Tommy Lloyd's No. 17 Wildcats will look to keep the momentum moving in the right direction as they get ready to host their second home game of the season against the Southern Jaguars on Friday.
Arizona (1-0) will play in its second ever game with Southern (0-1). The last time the two teams played, the Wildcats won 69-43 during the 2013-12 season.
Game info
Who: No. 17 Arizona (1-0) vs. Southern (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. (MST)
Where: McKale Center | Tucson, Arizona
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Last Meeting: 69-43 Arizona win (Dec. 19, 2013)
All-time series: Arizona leads 1-0
Odds: Arizona (-27), O/U: 156
Southern snapshot
Head coach: Sean Woods (5th season at Southern: (49-66, 39-29 Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Preseason SWAC prediction: 3rd place (two first-place votes)
Last game: Southern fell to UNLV 66-56 in it season opener in Las Vegas
Matchup rundown
Arizona’s last game against Southern came when the Wildcats were 12-0 and the No. 1 team in the country, blowing the Jaguars out on Dec. 19 2013, led by current Denver Nuggets' forward Aaron Gordon, who had 21 points in the team’s 69-43 win.
The Jaguars lost in the first round of the SWAC conference tournament against Grambling 60-58. Southern will have six returning contributors from last season and bring in seven new faces to this year’s team. Key returners will include last season's leading scorer in senior Tyrone Lyons, who averaged 13.7 points and five rebounds per contest and Brion Whitley averaging 11.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Players to watch for on the Jaguars will be preseason All-SWAC first-team selection guard Bryson Etienne, who scored 25 points on 50% FG last game in the team's loss against UNLV. Lyons could also pose a threat to the Wildcats with his wide frame and efficient scoring ability.
Expected to make a difference for the Wildcats in their second regular season game of the season will be Pelle Larsson, who recorded a double-double by scoring 16 points and hauling in 10 rebounds. Plus, Larsson is poised to bring a defensive tenacity to the floor against the Jags.
Adama Bal and Cedric Henderson Jr. will once again be players to look out for as well, filling in for the role of the suspended guard Courtney Ramey, bringing versatility and length around the perimeter that is hard to stop in transition.
Arizona will host its second home game of the season against the Jaguars with a tip-off set for 7 p.m. (MST) and will air on Pac-12 networks.
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