Chris Coduto/Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore guard Jawann McClellan raises up to deflect a shot from Oregon State’s J.S. Nash last spring. McClellan is slated to return against Oregon State tomorrow after missing the first 14 games of the season for academic reasons.

Sophomore expected to rejoin team against Beavers tomorrow

This week marks the long-awaited return of one of the Arizona men’s basketball team’s top performers from a season ago.

The Wildcats have a 3-1 record in Pac-10 play, a mark Olson said he is happy with during the absence of sophomore guard Jawann McClellan, who was suspended from the first 14 games of the season for academic eligibility.

“We played the four (conference) games without one of our best players,” Olson said. “I think going into it, we would probably have said that if we can get through the first two weeks without Jawann and be 3-1, we would have been willing to take that.”

Pending a passing grade in a winter session class, McClellan will be back tomorrow against Oregon State, although he is unlikely to start, Olson said.

“It won’t affect the starting lineup,” Olson said. “He’ll be coming off the bench until he’s game-ready, but it will give us another experienced player.”

Olson says that with McClellan in the lineup and the continued defensive pressure this team is bringing to the court, this year’s team could be better than last year’s Elite Eight group.

“This is our best defensive team,” Olson said. “With Jawann coming back and with the ability to hit the shots, I’ve said this and people have thought I was crazy, but by February we would be a better team than we were last year at this time.”

McClellan was the only freshman to play in all 37 of Arizona’s games last season, averaging 5.8 points, three rebounds, and 15.5 minutes per game.

Information taken from a press release on www.arizonaathletics.com.