[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]
San Jose State at #19 Arizona: Game Preview, TV & Radio Schedule, Live Streaming, Odds, More
The Spartans face an uphill battle against the Wildcats
Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire
SJSU aiming for second road upset
WHO: San Jose State (1-1, 0-0 MWC) at #19 Arizona (2-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
WHEN: Thursday, November 14th — 6:00 P.M. MT / 5:00 P.M. PT
WHERE: McKale Center, Tucson, AZ
TV: Pac-12 Network
STREAM: Pac-12 Network (cable subscription required); Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.
RADIO: TuneIn
SERIES RECORD: Arizona leads the series, 10-4
ODDS: Arizona -28, per KenPom
PREVIEW: The Wildcats will be heavy favorites when they take on San Jose State for the first time since 1984. Arizona comes into the game looking good after dispatching Illinois on Sunday, but they aren’t the only one with an impressive early win.
The Spartans turned some heads in their season opener when they traveled to Long Island and took down Hofstra. Heralded JUCO transfer Richard Washington was as advertised, scoring 23 points off the bench in his debut. Returning starters Craig LeCesne, Seneca Knight, and Brae Ivey also scored in double digits against the Pride.
But the home opener this past Sunday quickly went sour as Portland came into town and walked out with a relatively easy 72-57 win. Only Washington made it into double figures, with the team collectively shooting under 40% from the field in the loss.
Arizona, on the other hand, has the early look of a national contender after their first two games. They made quick work of Northern Arizona in their opening game. Wildcats assistant head coach Jack Murphy spent seven seasons as the head coach of the Lumberjacks, only to face them in his first game at his new post in Tucson.
Arizona Freshman Nico Mannion!
23 PTS (9-15 FG)
9 AST
4 REB
2 STL(Via @CourtsideFilms) pic.twitter.com/ZRSBkDoSLg
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 11, 2019
The Wildcats boast a trio of freshmen that are trying to make their mark on a program with a lot of history. Nico Mannion, Josh Green, and Zeke Nnaji have been spectacular so far, averaging a combined 50.5 points per game. Mannion was particularly good against Illinois, finishing with 23 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
But Arizona can also draw on a lot of experience, both from players who have come up through this program, or through transfers who have had success elsewhere. Chase Jeter, Dylan Smith, and Ira Lee were all around last year, while Max Hazzard, Jemarl Baker, and Stone Gettings all transferred in to provide depth for Sean Miller.
While the Wildcats will surely dazzle on offense, their defense has been stellar as well. Arizona registered 14 steals against the Illini, who committed 22 total turnovers in the game. San Jose State will have to take better care of the ball than Illinois did if they want to stay close.
This is the first—and toughest—of four games for the Spartans against Pac-12 opponents this season. San Jose State will also take on Oregon State, UCLA, and Stanford during non-conference play.
Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]