TUCSON, Ariz. www.cheapjerseyswholesalestore.us . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. The Wildcats werent perfect during their non-conference season, but their record was and thats all that matters to them. Nick Johnson scored 20 points, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 14 and top-ranked Arizona rolled over Northern Arizona 77-44 on Monday night to complete its second straight undefeated non-conference slate. "Were good, but we can get a lot better," Johnson said. "Hey, 13-0, well take that. Now weve just got to get ready for conference." The Wildcats appear to be in good shape after their latest rout against an overmatched opponent. Arizona (13-0) played its second straight game without injured centre Kaleb Tarczewski, but didnt really need him, grabbing control with a 27-4 first-half run. Johnson got the run started and Hollis-Jefferson provided a spark starting in place of Tarczewski, grabbing eight rebounds while hustling all over the floor. Brandon Ashley added 11 points and nine rebounds, Gabe York had 10 points and four steals, and T.J. McConnell had six assists in Arizonas 27th straight non-conference win. One of the nations best defensive teams all season, the Wildcats did their most damage on that end, holding Northern Arizona (3-8) to 36 per cent shooting while scoring 18 points off 23 turnovers. An overwhelming No. 1 the past two weeks, Arizona should stay atop the polls at least one more week with its next game not until Jan. 2 against Washington State. "Being the No. 1 team in the country, you can carry it as a burden and take all of the negative connotations that you want," Arizona coach Sean Miller said. "On the flip side, weve really embraced the fact that were the No. 1 team in the country. You cant take it from us. We earned it." Northern Arizona is plenty familiar with trip south, playing in Tucson every season but one since 2002. It hasnt gone too well for the Lumberjacks. Other than a five-point game in 2010, Arizona has beaten Northern Arizona in routs, including a 93-50 runaway last season. The Lumberjacks faced an even bigger hill this time around. Northern Arizona had a huge setback just before the season started, when sophomore guard Dwayne Russell, the teams top returning scorer, decided to transfer. The Lumberjacks managed to play close games against Southern California and Fresno State, but those teams are nothing like what they were up against at the McKale Center. Arizona had rolled through its non-conference schedule to this point, knocking off teams like Duke and Michigan to move atop The Associated Press poll two weeks ago. Northern Arizona held its own while Arizona struggled on offence early on, playing to an 11-all tie with the Wildcats in the opening 8 minutes. Arizona turned into a rout after that, scoring 17 straight points during its big run to go up 38-15. Johnson keyed it, hitting consecutive 3-pointers at the start and adding another to put the Wildcats up 15. The junior guard had 14 points by halftime to help Arizona to a 41-17 lead. Northern Arizona had two field goals over the final 10 minutes and shot 7 of 19 from the floor. Worse for the Lumberjacks, they had no assists in the half and 12 turnovers that led to 18 points for Arizona. "We had too many turnovers and thats what killed us," Northern Arizona forward Gaellan Bewernick said. "Valuing the ball is the biggest thing for us right now." Taking it away is the top priority for the Wildcats and theyve proven to be pretty good at it. Arizona is long, athletic, versatile and, usually has a 7-foot anchor in Tarczewski. The Wildcats entered Mondays game seventh nationally in scoring defence, allowing 57.8 points per game, and eighth in shooting percentage against at 37.3 Even without Tarczewski to contend with, the Lumberjacks were no match for Arizona. Let by Johnson and McConnell out top, the Wildcats hounded Northern Arizona into turnovers, difficult shots and made it tough for the Lumberjacks to even run their offence. Arizona keyed its big first-half run with defence and didnt really let up until the game was well out of hand in the second half. Northern Arizona had four assists and failed to get a player in double-figures scoring to become the third opponent in four games to be held under 50 points by Arizona. "Best defensive team Ive seen in a long time," said NAU coach Jack Murphy, a former manager under Lute Olson at Arizona. "Defensively, theyre better than any team when I was here. Their length, they guard pick and rolls, motion and they limit you to one shot. They defend." And win, at least to this point.cheapjerseyswholesalestore . With the possibility of an upset hanging in the air at Hartwall Arena, the Canadian captain came through in the clutch Wednesday by scoring the winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Switzerland. cheapjerseyswholesalestore.us . PSG could have clinched the title this weekend if Monaco lost and it won on Sunday at Lyon. For now, Monaco pulled within 10 points of the leader. Emmanuel Riviere chased a through ball from Jeremy Toulalan to score with a sliding effort in the 55th minute.You dont know them. Not many people do. Days… Weeks… Months… Almost a year has gone by and still… you dont know them. The legendary Robert Montgomery Knight, aka, The General, one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history, strolls in to inspect the troops. He came to see them, to share his wisdom before they march into madness… to see who exactly this rag-tag bunch of players, not blue bloods… scrappers… fighters… winners, were. Coach Knight, the leader of the last college team to go undefeated and win an NCAA title, the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers, shows up at practice in late February to tell them to take it "one game at a time". He is a fan of how they play. "Play Angry". The 2013-2014 Wichita State mens basketball team does just that. But more importantly, plays hard, plays tough and plays together, leading to an NCAA-record 30-0 regular season mark under head coach Gregg Marshall. Saturday, March 1, 2014: Charles Koch Arena, Wichita, Kansas: Senior Night. The final matchup before the conference tourney and the opponent Missouri State is no easy out for the Shockers. This is also the final home game for two Canadian senior forwards, Chadrack Lufile, as well as his best friend, a young man whose last name is famous, not only in the state of Kansas, but on a couple continents, Nick Wiggins. Nick has a younger brother, Andrew who you may know, playing in the same state only two and half hours away, for a program so steeped in tradition, the inventor of basketball was the first head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, fellow Canuck James Naismith. I got on the phone with Nick Wiggins and Chadrack Lufile post-practice this week to talk life in the shadows and possibly shocking the world. Did you guys know one another before signing at Wichita State? NW: Weve known one another since we were teenagers. CL: We actually went to the same junior college together at Vincennes in Indiana. NW: I signed first. I didnt force him to sign or anything… just told him it would be special for us to go together. Why Wichita State? CL: Nick had narrowed his choices down to Baylor and Wichita State. He talked about his visit, how they treated him, the ambitions of the coaches and players. There was just a feeling; a good feeling about it all. Once Nick decided, I was in, too. We had to take advantage of what looked like a great opportunity in front of us. NW: When we first got here, first couple years, we didnt play as much as wed have liked to but it was always about team. Still, it was tough at times, knowing you could help the team on the court more. CL: My Dads a minister. He has a huge influence on all that I do. Once, wed lost three straight, neither one of us was playing a lot and my Dad prayed for us. Not just us, but the team. I remember telling Nick about it. NW: Yeah, I mean we had 7-8 guys on this team last year who could score 20 in any game, but we share the ball. Thats how play. CL: And then we ended up in the Final Four. We believed... Iff you had to compare your game to any Wichita State great from the past, who would it be and why? NW: So many great players who have come through here. http://www.cheapjerseyswholesalestore.us/. Id say Cleo Littleton. He was known for his defence and for being a great teammate. I think thats me. CL: X! Xavier McDaniel. He and Antoine Carr, another Shockers legend, came in to to see us last year and really instilled in us to "Play Angry". Thats our thing now: Play Angry. He (McDaniel) told me to box out hard, never let anyone get to the ball before I did, rebound strong, run the floor harder than my opponent, be versatile with my game. We emulate the guys who were here before us. They are Shockers for life! What do you say to the pundits who believe 30-0 is a function of you guys playing in the Missouri Valley Conference, the perceived lack in your strength of schedule and not because youre a great team? NW: Schedule us. Everyone talks KU (Kansas), but they wouldnt play us. We wanted to do it at a neutral site, but they didnt want it. Thats ok, people who dont believe mid-majors can compete with major D-1 schools havent really watched us play. They will find out soon enough. CL: Say what you want about our conference or the teams we beat. Just come play us. We feel like we can compete with anyone. We beat the #1 team in the country in Gonzaga in the tournament last year. Ohio State was #7, Pitt #20. Just play us. Do you think you should be ranked #1 in the country? CL: Honestly, I think we should be! NW: We dont really pay it much attention. It could be almost like a distraction. We dont look past anyone. You still gotta win. The team we play our last home game against, Missouri State, is tough. They had us down by like 17 with about 11 minutes to go in the game before we fought back and won. It was a war. Im sure they wont care that its Senior Night for us when we play them again. They wanna win, too! If Wichita State runs the table by winning your conference tourney, should you be a #1 seed for March Madness? NW: We proved all year we should be a #1 seed. I think the selection committee will do the right thing and give us that. We lost some great guys from last years team and still havent skipped a beat or lost a step. Coach Marshall has us prepared. This will be a special ride to go on with this group of guys. Dream Scenario: Clearly winning it all is the ultimate dream. But, if Wichita State had a chance to play Kansas in the final on April 7 in Dallas, why would it be that much sweeter? CL: Lets Go!!! Do you know how hype that would be?!? NW: If they seed us and Kansas in the same region 1-2, wow, the rivalry... My brother. I believe itll happen. State bragging rights. Man, I would have lifetime bragging rights in my house (laughs)!!! CL: Andrew (Wiggins) would come down to chill and hang with us. Id tell him "Youre not ready for us, Bro (laughs)!" Im no genius or anything, but I believe all of this. All the things that are happening with Wichita State are meant to be. I feel like well meet Kansas, God Willing. And God Is Good... ' ' '
