Turns out Arizona won't be horrid next year
Posted: Sunday, June 07, 2009 9:45 PM
Filed Under:
Pac-10
Even if Arizona doesn’t land prize prep recruit Lance Stephenson, new coach Sean Miller got perhaps the best news of the springs: point guard Nic Wise is headed back to Tucson.
Wise isn’t the biggest name to return to school – that’d be either Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson or Miss State’s Jarvis Varnardo – but I’m not sure any player will be more crucial to his team’s fate in 2009-10.
Hans Deryk/Reuters |
Nic Wise
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“Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m really looking forward to my senior year,” he said. I bet. Instead of dragging the depths of the Pac-10, Arizona could be a darkhorse for next season.
When the season ended, the Wildcats lost their top three players (Wise, Jordan Hill and Chase Budinger all declared for the NBA draft) and got their fourth coach in the last four years.
Some figured Arizona would challenge Oregon and USC for the bottom rung of the Pac-10. Check that.
Budinger and Hill are still gone, but Wise’s return may have been the most important. He’s capable of running the offense and carrying the scoring load when needed. If anyone can make the transition easier for Miller’s new recruits, it’s Wise.
"We are all very excited with Nic's return," Miller told the Arizona Republic. "His talent, leadership and ability will make him one of the premier players in the Pac-10 this coming season.
Miller isn’t kidding, either.
Wise ranked among the league leaders in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw percentage, 3-pointers made, 3-point percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio and minutes played. Expect the scoring and minutes played to increase.
And expect Arizona’s streak of 25 consecutive NCAA tournaments to continue as well.
