LOS ANGELES – Sean Miller headed to practice Friday with a smile on his face that could barely hide a conflict of emotions inside.
Maybe that’s because one of them stems from the core of his coaching philosophy.
Defense, the rock that helped carry the Wildcats to so many highs over the previous three seasons, has slipped notably in UA’s past three games. It was absent for much of Arizona’s 87-84 loss at UCLA and, if fast-charging USC has any say in it, will be fully tested again Saturday at the Galen Center.
“It’s falling out of the sky right now,” Miller said.