SB Nation - Arizona Wildcats

Arizona basketball: Aaron Gordon dunks, but he wants to be a point forward

K_Zim — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:09:40 -0000

The above is a video clip from a recent Team USA practice. It's what you see of Aaron Gordon now.

Most people see the Arizona Wildcats incoming forward as being all that and only that, but Gordon wants more. In an interview with Sporting News, Gordon tells Michael DeCourcy that the Blake Griffin comparisons are more limiting than accurate. It's to-be-determined if Gordon's insistance that he's more than an insanely athletic power forward is true.

It's not unclear in how confident and driven he is, however.

When asked what he thinks of the common comparisons of his game to that of NBA star Blake Griffin-both are big, strong and phenomenally athletic-Gordon answers, "I think, I can play point guard and he can't. "He's an incredible player; he's the No. 1 pick," Gordon said. "I can't be too mad if people are comparing me to a No. 1 pick. But I can play point guard."

Those are big words. Gordon said that he'll do whatever it takes to "thrive" at Arizona and fit with the depth of wings or big men. Whatever he is, he thinks he'll figure it out.

Is it cocky? Maybe. But it's also refreshing to hear a player commit to specific goals. This isn't the common case of a player wanting to improve in all areas. That's code for a lack of direction or even a smokescreen for laziness. Gordon doesn't spew generalizations.

"I can stand here and hit open shots all day long. What I need to do is figure out a way to get my shot in the shooting pocket quicker and smoother in the flow of the game. Once I get that, then I think I'm there."

Direction is good to have. And if Gordon moves to Tucson with Miller wanting to truly help him with those goals, all the better.

Miller told The Sports News that Gordon isn't just making this stuff up.

If Gordon makes the USA U19 squad, there's even more experience he'll bring to Tucson while playing with talents already NBA-ready such as point guard Marcus Smart. The Oklahoma State guard would've likely been a top-5 pick but pulled himself out of the draft, to most experts' surprise. Also on the list of 16 players fighting for 12 tickets to Prague are fellow Pac-12 signee Nigel Williams-Goss, who will attend Washington, Arizona recruiting target Justise Winslow and Oregon Ducks guard Damyean Dotson.

So Gordon will make a case for himself as not only a physical presence but a ballhandling big.

But in the meantime, he'll continue to embarrass guys with physics-defying dunks.

Scouting Ashley and Hollis-Jefferson

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Brandon Ashley couldn't make the initial cut for the national team.

In Draft Express' breakdown of the camp, Jonathan Givony writes that Hollis-Jefferson excelled as a defender who had the ability to stay in front of opposing point guards and hold his own against big men in the post. He struggled offensively, however. The Wildcats small forward was hampered by his inability to stretch the court and also couldn't score off the dribble.

Givony was especially critical of Ashley, whose body is undeveloped in relation to where he was a few years ago. Ashley often floated around the perimeter and without a skillset of a small forward was rendered a ghost because of it. But the biggest issue was Ashley's motor, which apparently ended up in him getting beaten on the boards.

Golden Nuggets: Athlon's Pac-12 Predictions--Cal Wins 4, Oregon Defeats ASU for Conference Championship

Berkelium97 — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:30:04 -0000

Athlon recently put together a set of 2013 Pac-12 predictions. Cal doesn't make much of a turnaround, but at least the Lobsterbacks don't win the North.

2013 Pac-12 Predictions

North Division Pac-12 Overall

1. Oregon 8-1 12-1

2. Stanford 7-2 10-2

3. Oregon State 5-4 8-4

4. Washington 4-5 7-5

5. California 3-6 4-8

6. Washington State 2-7 4-8

In case you're interested, here are the South predictions. I don't know about that 9-win prediction for USC...

South Division

1. Arizona State 6-3 8-5

2. USC 6-3 9-4

3. UCLA 5-4 8-4

4. Arizona 4-5 7-5

5. Utah 3-6 5-7

6. Colorado 1-8 3-9

At least Sark manages to win only 7 games again.

Football

Soccer

College Memories with Alex and A.J. (via U.S. Soccer)

Arizona RB Ka'Deem Carey cleared of all charges

Patrick Vint — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:05:12 -0000

Tucson prosecutors have dropped all charges against Arizona running back Ka'Deem Carey stemming from an incident on Dec. 26, according to the Associated Press. Caery had been charged with misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct following the incident, involving a dispute with his pregnant girlfriend. She alleged that Carey had pushed and shoved her, and repeatedly shut her fingers in a door, in an order of protection granted on New Year's Eve.

Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez told reporters at the time that he was aware of the situation, but has not disclosed if any disciplinary action will be taken against Carey for the fight. Rodriguez could also potentially discipline Carey over an altercation with police at an Arizona basketball game just weeks after the first incident.

As a sophomore in 2012, Carey was one of the nation's top running backs. He ran for an FBS-best 1,929 yards and set an Arizona school record with 23 touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American.

More from SB Nation:

Follow @SBNationCFB Follow @SBNRecruiting

• The Devil went to Tennessee: what’s Nick Saban doing here?

• Could adding West Virginia have fixed the ACC’s divisions?

• Roundtable: Is it time for the SEC to go to nine games?

• NCAA 14 team ratings, compared to Football Outsiders’ ratings

• National recruiting coverage

• Today’s college football news headlines

My Way Too Early NCAA Basketball Top 25

Byronkewel — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:46:06 -0000

1. Kentucky: An oblivious favorite to be No.1 in the country, the Kentucky Wildcats, headed by a great recruiting class, is my favorite to cut down the nets in April. The main reason for this ranking is their recruiting class. The class is undisputedly the No.1 in the nation that features five freshmen in the top ten of the ESPN 100. Kentucky was in this position last year and failed to live up to that ranking, though this year they find themselves with a little more returning talent. That talent includes C Willie Cauley-Stein (8.3 PPG-6.2 RPG-2.1 BPG), SF Alex Poythress (11.2 PPG-6 RPG) and PF Kyle Wiltjer (10.2 PPG-4.2 RPG)

2. Michigan State: When you return four starters to a team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen the year before, you're team is bound to be ranked high next season. That is the case for Michigan State. Both SG Gary Harris (12.9 PPG-2.5 RPG) and PF Adreian Payne (10.5 PPG-7.6 RPG) could have been drafted in this year's upcoming draft, but opted to stay another year at Michigan State, bolstering Sparty's chances at another title. This case is similar to that of NC State, both returning many starters from respective Sweet Sixteen teams, only Michigan State will stay in the top 25 because of a guy named Tom Izzo.

3. Duke: The Blue Devils lose a lot of talent on the offense end, but will quickly replace it with 2 returning starters, PG Quinn Cook (11.7 PPG-5.3 APG) and SG Rasheed Sulaimon (11.6 PPG-3.4 RPG), and a great recruiting class that features the No.2 ranked freshmen SF Jabari Parker. Mississippi State SG Rodney Hood (10.3 PPG-4.8 RPG) will help with the rebounding effort after the loss of PF Mason Plumlee. With North Carolina as the only serious threat to the Blue Devil's ACC title chase, Duke should have another comfortable stay among college basketball's elite. And besides, It's coach K: you can't bet against him.

4. Kansas: This opinion may be completely biased, but Kansas in gear for another long NCAA Tournament. Despite losing all five starters, the Jayhawks reload the No.2 recruiting class in the nation that features the No.1 freshmen in the nation SF Andrew Wiggins, who many say likens to that of Lebron James (again, probably bias talking). Wiggins will play the wing along with highly touted recruit SF Wayne Selden. Kansas' issue with Frontcourt depth has been remedied with Memphis Transfer PF Tarik Black (8.1 PPG-4.8 RPG) who will play along side PF Perry Ellis (5.8 PPG-3.9 RPG), who is expected to have a breakout sophomore year. Kansas will dominate an extremely weak Big 12 and eventually find themselves with a top seed come March.

5. Louisville: The 2013 National Champions Louisville Cardinals are in a position for a title repeat as they return top scorer SG Russ Smith (18.7 PPG-3.3 RPG), who defected back to Louisville after his father spoke of his NBA plans. The Point Guard position is the main concern for Louisville, as they lose Peyton Siva, and will likely be filled by either standout Terry Rozier or JUCO stud Chris Jones. PF Montrezl Harrell (5.7 PPG-3.6 RPG) will have to provide most of the size since C Gorgui Dieng elected to undergo his Senior year. The Cardinals "new conference" will prove to be a double-edged sword as it will provide them with many easy wins, but also lower their RPI and potentially cost them a top seed.

6. Arizona: On paper Arizona seems like a very good team, in which I believe they are, but they could go either way. Sean Miller's tenure at Arizona has been less than impressive, with just two NCAA Tournament appearances in four years. It seems as though he does less with more, after hauling in players like C Kaleb Tarczewski (6.6 PPG-6.1 RPG),SF Brandon Ashley (7.5 PPG-5.3 RPG) and PF Grant Jerrett (5.2 PPG-3.6 RPG) his Arizona team faltered down the stretch, but got a lucky draw in the Tournament by playing Harvard. With Seniors Mark Lyons and Solomon Hill now gone, the load will have to go on aforementioned sophomores, though they will get some help from PF Aaron Gordon.

7. Michigan: After an improbable Final Four run, The Michigan Wolverines have established themselves as a "basketball school" in the 21^st century. They will keep the momentum going, despite losing their top two scorers and probable first round picks in PG Trey Bruke and SG Tim Hardaway Jr., with key returnees SG Nik Stauskas (11 PPG-3 RPG), SF Glenn Robinson III (11 PPG-5.4 RPG) and C Mitch McGary (7.5 PPG-6.3 RPG). Frosh Derrick Walton will likely replace Burke at point. G/F Zak Irvin will contribute key minutes off the bench and may even find himself starting by the year's end.

8. North Carolina: North Carolina has become a regular in preseason top 25's, wether they stay there throughout the season is another story. Roy Williams coaching, combined with returning starters SG P.J. Hairston (14.6 PPG-4.3 RPG), PF James Michael McAdoo (14.4 PPG-7.3 RPG) and PG Marcus Paige (8.2 PPG-4.6 APG) and Freshmen talent C Kennedy Meeks and PF Isiah hicks should assure the Tarheels another long stay in the top 25, or preseason top 25 at least.

9. Oklahoma State: The Oklahoma State Cowboys had the best off season of any college basketball team, and they didn't even add anyone new. They kept everyone. Both PG Marcus Smart (15.4 PPG-5.8 RPG-4.2 APG) and SF Le'Bryan Nash (14 PPG-4.1 RPG) could have been drafted, but for some reason, they decided to stay for another year. This will make the Cowboys a contender in 2014 and give Kansas a run for their money, and maybe even (knock on wood) knock KU off their perch among the Big 12. The only thing holding them back would be their coach, Travis Ford, although it shouldn't be that hard to win with a NBA caliber player running the point.

10. Florida: Coming off their third straight Elite Eight appearance, the Florida Gators find themselves once again perched high among College Basketball's best. Their Lineup features veterans PG/SG Scottie Wilbekin (9.1 PPG-5 APG) and PF Patrick Young (10.1 PPG-6.3 RPG), transfers C Damontre Harris (6.8 PPG-5.5 RPG) and SF Dorian Finney-Smith (6.3 PPG-7 RPG), and rotating freshmen PF Chris Walker and PG Kasey Hill. It will be interesting to see wether Billy Donovan can get over the hump and get back to the final four for the first time since 2007. Florida has the coaching and incoming talent to do so, although that has seemed to be the case the last three years...

11. Syracuse: Syracuse Basketball: new conference, same old basketball dominance. Perhaps that is the theme of Orangemen basketball this year, as they shift from the Big East to ACC. SF C.J. Fair (14.5 PPG-7 RPG) passed up the NBA, which will keep Syracuse thick in the ACC race. Frosh PG Tyler Ennis will try to replace Michael Carter-Williams and his seven assists per game. It will be interesting to see how Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone will fare in the ACC this upcoming season. It could be enough to put Syracuse ahead of UNC or Duke.

12. Marquette: Marquette appears to be the favorite to win the "Big East" in its inaugural season without the former, football playing members. SG Vander Blue made an odd decision to enter the NBA draft, which doesn't really work out for either him or Marquette. Nevertheless the Golden Eagles bring in a great recruiting class that features PG Duante Wilson, SG Deonte Burton and SG JaJuan Johnson, all in the ESPN 100. The frontcourt brings back returning starters SF Jamil Wilson (9.7 PPG-4.9 RPG) and PF Davante Gardner (11.5 PPG-4.8 RPG) which should help lay the foundation for the incoming rookies.

13. Ohio State: Ohio State has enjoyed much of their success under Head Coach Thad Matta who will have another Buckeye team ready to compete. Ohio State bring back four starters from a year ago including possibly the best defensive point guard in Aaron Craft (10 PPG-4.6 APG). Defense doesn't show up statistically, though that is how Ohio State will next year, because they certainly won't win by their offense. SG Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (9.2 PPG-4.8 RPG) is expected to lead the Buckeye's in scoring next year. Freshmen SG Kameron Williams and SF Marc Loving should provide Ohio State with added depth on the wings.

14. Memphis: It seems as though Memphis is stuck in a cycle when it comes to the pre-season polls. For the last three years Memphis has appeared in the pre-season polls with an average ranking of about a 16, and during those three years Memphis hasn't done better than the second round. This year will be different. The Tigers bring in five freshmen ranked in the ESPN 100 including five-star PF Austin Nichols. PG Joe Jackson (13.6 PPG-4.8 APG), SG Chris Crawford (10.4 PPG-3.2 APG) and SG Geron Johnson (10.4 PPG-3.5 APG) combined with the incoming talent makes for a volatile mix that is sure to make Memphis a threat in the AAC.

15. Indiana: Indiana, the hometown favorite, should enjoy their recent success at least one more year. The Hoosiers lose their top four scorers, leaving SF Will Sheehey (9.5 PPG-3.5 RPG) and PG Yogi Ferrell (7.6 PPG-2.8 RPG) to lead a young Indiana team. Sheehey and Ferrell should get some help from incoming freshmen PF Noah Vonleh, C Luke Fischer and SF Troy Williams. Arizona State transfer SG Evan Gordon (10.1 PPG-2.9 RPG) could lead the Hoosiers in scoring next year.

16. New Mexico: The Lobos took an unexpected hit when SG Tony Snell decided to enter the 2013 NBA Draft. The Lobos also lost their head coach and former Hoosier Steve Alford to UCLA. Craig Neal was hired as the top man at New Mexico, so it will be interesting how he does, hopefully well considering there is a lot of talent left on this team. Other than those losses, New Mexico should again be competitive in the 2013-14 season. Four starters return for the Lobos including leading scorer PG Kendall Williams (13.3 PPG-4.9 APG) and C Alex Kirk (12.1 PPG-8.1 RPG-1.8 BPG), who were one of the best inside-outside combos in the MWC.

17. Tennessee: The Vols haven't been quite themselves since the days of Bruce Pearl. Head Coach Cuonzo Martin appears as though he will join the line of bad recent hires by the Vols, as he has yet to get Tennessee to the big dance. This will be the year. Tennessee returns three of their top five scorers including SG Jordan McRae (15.7 PPG-4.1 RPG) PF Jarnell Stokes (12.4 PPG-9.6 RPG). Memphis Transfer PG Antonio Barton (5.6 PPG-1.3 RPG) looks to fill the hole made by PG Trae Golden. Tennessee also gets back SF Jeronne Maymon (12.7 PPG-8.1 RPG) from injury. If Tennessee does not reach the tournament in 2014, Martin could see himself walking out the door.

18. Connecticut: UConn missed the tournament in 2013 because of poor academics on the team and they also lost their HOF Coach Jim Calhoun. Many expected UConn to fall back in 2013, but despite all the adversity, UConn remained relevant and probably would have made the tournament if it weren't for their ban. Kevin Ollie brings back a lot of talent to Storrs including PG Shabazz Napier (17.1 PPG-4.6 APG), SG Ryan Boatright (15.4 PPG-4.4 APG) and SF DeAndre Daniels (12.1 PPG-5.5 RPG).

19. Villanova: The Wildcats were a bit of a surprise during 2013, losing to Columbia early in the year and then beating the likes of Louisville, Syracuse and Georgetown down the stretch. Villanova will challenge Marquette for the Big East crown this year as they return top scorer SF JayVaughn Pinkston (13.3 PPG-5 RPG) and three other returning starters. It will be interesting to see if Nova will start out hot or not, although it doesn't really matter as they almost make it regardless of early season success.

20. UCLA: The Bruins tied with Kentucky last year for quite possibly the most disappointing team of 2013. Despite the No.1 recruiting class and frosh SF/SG Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA miserably failed pre-season expectations and got bounced by Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. UCLA figured Ben Howland was the problem so they switched him for New Mexico coach Steve Alford. Alford will have a slew of talent to work with, including SG Jordan Adams (15.3 PPG-3.8 RPG) and PF Travis Wear (10.9 PPG-5.2 RPG), that should keep UCLA relevant. Hopefully Alford won't underperform like the Bruin's last coach.

21. Virginia: Virginia was a bit of an unknown last year, just missing the NCAA Tournament and instead earning a No.1 seed in the NIT. The Cav's also beat Duke and nearly defeated Miami as well. Virginia will make themselves known this year, with the presence of SG Joe Harris (16.3 PPG-4 RPG), PF Akil Mitchell (13.1 PPG-8.9 RPG) and two other returning starters. South Carolina transfer Anthony SF Gill (7.6 PPG-4.7 RPG) adds depth to the Cavaliers frontcourt. Virginia is predicted to the the ACC's sleeper team that could win the league.

22. Baylor: For not making the tournament this year, Baylor had a pretty successful post and off season. First, Baylor won the NIT for the first time in school history over the Iowa Hawkeyes. Then after their victory, Baylor won again when NBA prospects C Isaiah Austin (13 PPG-8.3 RPG) and PF Cory Jefferson (13.3 PPG-8 RPG) declared they were returning to Waco next season. These players not only vault Baylor into the top 25, but it also gives the Bears quite possibly the best frontcourt in the Big 12.

23. VCU: A lot of people like VCU to be ranked higher than they are on this list, but I just ain't buying them. Not yet at least. The Rams return three starters, including top scorers SG Treveon Graham (15.1 PPG-5.8 RPG) and PF Juvonte Reddic (14.6 PPG-8.1 RPG). Now, I believe Shaka Smart is a good coach (trust me, after their embarrassing of Kansas in 2011, I know first hand), but it is their league situation that is holding them back. VCU RPI will be hurt when Butler, Xavier and Temple leave the Atlantic 10. Of course, this gives them more opportunity to win. At the same time, it will be hard to scout just how good VCU is, because anybody can beat Rhode Island twice a year.

24. Stanford: Stanford was in this position last year, projected to make the tournament when most of their starters returned off a great NIT team. They are nearly the same team coming off an NIT loss. There should be no reason a team who returns all five starters not to make the tournament in 2014. Stanford will probably have to fight UCLA for second best in the Pac 12 next year.

25. Wisconsin: Bo Ryan is one of the Big Ten's best coaches and usually finds a way for his Badgers to wiggle into the top 25, so we'd mine as well put them in now. Of course, this ranking is well justified as Wisconsin returns three starters and brings back SG Josh Gasser (7.6 PPG-4.2 RPG) from an injury who started a year ago. Scoring will not be the main emphasis on this Badgers team, the strong defense will be, as it usually is under Ryan.

Poll

Who Deserves to be No.1?

Arizona basketball: Sean Miller's contract extended, NBA Draft updates

K_Zim — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:42:38 -0000

Sean Miller's contract extension through the 2017-18 season was approved by the Arizona Board of Regents, according to the Arizona Daily Star's Bruce Pascoe. The deal certainly bodes well for Arizona's recruiting, and the fact that Miller supposedly avoided any negotiating by offering his deal to level out in the final years means he views his position in Tucson as a longterm deal.

Recruiting-wise, the stability gives Miller a leg up on the competition. More importantly, it means Miller really is happy with the situation in the desert and his spurning of Maryland a few years back was genuine in nature.

"When coach Miller and I sat down for our annual end-of-the-year discussion, he was very appreciative of president (Ann Weaver) Hart and my willingness to seek an extension of his contract back to five years," Byrne told the Daily Star via text message. "He requested during that discussion to keep his fifth year salary at the same level as year four."

Pascoe also added on Twitter that the monetary value of the 2017-18 season might not matter much anyway.

@dpcorona Think he just wanted recruiting edge of having five-year deal. Besides, w Final Four or title, contract may be restructured anyway
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) June 14, 2013

APR scores not hurt by transfers

Miller has had a number of transfers for an array of reasons during his tenure. Nonetheless, Pascoe notes that none of the more questionable ones have hurt the Wildcats' APR score.

NBA Draft 2013 workout tracker

Solomon Hill -- Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons

Grant Jerrett -- New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers (Future: New York Knicks)

Mark Lyons -- Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets

Josiah Turner -- Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers

Source: Hoops Hype

Momo works on his pro game

A Q&A with former Wildcats guard Momo Jones, and a NBA draft workout video.

Sun Devils vs. Wildcats: The Anatomy Of A Rivalry

Mitchell Terrell — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:47:01 -0000

Hate is defined as intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger or sense of injury.

The Territorial Cup has encompassed every bit of this unforgiving term for over a century.

While a common comparison is wins versus losses, or which university won the cup, there is 100 years of information left between the lines.

Mascot Origin

When you're two mascots representing a pair of the oldest universities in the NCAA, it's important to know how they were originated.

For ASU, the Sun Devil was not always the icon for the maroon and gold. When the Tempe Normal School existed, the student body selected the Owls for the school's initial mascot in 1889. At the beginning of the 20^th century, when Tempe Normal became the Arizona State Teachers College, the mascot was then changed to the bulldog.

It wasn't until 1946 that the university's student newspaper, The State Press, pushed for a new mascot. On November 8, 1946, the student body unanimously voted to change the mascot the Sun Devil.

Bert Anthony, a former artist for Walt Disney, was handed the duty of designing our beloved Sparky. While some speculate whether or not Anthony portrayed him as Disney or not, Sparky has encountered several adjustments to his appearance with the most recent occurring in April of 2013.

In May, Bleacher Report named Sparky one of the top 25 mascots in college football.

For UA, the wildcat was not self-attained. In 1914, a Los Angeles Times columnist stated the team fought like "wildcats", and the rest is history.

However, Wilbur the Wildcat was not the original mascot either. For years, the university kept a live bobcat named Rufus Arizona as the school's mascot.

Strangely enough, the original Rufus Arizona died in 1916 and the Arizona Wildcat reported, " ... while endeavoring to perform gymnastics stunts in the limbs of a tree to which he was tied, Rufus Arizona ... fell and was hung."

Successors of the original bobcat followed until 1959 when Wilbur was born. Just like Sparky, Wilbur has experienced several wardrobe changes and altercations, but the biggest of all was the addition of his wife, Wilma, in 1986.

Where are they now - Sun Devils vs. Wildcats

Hundreds of Sun Devil and Wildcat athletes have made the transition from the collegiate level to the pros. But how do the universities match up by the numbers?

U of A has 21 alumni currently playing in the NFL, with names like Rob Gronkowski and Lance Briggs.

But ASU wins this battle with 28 former Sun Devil football players representing the university, like Super Bowl champion Terrell Suggs, Zach Miller and Vontaze Burfict.

As one of the top programs in the country, the Wildcats boast eight current alumni in the NBA with Jason Terry, Andre Iguodala and Richard Jefferson to name a few.

ASU is only represented by two former Sun Devils, but by arguably one of the elite stars in the league in James Harden.

Harden is the only current NBA player from either university that made the all-star game this season. He also represents the USA basketball team in the Summer Olympics.

Overall, the Wildcats take the NBA by the numbers, but prestige is up for discussion.

For years, the MLB has seen more Sun Devils make it to the big show than their foes down South. While that's still the case to this day, the Wildcats have made it a close race with seven alumni in the big leagues.

ASU currently has 11 including Andre Ethier, Dustin Pedroia, Ian Kinsler, Willie Bloomquist, Ike Davis and Mike Leake.

It's easy to say the current and future legends that were former Sun Devils give MLB bragging rights to ASU.

Territorial Cup Stats

*UA leads ASU in all sports other than women's basketball, volleyball and hockey

-Football:

· ASU won last 6 of 10
· Split last 20 meetings
· UA leads overall (47-37-1)
· ASU has better bowl record (13-12-1 vs. 7-9-1) & more conference titles (17 vs. 6)

-Men's Basketball:

· UA leads series 140-74

-Baseball:

· UA leads series 226-193-1

-Softball:

· UA leads series 97-85

-Hockey:

· Won last 32 straight vs. UA (4 seasons)

Reach the reporter at msterrel@asu.edu and follow on Twitter at @ASUreporter_MT

Pac-12, Mountain West announce men's basketball officiating collaboration

Bryan Kilpatrick — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 16:33:57 -0000

The Pac-12 and Mountain West formed an officiating alliance for men's basketball games, the Pac-12 announced on Friday. Bobby Dibler, a long-time officiating coordinator for the Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences, will oversee the group of officials.

More: Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes Mountain West Connection

The news comes two months after former Pac-12 head of officials Ed Rush resigned amid allegations of targeting Arizona head coach Sean Miller during the conference's tournament in March. Rush reportedly bribed officials who were scheduled to work the Wildcats' meeting against UCLA to either assess a technical foul to Miller or eject him from the game.

The conferences plan to focus on "recruitment, training, evaluation and accountability," according to the press release. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott echoed the sentiment:

Our objective is to provide the best officiating program for our teams and student-athletes. Under this new alliance, we will be better positioned to attract top lead officials, and to achieve the greatest consistency and accountability deserving of our excellent basketball programs.

The WAC as well as the West Coast and Big West conferences, will participate in the alliance's new officiating programs.

MLB Draft 2013: Tampa Bay Rays: Johnny Field selected in fifth round

jbartel — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 19:29:45 -0000

With the 158th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Rays selected Junior outfielder Johnny Field.

The Rays made sure to list him as a second baseman though, which is not surprising at all.

Field played outfield all three years in Tucson after going to high school at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, NV.

But he definitely does not project as a big league outfielder, and it appears the Rays will be trying him out at second base.

2B! Haha atta boy @johnnyfield1 !
— Mathew Troupe (@MathewTroupe) June 7, 2013

Unlike Brandon Dixon, Johnny Field was a three-year starter for the Wildcats, winning the PAC-12 batting title in 2012, and being a Golden Spikes semifinalist in 2013. Field has been great all three years for the Wildcats, and should transition to second base very quickly.

Field will follow in the footsteps of former teammate Joey Rickard to the Rays. Rickard was drafted in the ninth round of the 2012 draft by Tampa Bay.

The Rays have a rookie league affiliate in Port Charlotte, FL as well as affiliates in the Princeton Rays and the Hudson Valley Renegades.

College Stats:

Year	Avg.	GP	GS	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SLG%	BB	HBP	SO	OB%	SB	ATT	A	E
2011	.297	52	46	175	35	52	15	5	3	32	.491	17	5	22	.368	4	6	2	3
2012	.370	65	65	257	72	95	18	7	3	44	.529	43	11	28	.476	11	19	10	2
2013	.347	55	55	222	58	77	11	7	5	39	.527	25	7	22	.424	16	22	0	3

MLB Draft 2013: Los Angeles Dodgers: Brandon Dixon selected with 92nd Overall Pick

jbartel — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:03:15 -0000

So off to the Dodgers for Brandon Dixon.

Dixon was taken in the third round by LA, 92nd overall in the 2013 MLB Draft.

So excited to see what God has in store as a Dodger#startedfromthebottom
— Brandon Dixon (@BDixon_22) June 7, 2013

This is the first time since 2008 that a Wildcat has been drafted in the first three rounds. That 2008 draft class had two first-rounders in Daniel Schlereth (No. 26 to the Arizona Diamondbacks) and Ryan Perry (No. 21 to the Detroit Tigers).

A year ago, there is no way anyone would have expected Dixon to go so high. But an off-season full of laser eye surgery and a ton of hard work turned him into the PAC-12 batting champ, finishing the year with a .369 batting average, 51 RBI, 57 runs scored and 30 stolen bases.

In 2012, he split time with Joseph Maggi at first base, hitting just .245 in 155 at-bats.

But in the College World Series, he hit a game-winning double, which seemed to have jump started his baseball career.

The Dodgers have a Rookie League affiliate in Glendale in the AZL Dodgers, but also have a short-season affiliate with the Ogden Raptors, and their Low-A affiliate is the Great Lakes Loons. As the third round pick, I would expect Dixon to start in Ogden.

College Stats:

Year	Avg.	GP	GS	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SLG%	BB	HBP	SO	OB%	SB	ATT	A	E
2011	.200	13	1	10	1	2	0	0	0	1	.200	2	0	6	.333	0	0	1	0
2012	.245	62	38	155	30	38	9	0	1	14	.323	12	7	34	.326	8	12	26	3
2013	.369	55	55	214	57	79	13	5	6	51	.561	21	12	35	.443	30	37	83	15

Golden Nugget to release early gambling lines: Oregon favored in every game

jtlight — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:43:06 -0000

It's June, and that means college football is approaching. We're getting so close that if you're in Vegas, you can now bet on college football games. The Golden Nugget is releasing 248 games at 1PM, and SBNation has them all listed here.

The first thing that jumps out? Oregon is favored in every game, including against Stanford on their Thursday Night showdown on November 7th. The Ducks open as 4-point favorites. I'll be honest, that surprised me a bit. Since the game is on the road, the rule of thumb gives Stanford an extra 3-points, which would mean Oregon would be a full touchdown favorite on an neutral field. While I think Oregon is a better team than Stanford, I was expecting the game to be a pick'em if not Stanford favored. Then again, maybe Vegas is trying to entice everyone to bet on Stanford.

Outside of that, it's about what you'd expect. Oregon is heavily favored in every game, though matchups @Washington, @Arizona, and vs. Oregon State are all less than 20 point spreads.

Below are the lines for every other game. Make sure to check out the full list, as I'm sure there are some more interesting results for Pac-12 matchups.

Saturday, September 7, 2013
OREGON -21
VIRGINIA

Saturday, September 14, 2013
TENNESSEE
OREGON -25

Saturday, September 28, 2013
CALIFORNIA
OREGON -34

Saturday, October 5, 2013
OREGON -37
COLORADO

Saturday, October 12, 2013
OREGON -14
WASHINGTON

Saturday, October 19, 2013
WASHINGTON ST.
OREGON -35½

Saturday, October 26, 2013
UCLA
OREGON -20

Thursday, November 7, 2013
OREGON -4
STANFORD

Saturday, November 16, 2013
UTAH
OREGON -28½

Saturday, November 23, 2013
OREGON -12
ARIZONA

Friday, November 29, 2013
OREGON ST.
OREGON -16

So, what do you think? Does Oregon deserve to be ranked in every game? Leave your thoughts below. GO DUCKS!

Poll

2013 Pac-12 Predictions
North Division		Pac-12	Overall
	1. Oregon	8-1	12-1
	2. Stanford	7-2	10-2
	3. Oregon State	5-4	8-4
	4. Washington	4-5	7-5
	5. California	3-6	4-8
	6. Washington State	2-7	4-8

South Division
	1. Arizona State	6-3	8-5
	2. USC	6-3	9-4
	3. UCLA	5-4	8-4
	4. Arizona	4-5	7-5
	5. Utah	3-6	5-7
	6. Colorado	1-8	3-9

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Golden Nugget to release early gambling lines: Oregon favored in every game

Should Oregon be favored in every single game?