Wildcats edge Aggies, 5-4

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Arizona (5-3) edged New Mexico State 5-4 last night at Hi Corbett Field to remain unbeaten at home. The Wildcats used a five-run fourth inning to get the job done as reliever Juan Aguilear (1-0) picked up his first win as a Wildcat.

Catcher Cesar Salazar went 3 for 3 for the Wildcats and scored a run.

Wildcats drops to 19th in AP Basketball Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Okay, let's continue with the bad news.

Arizona (22-7) drops to No. 19 in the AP College Basketball Poll this week.

Aggies in town to face Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona Wildcats (4-3), after a 1-2 showing at the Tony Gwynn Classic in San Diego with a win over Michigan and losses to San Diego State and the University of San Diego, take on the visiting Aggies from New Mexico State (5-2) tomorrow night at Hi Corbett Field.

The one-game affair gets underway at 6 p.m.

Alfonso Rivas leads the Wildcats in hitting with a .333 batting average (9 for 27) with one home run and nine RBI.

Team Blue's Maldonado out duels Barzell, 4-2

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and over baseball

Pete Maldonado, 65, out dueled Lloyd Barzell, 67, at Udall Park today in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game. The two right-handers battled from the get-go as Team Blue led 2-1 after two innings of play and picked up a couple insurance runs down the stretch to hold off Team White.

Ron Petersen doubled and scored a run, Bob Stofft singled and scored a run for the losing team, while Phil Gordon also contributed a double.

Team Blue's Tim Tolson doubled and knocked in two runs, while Doc Thompson continued his hot hitting with a 2 for 2 day.

The TOTS return to action on Wednesday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photo: Pete Maldonado

The agony continues...

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Oregon holds on to beat the 14th-ranked Arizona Wildcats 98-93 tonight in Eugene.

The agony continues...

Playing away from home without their head coach Sean Miller and without their star player Allonzo Trier, the Wildcats battled. Unfortunately, Arizona relinquished a 13-point lead and then forced overtime before leaving the court with a disappointing five-point loss.

Deandre Ayton was a man among boys for most of the game, finishing with his 19th double-double. The 7-1 Arizona center scored 28 points, blocked four shots and grabbed 18 rebounds.

Arizona (22-7, 12-4) returns home to McKale Center with a half-a-game lead in the Pac-12 standings over second-place USC with games next week against Stanford and California to close out the conference schedule.

It's been a tough 48 hours for our Arizona Wildcats.

Gazing off into the abyss

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


I'll watch the Arizona at Oregon basketball game tonight or will I?

Chances are I'll be gazing into the abyss. The game will be played. The players will rush up and down the court and chances are I'll hear only the screeching sound of ten pairs of basketball shoes making contact with the hardwood floor -- something I would normally take for granted.

I'll be staring into the abyss. My mind creating scenarios -- my mind creating terrible thoughts, like: daydreaming of a sign on the doors of McKale Center with the words printed in bright red colors: Closed Forever.

Can Arizona sports fall into a black hole and never return?

Of course not. We, the Arizona fans and all the future athletes to don a Wildcat uniform, will survive. It may no longer be Miller time, but we will survive.

Trier-less Arizona beats Beavers in OT, 75-65

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats are away from home and without Allonzo Trier, who once again is on the bench serving a suspension from the NCAA.

So the Wildcats turn to Rawle Alkins tonight in Corvallis as Arizona beats Oregon State 75-65. Alkins scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while 7-1 teammate Deandre Ayton added his 18th double-double of the season with 19 points, 12 rebounds and four assists as Arizona picked up a key road win to improve to 12-3 in the Pac-12 Conference and 22-6 overall.

Alkins made two free throws to tie the game at 61-61 and send the game to overtime. He then hit two 3-pointers in OT as the 14th-ranked Wildcats out scored the Beavers 14-4 in the overtime period.

With Trier on the bench, Arizona played nine players and all nine scored. Dusan Ristic also finished in double figures with 14, Parker Jackson-Cartwright netted nine points and Dylan Smith added a three-pointer.

The Arizona bench -- Keanu Pinder, Brandon Randolph, Alex Barcello and Emmanuel Akot -- played  a combined 58 minutes, finishing with a combined 14 points, five rebounds and one assist.

As for Trier, it's those ugly three letters -- PED, which has followed his collegiate career for two years now. A trace of Ostarine, a banned performance-enhancing drug, was found on a test administered in late January, which has led to the latest suspension.

Up next: Oregon on Saturday.

Wildcats continue to receive top-notch pitching performances

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Arizona's Randy Labaut threw seven strong innings and allowed just one earned run, but the Wildcats could muster just two hits on Wednesday and lost 1-0 to 4th-ranked Arkansas at the Tony Gwynn Stadium in San Diego. The Razorbacks survive and improve to 4-0, while the Wildcats suffer their first loss of the season and fall to 3-1.

Still, the Wildcats are off to a great start and the pitching staff has allowed just three runs.

Arizona opens up play at the Tony Gwynn Classic with games against San Diego State on Friday, Michigan on Saturday and San Diego on Sunday.

Carlson leads Team Blue to 8-6 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ron Carlson, 70, went 3 for 3 and drove in four runs to lead Team Blue to a 8-6 win over Team White at Udall Park today in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Carlson, a member of the TOTS since 2010, knocked in two runs in his first at bat with a single to center and added RBI-singles in the fourth and sixth inning as Team Blue jumped out to a 4-0 lead  and held off Team White down the stretch, despite a two-run homer in the fifth from Reed Palmer -- his fourth homer of the season.

Team Blue's Lloyd Barzell went the distance on the mound to pick up the pitching victory, while Palmer threw seven innings for Team White and was saddled with the loss. Doc Thompson was a perfect 3 for 3 and scored twice for the winning team. Birthday boy, Bob Stofft, celebrated his birthday with two hits. Stofft, from Minneapolis, MN., turned 79 today.

The TOTS will be back in action on Friday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photo: Ron Carlson    

Arizona reaches No. 14 in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats (21-6) move to No. 14 in the AP College Basketball Poll this week on the heels of their win over the Arizona State Sun Devils last Thursday.

The Wildcats are the only Pac-12 team in the top 25. Virginia remains at No. 1.

Sparkling ERA by the 3-0 Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The Arizona pitching staff opened the 2018 season with a sparkling earned run average of .067 after three games over the weekend at Hi Corbett Field against a very competitive Bryant University team from Rhode Island.

Arizona won 4-0, 5-1 and 10-1, allowing one earned run by the three starters -- Cody Denson, Michael Flynn and Avery Weems --  and just two runs overall.

Cal Stevenson went 6 for 12 in the three games for a .500 batting average to lead the Wildcats.

Ayton leads Wildcats to 77-70 win in Tempe

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Deandre Ayton grabs his 17th double-double to lead Arizona to a 77-70 win in Tempe tonight over ASU.

Ayton scored 25 points, hauled in 16 rebounds -- 14 of those coming in the second half, dished out four assists and had three blocks as Arizona led 39-38 at the half and held off the 25th-ranked Sun Devils in the final 20 minutes, thanks to a 7-0 spurt near the three-minute mark in the second half.

With the score tied at 63-63, Ayton scored on a tip-in, Allonzo Trier followed with a three-pointer and Ayton finished the 7-0 run with a dunk, thanks to an assist in the lane from Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

Dusan Ristic also collected a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Rawle Alkins netted 10 points and Trier finished with 19 points and five assists.

Arizona out rebounded the Sun Devils, 44-28.

The 17th-ranked Wildcats improve to 21-6 and 11-3 in the Pac-12 Conference and maintain their two-game lead in the standings. Arizona State falls to 19-7 and 7-7 in the Pac-12.

Way to go, Wildcats!

No respect: Arizona 17th, ASU 25th in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


No respect.

Too much East Coast bias.

Arizona (20-6) is listed as the 17th best college basketball team in the latest AP Basketball Poll and ASU (19-6) clings to the 25th spot.

Pac-12 Conference is not highly regarded. Some say the Pac-12 will be lucky to send four teams to the Big Dance.

Can't wait until March!

Wildcats stay atop the Pac-12 standings

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats (20-6, 10-3), led by a 20-point effort from Rawle Alkins, knocked off USC 81-67 at McKale tonight and tightened their hold on first place in the Pac-12 Conference.

Alkins added three rebounds, five assists, one steal and a block shot to the stat sheet and hit 4 of 7 3-pointers to give the Wildcats the spark they needed to upend the Trojans, who came to town looking to beat Arizona and climb into first place in the conference.

Four Arizona starters scored in double figures as Dusan Ristic added a double-double to the cause with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Deandre Ayton tallied 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and Allonzo Trier covered the stat sheet with 14 points, four assists, one steal and eight rebounds.

Arizona shot 56.1 percent (32 of 57) and canned 9 of 20 from long range -- four by Alkins, three by Trier, one by Ayton and one by Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who finished with five points, four assists, two steals and just one turnover.

The 13th-ranked Wildcats snap their two-game losing streak and right the ship on a day which saw No. 2 Virginia, No. 3 Purdue and No. 10 Kansas, all lose.

Arizona falls to Bruins at McKale

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


UCLA handed the 13th-ranked Arizona Wildcats a rare loss at McKale Center tonight.

It was all Bruins from the opening tip. UCLA led by 10 at the half, by 15 early in the second half and rolled to a 82-74 win. Arizona falls to 19-6 and 9-3 in the Pac-12, while the Bruins improve to 17-7 and 8-4 in the conference race.

Deandre Ayton collected his 16th double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, but went 7 of 19 from the field. Allonzo Trier led the Wildcats with 17 points.

Up next: USC at McKale on Saturday.

TOTS' trio tie for the most hits in January

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Lloyd Barzell, John Mathews and Tim Tolson tied for the most hits among all the TOTS' hitters in January with 22. Barzell ended up with the best batting average among the trio, collecting his 22 hits in just 34 at bats -- a .647 average. Mathews went 22 for 40, a .550 average and Tolson went 22 for 42, a .524 average.

Once again, it was Reed Palmer leading the way in homers with two, while Mathews topped the club in runs scored with 21 and doubles with nine. John Misiaszek held the top spot in triples with two.

On the pitching side, it was Barzell (photo above) leading the way with a 3-2 record, while Bob Daliege, Pete Maldonado and Palmer finished the month with two wins apiece.

Nine players tried their luck on the pitching mound in January, while 38 players got their swings in at the plate. The TOTS completed 12 games during the month and two players -- Mathews and Tolson --  were the only two to play in all 12 games.

Photo: Lloyd "Baby Bull" Barzell tied for the most hits in January with 22, but topped the field in batting average at .647.

Mathews gets job done with effective wildness

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Lefty John Mathews is one of many pitchers on the TOTS. John throws an assortment of pitches -- including a fastball, a roundhouse curve ball and a knuckler.

Today was his turn on the mound. He had what we call in the baseball world -- effective wildness.

Mathews led Team Blue to a 4-2 win at Udall Park over Team White in a 60-and-over baseball game. John walked eight, but allowed just three hits -- one by Mike Taylor, one by Joe Opocensky and one by Brad Vermeer.

A right-handed hitter, Mathews had two hits to help his cause at the plate, while teammates Tim Tolson, Bob Daliege and Doc Thompson also collected two hits apiece. Reed Palmer pitched for Team White and was saddled with the loss.

Way to go, Big John!

The TOTS close out the week with a 10 a.m. game at Udall on Friday.

Arizona drops to No. 13 in AP Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats (19-5, 9-2 in Pac-12) drops to No. 13 this week in the AP College Basketball Poll on the heels of their buzzer-beating loss at Washington on Saturday.

Up next: USC AND UCLA at McKale -- the Bruins on Thursday and the Trojans on Saturday.

Lead off hitter Crowley leads Team White to 7-5 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Lead off batter Dennis Crowley did what lead off batters are supposed to do at Udall Park today.

Find a way to get on base.

Crowley went 3 for 3 and scored twice to lead Team White to a 7-5 win in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game. Team White also received help at the plate from Dave Byars, who went 2 for 3 with three RBI and from Reed Palmer, who hit his third home run of the season.

Lloyd Barzell picked up the pitching victory and Joe Opocensky, in a rare start, pitched well but was saddled with the loss. Team Blue scored all five runs in the fifth inning. Billy Heiny, 88, made three nice catches in the outfield and outfielder John Misiaszek made a running snag.

Newcomer Ray Garcia led the way for the losing team with a 3 for 3 day and Bob Daliege went 2 for 3 and knocked in two runs.

Photo: the speedy Dennis Crowley

Congrats to Foles, Gronkowski

The 52nd Super Bowl

Nick Foles, a former University of Arizona quarterback, led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl title and was presented with the MVP  trophy last night in Minneapolis.

Philadelphia won Super Bowl LII 41-33 and Foles threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns to beat the  former champions, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Rob Gronkowski, another former Wildcat, tried his best to get the Patriots a victory as he caught two touchdown passes from quarterback  Tom Brady, who broke a Super Bowl record with 505 passing yards to go along with three TD passes.

Way to go, Nick and Rob, too! We love ya!

Washington stuns Arizona with buzzer-beater

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

A stunner in Seattle!

Dominic Green hit 4 of 5 3-pointers, including the game winner at the buzzer to stun Arizona 78-75 tonight in Seattle. Arizona down 35-28 in the first half and down 14 at the start of the second half battled back in front of a hostile crowd inside the Alaska Airlines Arena.

Arizona trailed for most of the game, but tied the game at 75-75 on a layup by Deandre Ayton with 21 seconds remaining. Ayton was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw and the Huskies headed down court looking for the game-winning basket.

Ayton blocked a shot by Jaylen Nowell, but the ball fell into the hands of Green, who quickly put up the game-winning shot. The buzzer sounded and Green's three-pointer found nothing but net.

Arizona shot 50 percent on the night, hitting 31 of 62, but were just 2 of 12 from long range. Dusan Ristic led the Wildcats with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Allonzo Trier scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half. Ayton finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Wildcats end up with a split on the road in the state of Washington and fall to 19-5 overall and they had their seven-game winning streak snapped. Arizona remains in first place in the Pac-12 Conference with a 9-2 record.

TOTS Game of the Week

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

DeLon "Doc" Thompson pitched seven strong innings and Dick "Double D" Ducklow knocked in two go-ahead runs in the fifth inning this morning as Team White edged Team Blue 3-2 in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game at Udall Park.

The first TOTS' game in February turned out to be a dandy as Team White centerfielder Mike Taylor closed the game out with a running catch to snuff out a final rally try by Team Blue in the top of the seventh inning.

Bob Daliege pitched six strong innings for Team Blue and took the loss.

The TOTS return to action on Monday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photos: top, Doc Thompson, bottom, Dick Ducklow.