Arizona Wildcats rusty in nailbiter against NAU

The Arizona Wildcats' play against the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona was summed up by starting center Jordan Hill:

"I didn't really feel like I was really focused...I was trying to play hard, but it just wasn't really there."

Look I know NAU isn't a top-tier team, but I can't believe more isn't being made out of that quote. 

This is a starter on a Top-25 team basically admitting that not only was he not playing his best game, he wasn't even giving his best effort.  

I thought interim coach Kevin O'Neill was supposed to toughen up the Wildcats, and drill a team-first concept into their heads, so we could avoid the selfishness that has marked recent Arizona teams, and gotten them bounced in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Instead, the Wildcats defense was atrocious for part of the first half and most of the second half.

Most fans are blowing this game off as an aberration, and feel that as the season goes on, the team will come together and play to its potential.  I certainly hope that is the case, but I won't delude myself into thinking positively about a team that slept through half of its home opener, and—with the notable exception of Daniel Dillon—showed little defensive intensity.

Even during down seasons, Arizona typically beats NAU by at least 15 or more.  I know the mid-majors are allegedly closing the gap with top-conference schools—but Arizona's talent exceeds NAU's by leaps and bounds, and under no circumstances should the Cats have to sweat against the Lumberjacks.  

Arizona showed little recognition on defense,  despite the fact that NAU consistently ran the same play: isolating Nathan Geiser off a screen, and then letting him fire a—a shot Gerber kept making.  

Some have suggested that when Lute Olson returns from his leave of absence, these issues will iron themselves out. But we've seen the same problems of work ethic and hustle from Olson's former teams.

I hope I'm wrong about this, but if the team doesn't change course, I see another underachieving team that will be one-and-done come tourney time.  

We will see if the Cats can do anything differently against Virginia this Saturday. 

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