TUCSON — He called his first timeout just 6:09 into the game, his team already leading by eight. He signaled for another in the second half with his squad up 17 and cruising, this time angrily pointing at the floor directly in front of him to show where he wanted time called.



Ever since Arizona returned from a hellish trip to Atlantis, a three-losses-in-three days disaster that sent the Wildcats, a preseason national-title contender, skidding from second to out of the Top 25 for the first time in more than 100 weeks, people had been asking Sean Miller what was wrong with his team. Miller answered straight from the gospel of coach-speak — highlighting things he could have done better, noting the rigors of the quick turnaround for a young team and reiterating the no-need-to-panic November mantra. He brought the same nothing-to-see-here approach to practice. Didn’t kick basketballs or hurl insults. Never once made his players run punishment sprints. No, he was...