Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Is Sean Miller concerned about Arizona’s perimeter game?

Sean Miller

Arizona head coach Sean Miller speaks during a news conference after practice for a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Friday, March 22, 2013, in Salt Lake City. Arizona is scheduled to play Harvard on Saturday. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

AP

Arizona is a sure bet to begin the season ranked in the Top 10, and may even crack the Top 5. They have one of the top recruits in the country in Aaron Gordon who will make his presence immediately felt. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be one of the top freshmen in the country next year, alongside Gordon. T.J. McConnell, a transfer from Duquesne who sat out last season, will be the starting point guard.

What is there for Sean Miller to be concerned about?

Coaches always find something that has them worried; it’s seemingly in their DNA for this to happen. For Sean Miller, Arizona’s perimeter game may be an area that has him a little uneasy heading into the 2013-14 season -- a season in which much is expected of the Wildcats. The three point shot was a big part of Arizona’s offense last season as they attempted 675 threes (56th in the country), and connected on 37.1% of their attempted (45th in the country).

With graduation claiming Mark Lyons, Solomon Hill, and Kevin Parrom, plus Grant Jerrett leaving for the NBA after his freshman year, Arizona is without four of their top perimeter threats. Only rising junior guard Nick Johnson is a proven perimeter threat from last year’s squad. However, McConnell is a solid three point shooter as he connected on 43.2% of his attempts at Duquesne in 2011-12.

Miller told the Daily Wildcat, “I don’t think there’s a college basketball program of the 347 that have shot more basketballs than we have this summer.”

Now, Miller’s comment can be interpreted one of two ways: 1) The three point shot will remain a big part of Arizona’s offense, and the fact they have put up so many shots over the summer reaffirms that. Or, 2) Having lost four perimeter threats from last year’s team, Miller has deemed it important that other players emerge to fill these roles.

According to Miller, rising sophomore forward Brandon Ashley’s shot has improved.

While Gordon and Hollis-Jefferson are poised to have a huge freshmen seasons, they are both streaky shooters that won’t be relied on to hit the outside shot.

That leaves rising senior guard Jordin Mayes as a player Miller may look to as a source for outside scoring. As a freshman, Mayes was one of Arizona’s best three point shooters (45.3%), but last year he shot just 30.8% from beyond the arc. Along with Mayes, Gabe York will most likely see additional minutes in the back court as a shooting guard. Ranked as one of the top shooters in the country for the class of 2012 recruiting class, York saw minutes sparingly last season.

Am I nitpicking by scrutinizing Arizona’s perimeter game? Probably. But, so too is Sean Miller.

Follow @KLDoyle11