TUCSON, Ariz. -- Thousands of Arizona fans gave Sean Miller a 30-second standing ovation Thursday night as he entered the McKale Center to coach the Wildcats against Stanford, his first game since the publication of an ESPN report tying him to an alleged pay-for-play scheme.
Miller pointed to the crowd as he walked toward his squad. He was not on the bench to coach Arizona in an overtime loss to Oregon on Saturday, one day after ESPN's report was released.
On Thursday, Miller vehemently denied the ESPN report, which alleged that he had a conversation with Christian Dawkins, who was arrested in the massive FBI scandal affecting college basketball, about paying $100,000 to secure the services of Deandre Ayton.