No. 5 Jingle Bell Rock
Who wouldn’t love hearing everybody’s favorite Christmas carol? Arizona fans were treated to just that as the Arizona men’s basketball team released its famous video wishing fans happy holidays. The most memorable moment of the performance would have to be Ray Smith, who used his squeaky high voice when singing. The players struggled to remember the words throughout and had a difficult time with pitch to say the least.
No. 4 Arizona women’s basketball tops then-No. 21 California
Behind an impressive second half performance, the Wildcats earned their first Pac-12 Conference victory of the season, after dropping their first Pac-12 game against Stanford. The victory marked Arizona’s first over the Golden Bears since 2006. Free throws were the biggest difference as Arizona shot 13 of 14 from the charity stripe.
No. 3 GymCats dab their way to No. 10
Arizona gymnastics defeated the Michigan State Spartans on Friday and rose all the way up to No. 10 in the Division I collegiate rankings. Nevertheless, the Wildcats also managed to break McKale Center gymnastics attendance history along the way. Skyler Sheppard and Lauryn Mattson, who made their collegiate debut for Arizona, impressed with first place finishes on the balance beam and vault, respectively. The biggest moment of the night, however, came from sophomore Kennady Schneider, who self-choreographed her routine on floor. Schneider’s final move was the popular “dab” dance, which managed to go viral online.
No. 2 Wildcats hold off Lobos in Gildan New Mexico Bowl & say goodbye Scooby
Despite Arizona notching another bowl victory over New Mexico 45-37 on one of the first days of winter break, the team may have lost more than it won. Scooby Wright III declared for the NFL draft immediately following the game. A few days later, Cayleb Jones also declared for the NFL draft on Twitter. Both had spectacular games against New Mexico with Jones notching 182 yards receiving, while Wright had 15 total tackles. With the victory, the Wildcats were able to come together as a team and prove to their head coach why the UA is the right fit.
No. 1 Arizona men’s basketball drops two straight on Los Angeles road trip
It’s been a while since the Wildcats lost two games in a row, especially on a road series. In fact, the last time the Wildcats lost two straight on the road was in 2013 to the same teams; but it had to happen eventually. The Wildcats fell in heartbreaking fashion to UCLA on a last second 3-pointer from Bryce Alford and then in a four-overtime affair to USC. To add more news, UA freshman guard Allonzo Trier is out for four to six weeks with a broken right hand. With Elliott Pitts out for unknown personal reasons, it’s tough to see who will be able to replace Trier right off the bat.