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(DAILY_WILDCAT)

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By Joel Flom
Arizona Daily Wildcat
December 5, 1997

Men need to work out kinks before Texas tomorrow


[Picture]

Katherine K. Gardiner
Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA junior center A.J. Bramlett currently averages nine rebounds a game, a team high. Head coach Lute Olson has listed team rebounding as his top concern leading up to tomorrow night's game with Texas in Austin.


After playing in three different cities - Maui, Tucson, and Chicago - in a span of eight days, the Arizona basketball team was given a chance to do something they have not been able to do in a long time, practice.

The team practiced yesterday and get another session today after returning from the 90-87 loss to Kansas at the Great Eight Tournament on Tuesday.

However, that is all the time Arizona (4-2) gets before tomorrow night's game against Texas in Austin. Play begins at 7:06 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN.

"We know very clearly what we need to work on in practice situations, the problem is that we have not had any practices," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said.

Olson said he thinks he has a good idea what has ailed the Wildcats in their two losses this season.

"Today will be the first day that we will really be able to attack some of the weaknesses that have been detected," Olson said. "Those, very obviously, are rebounding and, looking at the tapes, it is more of the perimeter guys than the interior guys. We are not getting consistent screen outs, and they are not getting involved on the boards."

Getting involved in the paint, however, has not been a problem for senior forward Michael Dickerson.

"One guy that has been consistent is Michael Dickerson," Olson said. "But we have been totally inconsistent at the other spots."

Dickerson has 29 rebounds on the year, 13 of which have been offensive. Dickerson is also averaging 16 points a game to go along with his 4.8 rebounds. Junior center A.J. Bramlett leads all Wildcats with nine boards a game.

Along with rebounds, reworking the press is high on the coaches' to-do list.

"Those are things that we could not envision until we were in some game situations," Olson said. "We are ready to make some adjustments. They are not major problems, but will give us more consistent pressure the we have had before."

Leading the Longhorns' offensive charge so far this year has been junior forward Kris Clack, who has averaged a team-high 17.5 points a game and 6.0 rebounds.

Strong off the bench for Texas has been senior guard Brandy Perryman, a three-point specialist.

"I remember last year he hit one from the cactus," said Olson about the Arizona logo on the McKale floor. "Its was like a 30-foot shot, but he shot it like it was a 10-foot shot."


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