The way Kadeem Allen looked during 蜜柚直播鈥檚 Senior Day loss to UCLA on Saturday, you鈥檇 think he might need to heal in two ways this week.
But while the UA guard is still battling the physical issue of his dislocated pinkie, he already appears to have the mental part taken care of.
Despite missing a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of his last game in McKale Center, Allen turned things around in the locker room afterward.
鈥淩ight after the game when we lost, he just told us, 鈥楪uys, keep your heads up. We have 10 games left in the season. Let鈥檚 make this season special,鈥欌 UA center Dusan Ristic said Monday, during the UA鈥檚 weekly news conference. 鈥淓ven though we lost, he was positive, and that鈥檚 something that really impressed me after that game.鈥
Since the Wildcats don鈥檛 play again until they face ASU in Tempe on Saturday, Allen will have more time to take care of that physical issue, too.
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He was seen fidgeting with his dislocated finger during the UCLA game 鈥 鈥減laying on one hand,鈥 UA coach Sean Miller called it 鈥 but Miller said Monday that Allen might get his stitches and bandage off by Saturday.
Miller said Allen has had to get more stitches than the original seven he received before the UA鈥檚 trip to Washington earlier this month to guard against infection and in case some opened up.
But Miller said Allen鈥檚 problem against UCLA wasn鈥檛 stitches popping off so much as just having to deal with the bandage on his shooting hand.
鈥淭hat bandage bothers him. He鈥檚 not comfortable with it,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淵ou think about it 鈥 every time he dribbles, passes, catches, shoots, it鈥檚 a factor. So maybe on Saturday (at ASU) when we get to that game, he won鈥檛 have a bandage. I don鈥檛 know.鈥
Miller said Allen is 鈥渉ealing and in a lot less pain鈥 and all the Wildcats will get a chance to take it easier this week, actually. Miller said they will take a second day off and run shorter practices.
鈥淲e have to be smart right now because we鈥檙e late in the game. We鈥檙e entering March and we have 30 games under our belt,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 about practicing the right way 鈥 hard, but not overdoing it.
鈥淣ot just physically but also you can wear your own team down by showing them too much film and in your quest to be good at everything you kind of take it away. I think we鈥檒l balance using this week to be as fresh as we can and ready at the same time.鈥
Miller excited about Heeke
Miller expressed enthusiasm about new 蜜柚直播 athletic director Dave Heeke, saying Heeke reminded him in some ways of former UA AD Greg Byrne.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a really good person,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淓asy to talk to, very down to earth, very genuine, and I think he鈥檒l fit in very well here. We鈥檙e excited to have him. He鈥檚 coming at a very crucial time for our program and the athletic department. I think we鈥檒l be in really good hands.鈥
Miller said Heeke鈥檚 combination of experience as an AD in the Mid-American Conference, and his 18 years in other roles at Oregon, are a blend of experiences that will serve the UA well.
Brooks, not Trier, named
Pac-12
Player of the Week
While UA guard Allonzo Trier scored a career-high 28 points against UCLA, the Pac-12鈥檚 Player of the Week award went to Oregon鈥檚 Dillon Brooks 鈥 who hit a game-winner at California and also helped the Ducks stave off Stanford.
That鈥檚 the other side of Miller鈥檚 team-success-breeds-individual-accolades mantra.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 a lesson here, nobody鈥檚 talking about him because we lost,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淣o one really cares because you lost the game and that鈥檚 how it is in college basketball. When you win big games and your team is great, everybody gives you a lot of attention and when you don鈥檛, you鈥檙e forgotten.鈥
蜜柚直播 had nominated Trier for the conference鈥檚 weekly award, while Stanford鈥檚 Reid Travis and UCLA鈥檚 T.J. Leaf were other notable nominees.
Miller praised the way Trier has been playing. The sophomore is shooting 68.6 percent overall and 64.7 percent from 3-point range in his last three games.
鈥淎llonzo is becoming more comfortable and you鈥檙e seeing him kind of enter his best phase,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淗e missed 19 games and it鈥檚 not easy to all of a sudden just plug into a game, plus into a team, and it鈥檚 taken him a few weeks here to settle in. But he had a great game in a big game and he was a reason why we (had) a chance to win it. Not only did he have 28 points, but he was 11-for-14 from the floor, which was incredibly efficient.鈥
Miller鈥檚 son might attend UA
Miller was unable to watch his son, Cameron, play for Salpointe Catholic in the state championship 4A semifinals and finals last week because the Wildcats had games on the same days.
But Miller just might be able to see him more often next season: He said Cameron could enroll at the UA 鈥 though maybe not as a player 鈥 although Cameron has received a scholarship offer from Youngstown State and recruiting attention from several low-major Division I schools.
For now, Sean Miller said he was happy his son finished his career on a good note at a place he enjoys.
鈥淗e鈥檚 at a great school,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淗e loves it there and that鈥檚 what you worry about the most. He鈥檚 surrounded by a great group of people, teachers, coaches, his teammates. He鈥檚 had just an overall great experience at Salpointe on and off the court. That鈥檚 all that matters.
鈥淭he fact that it happened in the state championship is something he鈥檒l remember forever and I鈥檓 very proud of him. He was one of the team鈥檚 leaders this year. He played his best at the end. I wished I would have seen it, that鈥檚 the downside of being a college basketball coach. That happens and you鈥檙e not there, but I know he understands.鈥
Rim shots
鈥 Having expressed concern over the Wildcats鈥 efforts against UCLA鈥檚 zone defense Saturday, Miller said he found upon video review that the Wildcats actually scored 31 points during the 29 possessions when the Bruins used a zone. But the UA was just 1 for 8 the first eight possessions that UCLA used it in the second half. 鈥淎nd simultaneous with us going 1 for 8, they caught fire offensively,鈥 Miller said.
鈥 UA signee Alex Barcello will play for Tempe Corona Del Sol in the state Class 6A final against Basha at 7 p.m., Tuesday, in Phoenix鈥檚 GCU Arena.
鈥 UA slipped from No. 4 to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25. It also dropped to a No. 3 seed in the Midwest in ESPN鈥檚 latest NCAA Tournament bracket forecast.
