LAS VEGAS – The top four seeds in the Pac-12 tournament all advanced to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament Thursday. Top-seeded Oregon (26-6) and No. 4 seed Arizona (25-7) will tip off at 6:15 p.m. on the Pac-12 Networks. That game will be followed by No. 2 seed Utah facing No. 3 California at 8:45 p.m.
The last time Oregon played Arizona on Jan. 28, Oregon snapped Arizona’s nation-best 49-game home winning streak at the McKale Center.
When the two collide again tonight, the chance for another high caliber game will be high.
“Well, it will be a difficult task,” Dana Altman said. “They’re very well coached. They’re very talented. But our guys, we did a good job when we went down there. I did tell them if we do have that opportunity, we’ll only have 12,000 fans this time instead of 15, 16.”
Following an uncharacteristic outing in the turnover department against Washington in Thursday‘s second round matchup — recorded 14 turnovers to nine assists — Oregon will look to slow the game down and limit its unforced mistakes.
“Make easy plays,” was the message in the Oregon locker room according to Casey Benson. “Just got to slow the game down, relax, not get going too fast.”
As always, defense and rebounding will be the emphasis.
“We rebounded the ball really well (against Washington) and we got to continue to do that,” Benson said. “That’s key: limit them to one shot and get out in transition. Defending and rebounding is our formula. It’s not going to change.”
Arizona can relate to leaving dissatisfied with its win. Coming off a too-close-for-comfort 82-78 win over Colorado, Miller chose to focus on his team’s dismal second half rather than advancing to the next round.
“My message was very singular at halftime: This year in our best and worst moments, we’ve been a one-half team … if you hold our team to the standards of the past at Arizona or you look at us as competing for this tournament’s championship, we’re not going to be able to advance and be the same team that we’ve been,” Miller said.
The standouts for both teams in the second round were: Alonso Trier (23 points), Ryan Anderson (17 points, 11 rebounds), Chris Boucher (19 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks) and Elgin Cook (19 points).
Oregon comes in riding a six-game winning streak. Arizona enters having won its last three games.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim