Arizona Wildcats Basketball

An Arizona Wildcats cheerleader was ejected from the team's 77-70 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Thursday after going overboard while trying to rattle guard Remy Martin.

"He was yelling, using the [megaphone] to call out people by name, which is not acceptable," referee Randy McCall said of the cheerleader in question, per the Arizona Republic's Ryan Winn and Katherine Fitzgerald. "And he was asked to please stop, and he chose not to."

The cheerleader said "Not today, Remy" while the freshman was preparing to take a free throw.

McCall then ejected the cheerleader, who was escorted back to the locker room.

ESPN's Myron Medcalf highlighted a portion of the official referee handbook that states cheerleaders must refrain from taunting opposing players in an unsportsmanlike way "using musical instruments, amplified music or artificial noisemakers while the game is in progress, except timeouts and intermissions."

Perhaps the cheerleader can take some credit in the Wildcats' turnaround. Arizona trailed 50-47 when Martin was at the charity stripe with 12:08 in the second half before coming back to earn its 21st win of the season.

Arizona State became the third team to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten on Saturday with an 84-78 loss in its Pac-12 opener against Arizona.

Top-ranked Villanova and No. 10 TCU were defeated earlier in the day, putting the No. 3 Sun Devils on notice. Per ESPN Stats & Info, this is the first time in 69 years every Division I team has at least one loss before Jan. 1.

Arizona State did eventually get the deficit down to one with 7:53 remaining but missed two layups that would've given it the lead. The Wildcats immediately responded with a 12-3 run that would prove to be too much for the Sun Devils to overcome.

Deandre Ayton posted his 10th double-double of the season for Arizona. The freshman sensation scored 23 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the win. Tra Holder scored 31 points for Arizona State.

Arizona State was able to match its highest ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 by starting 12-0. That streak included victories over No. 15 Xavier and No. 2 Kansas, proving that head coach Bobby Hurley has the program moving in the right direction.

As noted by Devils Digest, a win on Saturday likely would have resulted in a bump in the rankings for Arizona State:

Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com noted coming into the game what Arizona State's resume would look like with a victory over its in-state rival:

"Obviously, at home, Arizona is favored to win. But if ASU somehow pulls off the upset the Sun Devils would enter the 2018 calendar with four top-40 KenPom victories and true road wins at Kansas and Arizona, which would double as the nation's best resume and make any talk of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament reasonable."

While Arizona State was unable to finish the job, Arizona is firmly back on track with eight straight wins since its three-game losing streak that led to a historic drop from No. 2 in the AP poll on Nov. 20 to unranked the following week.

Ayton's 19 rebounds marked a career high and contributed to enthusiastic social-media responses to his performance:

Wildcats head coach Sean Miller noted before the game he was particularly concerned about Arizona State's ability to generate fouls on offense.

"To me, the most revealing statistic they have going for them is their ability to score from the free-throw line," Miller said, via Kevin Zimmerman of Arizona Sports 98.7. "They're the furthest thing from just this small team that shoots threes. They really are efficient and they get to the foul line at the highest level."

That continued in this game, with Arizona State going 20-of-25 from the charity stripe, but it was offset by the team shooting 37.9 percent overall and 8-of-25 from three-point range.

The Sun Devils have no reason to be down after this loss. They've already built a terrific resume with excellent wins and still have 17 games remaining in the regular season, including a rematch against Arizona at home on Feb. 15.

Arizona is clearly trending in the right direction. Any concerns after a 3-3 start have been alleviated thanks to wins over Texas A&M on Dec. 5 and now Arizona State. The Wildcats could find themselves back in the Top 10 when next week's AP poll is released on the strength of this victory. 

The 2017-18 season is two weeks old, yet the second-ranked Arizona Wildcats already have two losses on their resume following a 66-60 defeat to the SMU Mustangs on Thursday at the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas.

CBS Sports' Gary Parrish put the Wildcats' start in perspective:

SMU prevailed despite shooting 31.4 percent from the field as a team. The Mustangs also hit just eight of their 22 attempts from beyond the arc.

Arizona shot itself in the foot with 20 turnovers. The Wildcats also struggled from three-point territory, going 5-of-20.

In particular, Allonzo Trier lost his shooting touch for the second straight game. While the junior guard made a solid eight of his 16 field-goal attempts, he was 3-of-9 on three-pointers. He was 0-of-5 from deep in Arizona's 90-84 loss to the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Wednesday.

Freshman forward Deandre Ayton had a big game in a losing effort, posting his fifth straight double-double (17 points, 15 rebounds).

Ben Emelogu II finished as SMU's leading scorer (20 points), while Shake Milton scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jarrey Foster's performance shouldn't go overlooked either, as the junior guard did a little bit of everything. Foster had six points, six boards, five assists, two steals and four blocks.

Although the season is still young, Thursday's win could be big for SMU when it comes time to fill out the 68-team field for the NCAA tournament. Assuming the Mustangs are in a position to claim a tourney bid and didn't win the AAC tournament, a victory over the Wildcats could look impressive to the selection committee.

For Arizona, it will be important not to panic after dropping two games in a row. CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein provided a reason for the Wildcats to remain optimistic about the rest of the year:

Arizona closes out the Battle 4 Atlantis with a game against the No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers, who themselves have had a poor showing in the Bahamas:

Beating Purdue wouldn't make fans forget about the defeats to NC State and SMU, but the Wildcats could at least end the tournament on a high note. Arizona also has a pair of Top 25 matchups ahead in December when it plays the No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies and No. 25 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Still, head coach Sean Miller's critics have grown frustrated with the Wildcats' inability to reach the Final Four despite boasting plenty of talent recently. Expectations have never been higher in the Miller era, and a 3-2 start will only embolden those who argue he isn't the coach who can deliver a second national championship to the program.

The Arizona Wildcats announced Friday that they have suspended assistant basketball coach Mark Phelps five days without pay for an unspecified violation of NCAA rules. 

According to ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman, the suspension is unrelated to the FBI probe into corruption and bribery in college basketball that resulted in the federal indictment of former Wildcats assistant Emanuel "Book" Richardson. 

The Tucson Star's Zack Rosenblatt added senior forward Keanu Pinder has been suspended for Friday's season opener against Northern Arizona after he violated NCAA rules. 

Pinder, who transferred before the 2016-17 season from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, didn't have a particularly big role during his first year with the Wildcats. 

In 12.0 minutes per game, Pinder averaged 2.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks and shot 52.8 percent from the field. 

However, he was rather stout against opposing bigs and posted a team-best defensive rating of 94.0 over 421 minutes. 

Pinder is scheduled to be back with the team for Sunday's game against the UMBC Retrievers. 

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com. 

5-star point guard Jahvon Quinerly announced he is reopening his commitment amid an FBI probe into Arizona's basketball program Thursday:

Thank you! pic.twitter.com/PsKlU9IhUl

— Jahvon Quinerly (@RealJahvonQ) October 20, 2017

Quinerly, who stars at Hudson Catholic in New Jersey, is 247 Sports' No. 19 overall prospect in the 2018 class. He's the fifth-ranked point guard in his class and third-best player in the state of New Jersey. 

A recruit matching Quinerly's description is named in the FBI report as having accepted $15,000 from Richardson. Quinerly declined to confirm or deny whether he or his family accepted any money.

Arizona coach Sean Miller recently spoke with Quinerly and expressed disappointment with the situation. 

"He was upset as well," Quinerly said. "We had a brief conversation, and it was about just me becoming the best player I can be for this high school season and being ready for the next level."

De-committing to Arizona may be a formality before a full investigation into Quinerly's eligibility is launched. If he's found to have taken money from any NCAA-related personnel, it's possible he may never play college basketball.

Jahvon Quinerly, a point guard in the 2018 recruiting class committed to the University of Arizona, and his family has hired a lawyer amid the FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball. 

Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Quinerly hasn't been contacted by federal authorities and wasn't specifically named in documents filed by the FBI, but he was recruited by an Arizona assistant, Emanuel Richardson, who was arrested for his suspected role in the corruption and bribery scheme. 

Borzello noted the FBI documents in the case alleged "a $15,000 bribe from Richardson to Player-5, who 'verbally committed to attending' Arizona 'on or about August 9, 2017.'" It was then noted Quinerly committed to Arizona on August 8.

The 18-year-old told Borzello he had "no comment" when asked if he accepted money. 

A total of 10 people were among those charged in the FBI findings of corruption and bribery in college basketball. Richardson, Oklahoma State assistant Lamont Evans, Auburn assistant Chuck Person and USC assistant Tony Bland were among the college basketball coaches implicated in the case. 

If Quinerly is found to have accepted a bribe from Richardson, Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star noted he could be suspended for all or part of his freshman season at Arizona. 

Quinerly is one of the nation's best 2018 recruits. He's a 5-star prospect who is ranked as the No. 5 point guard recruit and No. 19 overall, per 247Sports. 

University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins released a statement Wednesday announcing the school intends to dismiss assistant basketball coach Emanuel "Book" Richardson after he was the focus of an FBI probe into fraud and corruption in college basketball, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman.

"The University of Arizona expects everyone who is part of our campus community to adhere to the highest ethical standards of behavior," Robbins said, per the Arizona Daily Star.

Arizona Board of Regents chair Bill Ridenour also commented: "Basketball is a beloved sport at the University of Arizona and throughout Arizona. Such illegal—and unethical—behavior is harmful to those we are most committed to serve and educate—the students. It also violates the spirit and purpose of collegiate sport and its essential construct—the student athlete."

According to ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach, Richardson is one of four assistant coaches who faces a slew of fraud and corruption charges after the United States Attorney's Office announced the findings of a three-year investigation Tuesday that showed coaches were "being paid tens of thousands of dollars to steer NBA-bound players toward sports agents, financial advisers and apparel companies."

Richardson—who was arrested Tuesday and released on $50,000 bond—allegedly accepted $20,000 in bribes, a portion of which was used to pay a prospective recruit, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Richardson now reportedly faces up to 60 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1.5 million.

Arizona guard Rawle Alkins will miss at least two months after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his foot.

Jeff Borzello of ESPN received the announcement from the Wildcats.

Alkins, who is entering his sophomore season, averaged 10.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game in 2016-17. He was penciled in as part of Arizona's starting backcourt. 247Sports 5-star recruit Emmanuel Akot may wind up getting the first look at replacing Alkins in the lineup.

An unfortunate blow for Arizona's early-season hopes, Alkins' injury will also leave him with an uphill battle in trying to improve his draft stock. He entered his name in the 2017 draft and attended the combine but withdrew before signing with an agent and forgoing his eligibility.

A strong sophomore campaign could have put Alkins in late first-round/early second-round consideration. As it stands now, he'll be spending at least the first two months of the season on the shelf and possibly longer, then he'll have to work his way back into a rhythm on the floor.

Jahvon Quinerly will be the next face of Arizona's backcourt after the class of 2018 floor general committed to the Wildcats over Villanova on Tuesday.  

The 5-star point guard made his decision official on ESPNU's broadcast of Stephen Curry's Under Armour SC30 Select Showcase at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco. 

Quinerly developed into one of the nation's most heralded prospects at Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, and his standing among his peers reflects just how electric he has become. 

As things stand, Quinerly is Scout.com's 20th-ranked prospect and sixth-ranked point guard among all 2018 recruits. He's also the No. 2 floor general in the East region and the top-rated player at his position in New Jersey. 

The first thing that jumps out about Quinerly is how smooth he is around the rim. Although he isn't a physically imposing ball-handler (6'0'', 170 lbs), he can dart to the basket with ease and finish from seemingly every angle with either hand. Quinerly has also flashed tremendous body control and an ability to contort himself up and around would-be shot-blockers as a way to convert point-blank opportunities. 

Combine those traits with a seamless ability to change speeds in the half court, and Quinerly has a package of moves that allows him to keep defenders guessing every time he brings the ball down the floor. 

That playmaking proficiency should immediately propel Quinerly into a prominent role with the Wildcats, who have majorly bolstered their talent stockpile during the 2018 recruiting cycle. 

In addition to netting a commitment from Quinerly, the Wildcats were able to land 4-star combo-guard Brandon Williams and 4-star power forward Shareef O'Neal—the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal. 

With those three locked up, head coach Sean Miller can feel confident about the future of his program as the Wildcats continue to eye their first national championship since 1997.  

Recruit information courtesy of Scout.com. 

University of Arizona president Dr. Robert Robbins made it clear he's going to do everything in his power to keep Wildcats head basketball coach Sean Miller away from Ohio State University following Thad Matta's exit from the Buckeyes.  

On Tuesday, Anne Ryman of the Arizona Republic passed along comments from Robbins, who was confident in the school's ability to keep its coveted coach.

"The Ohio State University is great university, but they are not going to get Coach Miller," he said. "They will have to come over me to get him, as the saying goes, over my dead body."

Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated listed Miller among OSU's potential coaching targets:

The speculation didn't come as a surprise. The Buckeyes' job should attract plenty of attention and the 48-year-old leader of the Wildcats program is one of the most well-respected coaches in the country.

Robbins told Ryman he believes Miller is "a great mentor, teaching his players the lessons of life. Even those who are going to be stars in the NBA, they are going to have to have a life after basketball."

"I just think he is a quality guy," the Arizona president added. "I will do everything in my power to try to convince him to stay."

Miller, who joined the Wildcats in 2009 after a successful five-year run at Xavier, has posted a 220-66 record across eight seasons with the Pac-12 school. He's guided the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including each of the past five editions of March Madness.

Convincing him to leave Arizona might be tougher now than ever before

The Wildcats are viewed as one of the top contenders heading into the 2017-18 campaign. Ryan Fagan of Sporting News listed them as the No. 1 team thanks to their top-notch "mix of returning talent and impact newcomers."

That promising outlook should give Robbins and the rest of the Arizona brass some serious bargaining power if Ohio State does make a strong push to lure Miller away in the coming weeks.