HOT
The Arizona hockey team was selected to participate in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I National Championships, its first appearance since the 2005-06 season. Arizona was selected as the 15th seed and is scheduled to play the No. 18 seed, Illinois.
Arizona softball is 9-0 after sweeping every opponent in the Hillenbrand Invitational: Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Tennessee State and then No. 4 Alabama. Arizona beat the Crimson Tide twice, including one by the mercy rule, the Wildcats’ first run rule over a top-10 team in four years.
Arizona’s baseball team won its first series of the season for the 20th consecutive season. The Wildcats faced Kent State during the weekend and was able to win Sunday game to close and win the series.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named senior distance runner Lawi Lalang Men’s National Athlete of the Week. Lalang has had a record-breaking performance for three straight years at the NYRR Millrose Games at The Armory in New York, N.Y. Arizona track and field associate head coach James Li said he is proud of Lalang.
NOT
Pac-12 and Atlantic Coast Conference officials admitted their errors a little too late. Pac-12 officials said that ASU’s Jahii Carson should have received a technical foul for hanging on the rim during the Sun Devils’ upset of Arizona on Friday. Then on Saturday during the Maryland-Duke game, the officials didn’t call a jump ball, allowing Duke to receive consecutive possessions.
The Arizona basketball team has been struggling offensively. During the last game the Wildcats played against ASU, junior guard T.J. McConnell had six turnovers while Arizona shot 35.9 percent overall and ASU shot 40 percent.
The Arizona women’s basketball team is at the bottom of the Pac-12 conference after winning only one conference game. Arizona defeated ASU on Feb. 9 and has not won another conference game.
The NCAA says they have no problem with attendance numbers for college football games. However, athletic directors and marketers are concerned with the way numbers are dropping when it comes to students attending the games. ESPN reporter Darren Rovell used Arizona’s student section being empty during the first half of the UA’s upset against Oregon on Nov. 23 as an example.
—Follow Rose Aly Valenzuela @RoseAlyVal
