ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 2 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
5. Arizona Wildcats
Two games into Arizona’s non-conference schedule, the numerous questions and inquiries around the team still surround head coach Sean Miller and his team’s every move.
What is the state of the team in the wake of a federal investigation? Who will step up in absence of No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft Deandre Ayton? How long will Miller remain coach?
After a first-round exit from the NCAA tournament at the hands of Buffalo, the team lost five key players (Ayton, Allonzo Trier, Rawle Alkins, Dusan Ristic, and Parker Jackson-Cartwright) all of whom have gone on to play professionally in some capacity.
Following victories over Houston Baptist and Cal Poly to begin the year, the identity of Miller’s team is another question to mull over.
Center Chase Jeter has filled the shoes of Ayton to a degree, averaging 13.5 points and eight rebounds per game as the team’s primary option out of the low post.
In addition to Jeter, a Duke transfer who simply needed additional time to develop, other key contributors for Miller are four sophomores, guards Emmanuel Akot, Alex Barcello and Brandon Randolph as well as forward Ira Lee, who all required an extra offseason to adjust to the college game, taking on bigger roles after the bevy of departures.
Randolph has had the biggest impact for the team scoring 35 total points in two games while remaining sophomores are likely to be impactful for the team during their biggest early-season test in Maui.
After a matchup with UTEP on Wednesday, the team will head to the Maui Jim Maui Invitational to take on Iowa State followed by two undetermined opponents.