Wildcats' BB report card: 1st half B+, 2nd half C-

In the Stands Report by Bookemdano: Arizona 87, NAU 70.

Class dismissed. It's always tough when the Arizona Wildcats play the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, even when the game is held at the friendly confines of McKale Center, which, come to think of it, is always the case. Easy win, but ugly. I'd have to give the young Wildcats (not including old timer Nic Wise, of course) a B+ for their play in the first half.

The Wildcats did a lot of things right and at times were smooth in the process as they rolled to a 51-31 lead at halftime. The second half: a different story. It looked like the Cats were in class and waiting for the bell to ring as they let the Lumberjacks outscore them 39-36. The good news: the young whippersnappers (the senior Wise not included as a whippersnapper)will be back next week with their basketball text book in hand and one win on their resume. It's going to get better. It is uphill from here and the one who will lead us to the promised land (along with Wise, that is) will be freshman Solomon Hill.

Hill led all scorers (oops, sorry...the Wildcats' defense allowed a guy named Cameron Jones to pump in 29) with 17 points to go along with his eight boards. Captain Wise added 15, while junior Jamelle Horne netted 14 points and completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. Kyle Fogg (10 points), Brendon Lavender (8 points), MoMo Jones (8 points), Derrick Williams (8 points) and center Kyryl Natyazhko (7 points, 7 rebounds) completed the scoring for the young Wildcats.

It's going to be a long school year and a good teacher should be able to turn those B's and C's into A's. I have a feeling Sean Miller is going to have his students on the honor roll before class is dismissed this spring.