Sean Miller has expressed approval with the way 蜜柚直播 has handled zone defenses most of this season, moving the ball around more and more carefully shooting 3-pointers, but not Thursday.
Not at all.
The Wildcats shot just 36.5 percent over the course of the game and made just 2 of 11 3-pointers in the first half Thursday in their 59-54 loss to Oregon. They did hit 4 of 11 from 3 in the second half, but Miller was particularly disappointed in the way he said they lost patience in the first half, throwing up shots he didn鈥檛 want them to take.
鈥淲e鈥檝e really done a good job against a lot of recent zones we鈥檝e faced,鈥 Miller said after Thursday鈥檚 game. 鈥淲e鈥檝e moved it. We鈥檝e gotten away from taking threes, we鈥檝e converted some of those tough threes into drive and free-throw attempts but tonight, again, you have to give credit, their defense is a little bit different and we were out of sorts and we never could really get into a rhythm and a couple of guys had tough nights shooting.鈥
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Brandon Randolph shot 2 of 9 from the field while scoring just five points, the first time all season he has scored in single digits, while Ryan Luther was 1 for 7 and missed all five 3s he too. Randolph, Williams and Justin Coleman were all 1 for 4 from 3-point range.
鈥淥ur shot selection, ball movement and turnovers were much better in the second half,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淏ut 鈥 clearly our offense was a problem here tonight. 鈥 You鈥檙e dealing with microscopic room for error when you play offense like we did.鈥
Miller said, as he often does, that the Wildcats have overcome that problem with great defense in past games when their offense has struggled but even UA鈥檚 arguably very good defense on Thursday (allowing 38.6 percent shooting and just 59 Oregon points in 63 possessions) wasn鈥檛 enough this time.
No doubt, the Wildcats will see more zone defense on Saturday against Oregon State, which is holding Pac-12 opponents at just 43.8 percent shooting from inside the arc and has been the fourth-most efficient team in league play.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a variety of zone. To basketball people, no zone is alike,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淥regon State鈥檚 going to play us zone and Oregon plays zone. They are entirely two different ways of playing zone but it鈥檚 zone.鈥
Oregon coach Dana Altman said Kenny Wooten's return from a broken jaw . Wearing a face mask, Wooten had five points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
蜜柚直播 is now 91-5 at home since the beginning of the 2013-14 season, still the best record in Division I during that time.
Kentucky is next at 93-6, followed by Kansas (88-6) and Villanova (79-6).
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 lost too many games in this building,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淲e have America鈥檚 no 1 record. There鈥檚 350 teams that don鈥檛 have our record. So when you lose, it feels funny. It鈥檚 up to us now to bounce back and see if we can be a better team and beat a very good Oregon State team on Saturday.鈥
The Beavers ASU鈥檚 18-point lead in a 70-67 loss at ASU on Thursday. OSU coach Wayne Tinkle said the Beavers and that聽听翱厂鲍.
Photos: Oregon Ducks 59, 蜜柚直播 Wildcats 54
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ira Lee (11) fights to maintain his grip on the ball against Oregon forward Paul White (13), left, and Oregon guard Ehab Amin (4) in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ryan Luther (10) not only gets his shot blocked by Oregon forward Paul White (13) but also picks up a changing foul by clattering into forward Francis Okoro (33) in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 head coach Sean Miller doesn't look at one of the game officials as he shares his opinion on a call against his Wildcats late in the second half and trailing Oregon in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon head coach Dana Altman and his bench celebrate a bucket to keep their lead in the final minutes of their 59-54 win over 蜜柚直播 at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ryan Luther (10) bats the ball away from Oregon forward Paul White (13) in the first half in their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon guard Ehab Amin (4) dumps a wrap-around pass to teammate forward Paul White (13) under 蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) in their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon forward Louis King (2) corrals an offensive rebound amid three 蜜柚直播 defenders, guard Justin Coleman (12), left, guard Dylan Smith (3) and forward Ryan Luther (10) in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) clashes with Oregon forward Kenny Wooten (14) on his way to the basket in their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon's Bol Bol watches his Duck teammates warm up from his scooter as they prepare to take on 蜜柚直播 at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ryan Luther (10) takes a few moments on the court after being denied a lay up bucket and trailing late against Oregon in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon guard Ehab Amin (4) slips in from behind to strip 蜜柚直播 forward Ira Lee (11) of the ball on his drive into the front court in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Brandon Randolph (5), top, and forward Ryan Luther (10) squeeze down on Oregon guard Will Richardson (0) triggering a turnover in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) draws aim over Oregon forward Paul White (13) in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Brandon Randolph (5) tests Oregon guard Ehab Amin (4), left, and rorward Miles Norris (5) on a drive into the paint in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ira Lee (11) gets some recognition after fighting his way to a bucket and foul against Oregon in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Justin Coleman (12) looks for room down the middle of the lane against Oregon in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ryan Luther (10) skids in from behind to help force a turnover from Oregon guard Will Richardson (0) in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Alex Barcello (23) crashes into Oregon guard Ehab Amin (4) picking up the foul in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) goes up against Oregon forward Paul White (13) to force a shot in the second half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Brandon Randolph (5) dials in his long range jumper before the Wildcats take on Oregon at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
A cutout poster of 蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) keeps Grace Levine's seat safe in the Zona Zoo student section just before the Wildcats take on Oregon at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
Oregon forward Francis Okoro (33) gets a couple of finger tips to deny 蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) a short range bucket in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Justin Coleman (12), left and guard Dylan Smith (3) both end up on the end of a defensive rebound against Oregon in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 center Chase Jeter (4) has a put-back dunk after winning an offensive rebound over three Oregon defenders in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 guard Brandon Williams (2) goes into the crowd defending the paint on a drive against Oregon in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
University of 蜜柚直播 vs Oregon
蜜柚直播 forward Ira Lee (11), left, and Oregon forward Louis King (2) race in pursuit of a loose ball in the first half of their Pac-12 game at McKale Center, Thursday, January 17, 2019, 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at 573-4146 or bpascoe@tucson.com. On Twitter @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
