Allen's availability in question as No. 5 Arizona visits Washington
No. 5 Arizona might have to try to stop the potential top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft without its top perimeter defender.
The Wildcats beat Washington State 78-59 on Thursday night without guard Kadeem Allen, who sustained a dislocated finger in practice this week, with the injury also requiring several stitches. Coach Sean Miller has called him perhaps the best defender he's had in eight seasons at Arizona.
"Kadeem could play on Saturday," Miller said after beating the Cougars, adding that it was very much a wait-and-see situation.
Arizona (24-3, 13-1 Pac-12) plays at struggling Washington (9-17, 2-12), although the Huskies did get back star freshman point guard Markelle Fultz on Thursday night after he missed two games because of a knee injury. Fultz scored 19 points in an 83-81 loss to Arizona State as his half-court heave at the buzzer went off the front of the rim.
Allen was part of a solid defensive effort when the teams met in Tucson. Fultz, the Pac-12's leading scorer at 23.0 points per game, was 8 of 23 from the field against Arizona on Jan. 29, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. The Wildcats won 77-66.
Fultz played 30 minutes Thursday night, somewhat limited because of the knee. He averages 35.6 minutes per game.
"A huge lift," Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said of having him back. "Just his presence. He scored; he's a little rusty from not playing, not practicing, but he made plays for us, like he's done all year."
Arizona replaced Allen in the lineup with point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, a junior who scored a career-high 20 points against Washington State. But, at 5-foot-11, he's not the tough, physical defender that Allen has become.
There are additional roster questions for each team in the frontcourt.
Washington shot-blocking big man Malik Dime has missed 11 games because of a finger injury/suspension. He was suspended indefinitely after he slapped two Colorado students in an away game on Feb. 9.
Asked Thursday night if Dime will play against Arizona, Romar said, "We'll determine it Saturday."
In addition to being without Allen on Thursday, Arizona played the final 24 minutes without starting center Dusan Ristic, who suffered a sprained left ankle. Miller said "it doesn't look like a bad sprain" but couldn't say what Ristic's availability would be for the Washington game.
"The good news is we didn't play him at all in the second half," Miller said. "If we would have, I think it would have really hurt him."
More good news for Arizona is that freshman forward Lauri Markkanen returned to form Thursday night, recording 19 points and 11 rebounds after four consecutive games with single-digit points. He is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game and shooting 46.5 percent (59 of 127) on 3-point attempts.
He was much more intent on working around the basket against Washington State, hitting 6 of 9 shots from 2-point range.
"We've been on him to impose his size around the basket," Miller said.
Arizona, which enters Saturday with a one-game lead on Oregon for the Pac-12 lead, has five players averaging double-digit points -- including guard Allonzo Trier (13.0) and wing Rawle Alkins (11.6).
Washington enters the game on an eight-game losing streak. The Wildcats have won seven consecutive games against the Huskies.