rebound. DeRozan sprints out ahead to try to get a shot off before halftime, but Wise pokes the ball away. The officials whistle another inexplicable foul (it was all ball), giving DeRozan two free throws and closing the gap to three, 41-38. That was a 9-2 run to close the half, if you’re scoring at home.

HALFTIME: If I told you Arizona would hit eight threes, shoot 60 percent from the floor and 88 percent from the line, you’d expect the Wildcats to hold a double-digit lead, right?

So how are the Trojans only trailing by three?

Well, the Wildcats simply stopped attacking after that red-hot start. Clearly, a team won’t be making 10-11 for the entire game, so the aggression and intensity needs to remain constant. In addition, USC wasn’t going to play that poorly the entire half. DeRozan carried his team during the UA onslaught, but the rest of the Trojans showed up for the last eight minutes and closed the gap -- especially Hackett, USC‘s main threat from beyond the arc.

USC owns a 15-9 rebounding advantage -- a point of emphasis for Pennell before this game. Gibson might not have the biggest stats right now (three points, three rebounds), but he’s definitely getting the better of Hill, who went that entire first half without a made field goal.

If that weird play where Hill came down awkwardly means UA can’t count on him to score or rebound, it’s going to be a long second half. But if Hill comes out like gangbusters after intermission, Arizona could embark on another run.

After all, the Wildcats have been a second-half team all year, right? Who’s to say they can’t open up with another stretch of inspired play to start this new half? And Budinger looks fantastic, yet again -- especially from a playmaking perspective. His court vision has jumped a level from the start of the season.

Of course, with these delightful Pac-10 officials, there’s no telling what will happen. Say what you will about these guys, but they keep every game interesting, to say the least. You’ll never see a more creative interpretation of the rulebook.

19:40 REMAINING: Hackett starts off the scoring with a physical take to the hoop and a lay-up. It’s down to one.

18:40: Lewis cans that three to give USC its first lead of the game, 43-41. It’s officially tense in here.

18:17: Lewis buries another three, even though his foot was a good six inches over the line. 46-41 Trojans, time out.

18:02: Wow, Arizona needed that one. Budinger sticks a three from the wing to give UA its first second-half points.

17:36: Gibson makes a nifty pivot move (almost a travel, but no call) and drops in a soft jump hook. He’s very impressive to watch in person.

16:52: DeRozan traveled AND stepped out of bounds on that play (confirmed by two replays), but the official says DeRozan threw it off Wise so USC could retain possession. That was a hilariously bad call.

16:36: Hill takes a charge, no call. But the refs do pull out their whistles to call DeRozan for a really weak loose-ball foul. Watch enough Pac-10 officiating and you’ll want to pull your hair out.

16:14: Finally, a Wildcat takes it hard to the basket! Wise knifes his way through the defense to draw the foul on Washington.

15:47: DeRozan with a REALLY rare three -- only his second make of the year out of 19 attempts. It’s been that kind of night for DeRozan.

15:09: Washington takes it right at Hill and lays it in. Just like that, it’s an eight-point USC lead.

14:53: Almost right on cue, Fogg nails a clutch three from the deep wing, right as the game seemed to be slipping away.

14:30: Lewis answers with his own three, pushing the lead back to eight.

14:03: Budinger posts up Hackett and draws a chintzy foul. These refs aren’t even biased; they’re just comically inept. This has been one of the most physical games UA has participated in this season, and that’s the kind of thing that draws a foul call?

14:01: Hill blows by Gibson on that inbounds play for a lay-up. It only took 26 minutes, but Hill has his first made shot attempt.

13:22: Hill attempts to jump stop, but slides his feet for another traveling call. He’s noticeably frustrated.

13:00: Well, at least they got that one right. Hackett shoves Budinger to create a little space, but the official is right there and calls Hackett for the push-off.

12:48: Hill gets caught on the perimeter trying to set a screen. He sticks out that knee and draws an illegal pick call. Not a popular call, but the right one. Wow, two good calls in a row. Nice.

12:35: Gibson bulls his way toward the hoop for an easy lay-up.

12:20: Budinger answers with a lay-up of his own. He’s going to need to take over if Arizona hopes to regain this lead.

12:00: Hackett pulls the trigger on an open three. I’ll let the student section narrate this part: “AIR-BALLL! AIR-BALLL!”

11:52: Kyle Fogg! This crowd just loves that kid. He buries a three to cut USC’s lead to 58-55. As Fogg goes, so goes UA.

11:32: Turnover, USC! The crowd is back into it, finally.

11:20: Hill converts an impossible tip-in over Gibson. It’s on now!

10:52: Hill swats Washington’s shot back, but Lewis drills that three from the top of the key to quiet the crowd.

10:33: Budinger answers with a contested lay-up. UA down two.

10:15: USC botches that inbounds play. There’s that inexperience creeping in.

9:54: Hill takes the ball hard to the hoop and draws an iffy call on Keith Wilkinson. Nothing but net on those two free throws. Tie game, and the crowd is standing.

9:41: DeRozan -- who has been noticeably quiet this half -- takes it hard to the bucket, but Hill steps in and takes the charge. Wow, it is LOUD in here!

9:28: USC has been whistled for at least four kicked balls. This isn’t soccer, boys.

9:26: Budinger calmly buries a mid-range baseline jumper to give UA the lead, once again, 63-61.

8:51: Budinger tears down that rebound and delivers a picture-perfect fast-break pass to Hill, who slams it home (with authority, to boot) and draws the foul. Budinger saunters toward midcourt to soak in the moment. Hill nails the freebie to put UA up by five. What a ballgame!

8:32: USC isn’t going anywhere. Lewis knocks down a clutch three to stop the bleeding.

8:03: DeRozan has a really strange shooting stroke, but it’s working for him tonight. He gets those two free throws to tie the game at 66.

7:02: Offensive rebounding. Those two words are keeping USC in this game. Gibson gets another putback to put USC up by a pair.

6:17: Media timeout. Now for the most popular running tradition at McKale Center. We’ve got Mr. Wildcat out there -- the older gentleman dressed all in red who gets the crowd fired up with his A-R-I-Z-O-N-A chant from center court. U OF A! U OF A! This never fails to pump up the volume.

6:10: Lewis sticks a tough 16-footer coming off a screen. Nice play.

5:36: Wise takes it all the way to the hoop for a twisting lay-up. We’ve got quite a game on our hands, folks.

4:56: Wise with another funky lay-up to tie the game at 70. Nobody hits more off-kilter shots for the Wildcats than Nic Wise.

4:28: Hackett gets the favorable roll on that reverse lay-up. That must’ve bounced on the rim at least three times before dropping through.

3:38: Hackett buries another mid-range jumper, but promptly commits his fourth foul on Budinger’s aggressive take to the hoop.

3:31: Media timeout. If Arizona ends up losing this, it will be because USC dominated the boards. The Trojans own a 27-16 rebounding advantage right now. Hill has only four. In other news, Budinger calmly buries two freebies. It’s 74-72 USC.

3:20: Wise with a nifty steal and lay-up to tie the game at 74. He’s wreaking havoc out there.

2:40: After many chances for USC, the ball gets tipped roughly a half-dozen times before DeRozan knocks it out of bounds. Wildcat ball, with a chance to take the lead.

2:10: Budinger gets the ball on the wing, isolated on DeRozan. Budinger takes advantage and forces the freshman to foul him. He gets another two at the line and the Wildcats lead 76-74.

1:40: Hill pulls down a monster rebound in traffic, but Fogg makes a mistake by dribbling the ball into traffic and committing a turnover.

1:07: Hackett takes a good three steps through the lane, gets the lay-up to go and draws the foul. Whatever. That’s Pac-10 officiating for you. Clutch play from Hackett, regardless. Can he get the and-one to fall? Nope! Washington knocks it out of bounds. UA ball, tie game at 76.

0:43: Who else but Nic Wise was going to take that shot? He pump-fakes his defender in the air and buries a MONSTER three to give UA a 79-76 lead.

0:30: There he is again! Wise, so low to the ground, pokes his hands in there and dislodges the ball. He’s the first one on the floor to grab that loose ball, and he alertly calls timeout before USC can tie him up. Unbelievable sequence from UA’s “captain clutch,” Nic Wise. This must be awfully sweet for him, especially given the way the last USC game ended.

0:28: Unreal. The refs save their worst for the most important spots of the game, don‘t they? Hackett nudges Wise out of bounds, but the refs call Wise for stepping on the sideline instead of for Hackett’s obvious shove. Disgusting.

0:17: Lewis launches a three with Hill in his face, but draws nothing but back iron. Wise comes down with the rebound and he’s headed to the line for two. He hits both -- of course he does. UA up 81-76, tow possession game.

0:06: DeRozan lets one fly from the corner, but can’t get it to go. Budinger comes down with his biggest rebound of the night. Now at the line, Chase gets two to go.

0:00: Hackett feebly dribbles it off his foot and that’s the ballgame. Anticlimatic ending, but a win is a win.

FINAL SCORE: 83-76 Arizona, and those tourney hopes are alive. Believe, UA fans. Believe.

POSTGAME: Wow, what a ballgame. That was an emotional roller-coaster, but Arizona claims a win it absolutely needed to have to keep those tournament hopes alive.

“This was a great character win for our team,” Pennell said. “I’m really proud of our guys.”

It wasn’t that long ago when this team was 11-8 and dead in the water. After six straight wins, the Wildcats are suddenly the most dangerous team in the Pac-10. Do you think UCLA wants to have any part of them on Saturday?

Nic Wise was the hero of the day, yet again. The big shots, the steals, the clutch free throws, the lay-ups, the epic, momentum-shifting three that decided the game -- it was all Wise.

“They bit on my pump fake and I hit it,” Wise said in the postgame press conference. “I kind of took it back to the high school days, back when I was the guy to make all the plays at the end.”

Not to be forgotten in this effort was Chase Budinger’s terrific game. Ever since Aubrey Coleman stomped on his face, Budinger has been a totally different player. He ended up with 25 points, six rebounds, four assists (and countless more plays he set up with his court vision). Wise and Budinger combined to shoot 16-22 tonight. Wow.

Kyle Fogg enjoyed yet another fantastic game, adding 13 points, five assists and even more of that grittiness that has endeared him to this McKale Center crowd.

As an added bonus, anytime Fogg says anything in these post-game interview sessions, the guys (this time, Budinger and Wise) always start cracking up.

Jordan Hill, all but absent in the first half, came back to anchor the middle on his way to 12 points and five boards -- not his best night, but he made enough key plays down the stretch to make up for a rough first half. He was obviously sore after that awkward rebound on that missed free throw early in the game, but his gutty effort was much appreciated by his teammates.

When Arizona jumped out to that early 33-15 lead, it appeared as if the rout was on. But DeMar DeRozan kept the Trojans in it with perhaps his best game as a collegian (20 points, eight rebounds), but the freshman faded down the stretch.

Dwight Lewis (21 points) and Daniel Hackett (20 points) did their best to keep USC ahead, but it wasn’t quite enough, even with that inspired stretch of play to open the second half.

USC demolished UA on the boards (30-21) -- something I’m sure Pennell will harp on in practice tomorrow.

But Arizona’s phenomenal shooting effort (26-44 from the field, 12-20 from three, 19-21 from the line) more than made up for it.

As an added footnote, 14,978 fans attended the contest -- the third-largest crowd in McKale Center history. The fans are back as Wildcat fever has reclaimed Southern Arizona.

Now the Wildcats (17-8, 7-5 Pac-10) will go for their seventh win in a row when the fearsome UCLA Bruins come to town for an 11 a.m. tipoff. Arizona State toppled the Bruins 74-67 in Phoenix tonight, and UCLA doesn’t lose two in a row very often. Arizona will need to play the way it did in the first eight minutes of this game without the end-of-the-half swoon to hang with No. 11 UCLA.

Last time out, the Bruins beat the Wildcats 83-60 in the most lopsided loss of UA’s season.

“We’re a much better team since then,” Budinger said matter-of-factly.

Check back here for all the action with another Wildcat Live Blog, which will be posted shortly after the UA/UCLA final.

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