Kyryl Natyazhko News

If Arizona's streak of 25 straight tournament appearances is to continue, they will need a big man to step up.

Horne and Lavender gonig hard on defense. AP Photo A week after suffering an 84-72 loss to Vanderbilt at the Maui Invitational, Arizona hosts undefeated UNLV tonight at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on Fox Sports Network.

G Nic Wise G Solomon Hill G Brendon Lavender F Jamelle Horne , F Derrick Williams UNLV G Tre'Von Willis G Oscar Bellfield G Derrick Jasper G/F Chace Stanback F/C Brice Massamba By the numbers 83Points per game UNLV has averaged in five wins this season.

Coach Sean Miller says the Wildcats need to be better on defense. A good example of that was when Nic Wise and Jamelle Horne teamed up on Vanderbilt's Andre Walker in the Maui Invitational on Wednesday.

Arizona's five freshmen weren't the only ones learning from the Maui Invitational experience.

The Maui Invitational record book will suggest Arizona had its worst effort in 2009.

Monday night's UA vs. Wisconsin men's basketball game ended past midnight Tucson time.

The past few years have been a rough ride for Arizona men's basketball fans. From the lackluster last few years of the Lute Olson era, to the disastrous scream-and-fuss Kevin O'Neal era, to the overmatched-but-has-a-heart Russ Pennell era, Arizona had become a program of reputation and some talent, but nowhere near the dominance of old.

G Nic Wise G Solomon Hill G Brendon Lavender F Jamelle Horne , F Derrick Williams Gonzaga G Demetri Goodson G Matt Bouldin G Steven Gray F Elias Harris C Robert Sacre 91Percentage of games UA has won when scoring 80 or more points, since the beginning of the 1997-98 season, counting its 87-70 win in the season opener.

The thing Nic Wise said he was looking forward to most this season is next, and the Maui Invitational's attractions are obvious: tropical weather, sandy beaches, strong competition and resume-building exposure via the ESPN networks.

The lasting image of Derrick Williams' first college start undoubtedly came with 16 minutes left in Thursday's game.

Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy analyzes what Thursday's buzz means to college basketball.

Doug Haller's blog appears on azcentral.com. He covers ASU basketball & the Pac-10 for The Arizona Republic.

The Wildcats won 74-57 last season but beat NAU by only single digits in 2005-06 and 2007-08. a NAU overview: After three straight seasons of Big Sky title contention, the Lumberjacks slipped dramatically to 8-19 overall last season and are picked to finish seventh this season.

Therea s still no word on what Ray McCallum is exactly thinking these days. But based on Sean Millera s comments today, McCallum probably isna t going to sign an LOI with the Wildcats this fall.

Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller may get only one signee this fall, but it's a critical one.

Once he started coaching Sean Miller as a freshman at Pittsburgh, Mark Coleman could see the point guard's future.

The Arizona men's basketball team had little trouble with visiting Division II Augustana College in UA head coach Sean Miller's debut game with an exhibition opening victory, 92-76, Wednesday night in McKale Center.

For months now, Sean Miller has been warning Arizona basketball fans that the Wildcats will be athletic and talented but also young and vulnerable.

We've been wondering all off-season: How will the UA pep band greet Sean Miller? Turns out, it's the same way they greeted Lute Olson: With a hello.