Arizona @ Washington St. preview

Arizona at Washington St.

Last Meeting ( Mar 5, 2020 ) Washington St. 62, Arizona 83

Washington State has the overall best record in the Pac-12, but its unblemished mark will be tested when Arizona visits for a Saturday game in Pullman, Wash.

The Cougars (8-0, 1-0 Pac-12) have played only one major conference team, slipping past Oregon State 59-55 in their league opener on Dec. 2. Washington State hasn't played anybody ranked better than 132nd nationally, according to KenPom.com's rankings. UCLA and Oregon are 2-0 in Pac-12 play.

Arizona (8-1, 2-1) will be a much different challenge.

The Wildcats, who will be playing their third game in six days, are coming off easy Pac-12 victories against Colorado (88-74) and Washington (80-53).

"I can't say enough good things about our guys," coach Sean Miller said.

"What they've done since the beginning of August, how hard they work in the weight room after practice, before practice, following the COVID protocol, getting tested early in the morning, it's not always fun and it's not always easy, but we've been a group that's really embraced that, and I think because of that you tend to develop confidence."

Miller is using a balanced, nine-man rotation that was on full display against the Huskies on Thursday. Seven players scored at least eight points, but no one scored more than 13.

For the season, the starting backcourt of Jemarl Baker Jr. (14.6 points per game) and James Akinjo (13.8) is leading the way. Post player Jordan Brown is averaging 10.8 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds.

Arizona is averaging 78.6 points but should run into resistance against a Cougars' team that has good size and whose calling card is defense. Washington State is 11th nationally in scoring defense (57.6 points per game) and third in effective field goal defense (38.8 percent), according to KenPom.

"Where we are right now, we have to be good defensively to give ourselves a chance to win," coach Kyle Smith said.

Offensively, Isaac Bonton is at 16.0 points per game, followed by Noah Williams (13) and Efe Abogidi, the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. The 6-foot-10 center has posted three consecutive double-doubles.

"We're going to league, so obviously stiffer competition," Smith said, "but he gives us a good chance to compete at that position every night."

Washington State will need Abogidi to compete against the big front line of Arizona, which out-rebounded Washington 58-30 and snagged 19 offensive rebounds. The Cougars have a plus-6.0 rebounding margin for the season.

Washington State will be playing its first game since Dec. 23. The Cougars' scheduled game against Arizona State on Thursday was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Sun Devils' program.

The Cougars are off to their best start since winning the first 14 games of the 2007-08 season.

--Field Level Media