Simon Says Lose, Cougars Arizona Guard Makes A Statement As Wildcats Run Past WSU, 100-86

One of the papers here printed comments this week from Utah basketball coach Rick Majerus, who had suggested Arizona might be a better team without junior guard Miles Simon.

The theory being that Simon’s return from academic purgatory might have thrown off the Wildcats’ rhythm, contributing to the team’s recent fall from contention for the Pacific-10 Conference championship.

Arizona, after all, was 10-2 before Simon’s return, and just 7-5 since.

The theory seemed less relevant after Thursday night, when a rejuvenated Simon teamed with Michael Dickerson in leading 15th-ranked Arizona to a 100-86 victory over Washington State before 14,372 at McKale Center.

“I would really like to thank the local media for putting a fire under Miles’ butt,” WSU coach Kevin Eastman said, leading off his postgame press conference, “because I thought he was really into the game, in terms of just body language, face, eyes - the whole boat.”

Simon scorched the Cougars for 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, in addition to grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists. He also helped limit WSU star Isaac Fontaine to five first-half points.

“Is the team better without Miles Simon?” Arizona coach Lute Olson repeated, seething at the thought of the Arizona Daily Star article, although admitting he hadn’t actually read it. “Are you kidding?

“A person has to be an absolute idiot an absolute idiot to even think that this team could be better without Miles Simon.”

While Simon and Dickerson (32 points) controlled the perimeter, forward Donnell Harris worked free for seven of Arizona’s 21 offensive rebounds.

Harris finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds not bad, considering he was in the starting lineup only because Bennett Davison had been benched for sleeping in and missing a morning class.

Center A.J. Bramlett also helped compensate, finishing with eight points, four rebounds and one blocked shot.

Statistically, Harris and Bramlett might have been offset by WSU junior forward Carlos Daniel, who scored a career-high 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Eastman thought otherwise.

“A lot of people would look at his line and say, ‘Great game,’ Eastman said, “but he only played half the floor.

“Some of it was Donnell and A.J. posting up strong, but some of it was we let them get too deep to begin with. And we can’t do that.”

Daniel grabbed six rebounds, 2.4 below his conference-leading average, and had only two rebounds in the second half.

With Fontaine struggling offensively - he would finish with just 16 points, nearly six below his average - the Cougars stayed close only as long as their supporting cast held up.

That amounted to the first 20 minutes, when freshman point guard Blake Pengelly had eight points, four assists and no turnovers.

Pengelly would play a season-high 32 minutes, in part because starter Kareem Jackson was knocked out of the game after just 27 seconds.

Jackson was struck in the cheek by an errant Bramlett elbow and spent several groggy minutes lying almost motionless on his back.

The senior eventually walked off slowly and was taken to a hospital.

His status for Saturday’s game at Arizona State was unclear, although he rejoined the team after the game.

Led by Pengelly, the Cougars trailed just 43-38 at halftime, making 6 of 12 3-pointers.

And while Fontaine found other ways to contribute, finishing with seven rebounds and six assists, the Cougars were hurt when he failed to find his offensive rhythm in the second half.

The Wildcats outscored WSU 21-11 over the first 7 minutes of the second half, capitalizing on turnovers and the Cougars’ inability to get back on defense.

(15) Arizona 100, WSU 86

Washington St. (12-15) - de la Fuente 3-8 0-0 7, Johnson 2-5 0-0 4, Daniel 10-15 6-7 26, Jackson 0-0 0-0 0, Fontaine 7-14 0-0 16, Pengelly 4-8 0-0 10, Archibald 3-4 0-2 8, Crosby 2-8 1-2 6, Slotemaker 3-7 2-4 9. Totals 34-69 9-15 86.

Arizona (18-7) - Harris 5-11 1-2 11 Dickerson 13-22 4-4 32, Bramlett 3-4 2-3 8, Bibby 3-10 0-1 6, Simon 9-14 3-3 24, Davison 2-4 1-2 5, Terry 3-7 2-2 9, Edgerson 1-3 3-6 5, Lee 0-0 0-1 0, Pastner 0-1 0-0 0, Ash 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 39-76 16-24 100.

Halftime-Arizona 43, Washington St. 38. 3-Point goals -Washington St. 9-18 (Archibald 2-2, Fontaine 2-4, Pengelly 2-5, de la Fuente 1-2, Crosby 1-2, Slotemaker 1-3), Arizona 6-18 (Simon 3-4, Dickerson 2-7, Terry 1-4, Bibby 0-3). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Washington St. 39 (de la Fuente 8), Arizona 41 (Harris 12), Assists-Washington St. 17 (Fontaine 6), Arizona 19 (Bibby, Terry 5). Total Fouls-Washington St. 20, Arizona 17. Technical-Daniel. A-14,372.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

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