How they match up
The series
Arizona is 6-0 all-time against the 49ers, though all games have been at McKale Center. The Wildcats are 3-0 in the semi-regular series the teams have had under coaches Sean Miller and Dan Monson, with the last meeting the closest: An 85-70 UA win on Dec. 22, 2015, when Allonzo Trier scored 20 points and Ryan Anderson had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Four other UA players scored in double figures.
Long Beach State overview
The 49ers annually play one of the nation?s toughest nonconference schedules, which is one reason Arizona has invited them back frequently ? LBSU?s RPI is usually strong as a result, so the Wildcats won?t hurt theirs by playing the 49ers.
LBSU eased up a bit this season, but still has already traveled to Oregon State, West Virginia and played a tournament in Orlando, where it beat Oregon State but lost to Missouri and Nebraska. They also have plans to play at Michigan State next month.
The problem the 49ers have this year is that the tough schedule comes on top of some major roster change. After they underachieved to a 15-19 record last season, five players left the program early, including second-team all-Big West point guard Justin Bibbins, who left as a grad transfer to Utah (Arizona will see him on Jan. 4).
LBSU went from having three point guards to none, though pass-first JUCO transfer Deishuan Booker has been serviceable. They aren?t huge up front but Temidayo Yussef, a second-team all Big West can skillfully use his 265 pounds when he comes off the bench. LBSU plays with one of the faster tempos in the country. Opponents have shot 44.8 percent and averaged 81.4 points against them.
He said it
?They?re the fastest tempo team we?ve played. It?s going to really challenge our transition defense. They?re battle-tested. They play the hardest nonconference schedule in the world. ... So it?s not like they?re going to walk into here in McKale and worry about anything.? ? Coach Miller
Back to normal
One of the few bright spots for Arizona in the Bahamas was the reemergence of freshman wing Brandon Randolph, who scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half Friday against Purdue to keep the Wildcats from further embarrassment during an 89-64 loss.
Randolph scored 10 points through the first 12 minutes of the second half to put the Wildcats back in the game, hitting two straight jumpers to cut the Boilermakers? lead to 71-59 with 7:57 left.
?I feel like I?m back to my normal self,? Randolph said Tuesday, at UA?s weekly news conference. ?After the concussion we haven?t had a real live practice but I?m getting back in the rhythm and I think that last game allowed me to get my flow back. I was a little tentative, a little nervous.?
Rawle Alkins still a question mark
Rawle Alkins will be nine weeks removed from surgery to repair his broken foot Wednesday, but Miller said he still doesn?t ?completely? know when the sophomore wing will return, including whether he might be available for UA?s Dec. 5 game with unbeaten and ninth-ranked Texas A&M.
?If we were in a single-elimination NCAA Tournament, Pac-12 tournament game, he might be able to play,? Miller said Tuesday. ?But we want to be really cautious and make sure we give him time. He?s able to do things for noncontact (drills) and we?ll steadily increase that. What I would hope is sometimes in the near future he?ll be close to being able to play.?
The series
Arizona is 6-0 all-time against the 49ers, though all games have been at McKale Center. The Wildcats are 3-0 in the semi-regular series the teams have had under coaches Sean Miller and Dan Monson, with the last meeting the closest: An 85-70 UA win on Dec. 22, 2015, when Allonzo Trier scored 20 points and Ryan Anderson had 11 points and 14 rebounds. Four other UA players scored in double figures.
Long Beach State overview
The 49ers annually play one of the nation?s toughest nonconference schedules, which is one reason Arizona has invited them back frequently ? LBSU?s RPI is usually strong as a result, so the Wildcats won?t hurt theirs by playing the 49ers.
LBSU eased up a bit this season, but still has already traveled to Oregon State, West Virginia and played a tournament in Orlando, where it beat Oregon State but lost to Missouri and Nebraska. They also have plans to play at Michigan State next month.
The problem the 49ers have this year is that the tough schedule comes on top of some major roster change. After they underachieved to a 15-19 record last season, five players left the program early, including second-team all-Big West point guard Justin Bibbins, who left as a grad transfer to Utah (Arizona will see him on Jan. 4).
LBSU went from having three point guards to none, though pass-first JUCO transfer Deishuan Booker has been serviceable. They aren?t huge up front but Temidayo Yussef, a second-team all Big West can skillfully use his 265 pounds when he comes off the bench. LBSU plays with one of the faster tempos in the country. Opponents have shot 44.8 percent and averaged 81.4 points against them.
He said it
?They?re the fastest tempo team we?ve played. It?s going to really challenge our transition defense. They?re battle-tested. They play the hardest nonconference schedule in the world. ... So it?s not like they?re going to walk into here in McKale and worry about anything.? ? Coach Miller
Back to normal
One of the few bright spots for Arizona in the Bahamas was the reemergence of freshman wing Brandon Randolph, who scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half Friday against Purdue to keep the Wildcats from further embarrassment during an 89-64 loss.
Randolph scored 10 points through the first 12 minutes of the second half to put the Wildcats back in the game, hitting two straight jumpers to cut the Boilermakers? lead to 71-59 with 7:57 left.
?I feel like I?m back to my normal self,? Randolph said Tuesday, at UA?s weekly news conference. ?After the concussion we haven?t had a real live practice but I?m getting back in the rhythm and I think that last game allowed me to get my flow back. I was a little tentative, a little nervous.?
Rawle Alkins still a question mark
Rawle Alkins will be nine weeks removed from surgery to repair his broken foot Wednesday, but Miller said he still doesn?t ?completely? know when the sophomore wing will return, including whether he might be available for UA?s Dec. 5 game with unbeaten and ninth-ranked Texas A&M.
?If we were in a single-elimination NCAA Tournament, Pac-12 tournament game, he might be able to play,? Miller said Tuesday. ?But we want to be really cautious and make sure we give him time. He?s able to do things for noncontact (drills) and we?ll steadily increase that. What I would hope is sometimes in the near future he?ll be close to being able to play.?
