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Arizona Wildcats basketball: Stanford 76, Arizona 60

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Next big question: Who gets minutes? Showing two sides Olson's presence will be evident Miller to emphasize defenseMiller says Wise questionable for Augustana game, Horne to startJudkins to stay at UA, expects playing time (w/Red-Blue slide show)New blood pumping up WildcatsRed-Blue Game has a different tone this year Old, new faces in new places Simon now Pac-10 broadcaster

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Former UA interim coach Russ Pennell claimed the Wildcats turned last season around in a close game at USC in mid-January, and maybe he was onto something.

Maybe that late-season improvement really didn't start two games later with that infamous shoe-plant on Chase Budinger's face, after all.

Maybe it was simply the beginning of some sort of cosmic interaction between USC and Arizona, a dizzying six months that has shifted recruits and coaches back and forth, the end result being that UA pulled in three would-be Trojans to Tucson: Solomon Hill, Lamont "MoMo" Jones and Derrick Williams.

"It is sort of a weird coincidence," said Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com. "But Arizona has a new coach, Arizona has spots (for scholarships), and Arizona is on the West Coast."

The coach is Sean Miller, who is receiving praise for putting together a surprisingly strong 2009 recruiting class, thanks in part to USC's implosion.

"When Sean got the job, you knew they were going to have to catch some breaks," said Dave Telep, Scout.com's national recruiting analyst. "Sean caught three of them. But when you get a break like Southern California, and you're able to take advantage of it, that says something. I can guarantee you he wasn't thinking that would happen at USC."

Who could have? The dizzying paths of the key characters involved look something like this:

• USC: Nearly edges Wildcats out of NCAA tourney field by leading Trojans to Pac-10 tournament title and automatic bid

• Arizona: Interviews at Arizona on April 1 for job but decides not to take the position

• USC: Remains at USC despite NCAA investigation of school that includes former freshman star O.J. Mayo

• Out: Quits as USC coach June 9, which triggers flurry of activity between Los Angeles and Tucson

• Arizona: Arizona interim head coach in 2007-08

• Out: Assistant with NBA's Memphis Grizzlies in 2008-09

• USC: Hired as USC head coach in June 2009

• Arizona: Commits to Lute Olson in July 2008

• Out: Decommits on Oct. 24, a day after Olson retires

• USC: Commits to USC on Dec. 1, 2008

• Out: Decommits from USC on April 14

• Arizona: Signs with Wildcats on April 17

• Arizona: Recruited out of New York's Rice High School in 2007-08

• USC: Signs letter of intent with USC in November 2008 from Oak Hill Academy

• Out: Released from letter after Floyd's resignation. When O'Neill calls, says he did not answer phone

• Arizona: Commits to be a Wildcat on June 24

• USC: Signs in November 2008 out of La Mirada High School in California

• Out: Released from letter of intent in June, visits Memphis and Arizona

• Arizona: Commits to Wildcats on June 28

• Arizona: Is recruited early in his Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei High School career by Lute Olson

• USC: Commits to Trojans as a junior at Mater Dei in November 2008

• Out/Arizona? Decommits on June 22 and says Arizona is one of his new possibilities

On StarNet: Follow the Wildcats through a zany off-season filled with ups, downs, twists and turns on Bruce Pascoe's blog at go.azstarnet.com/pascoe