Tubelis scores 18 points, grabs 11 boards in win over USC

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

USC, with 19 wins and ranked 19th in the country, slowed the Wildcats down today but not enough to leave McKale Center with a win as Arizona prevails with a hard-fought 72-63 victory as Azuolas Tubelis pours in 18 points and grabs 11 rebounds.

Arizona stays put atop the Pac-12 Conference standings with a 9-1 record and an overall record of 19-2. Southern California is 19-4 on the season and the Trojans are third in wins in the conference with a 9-4 slate.

It was more of the same at McKale, or anywhere in the Pac-12,  as opponents try to keep Arizona from running and gunning.

Today, the eight rotating players for the 7th-ranked Wildcats played and did their job on the court. It wasn't pretty, but it never is when the opposing coaches figure the only shot to beat Arizona is to keep the scoreboard quiet.

In other words, keep the Wildcats in the 50s or 60s -- far away from their 84.9 average.

It didn't work as the Wildcats shared the wealth offensively.

Along with a gritty 25 minutes from Tubelis, point guard Kerr Kriisa scored 13 points -- including three from long range, in 33 minutes, Christian Koloko chipped in 10 points, grabbed seven rebounds and added three blocks in 26 minutes, while Dalen Terry scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds and picked up four assists in 29 minutes.

The four remaining regulars added plenty of support with Bennedict Mathurin adding eight points in 31 minutes, Pelle Larson finished with seven points in 21 minutes, Oumar Ballo grabbed five boards and scored four points in his 16 minutes on the court, while Justin Kier hit a three-pointer, grabbed a couple of rebounds and a steal in 15 minutes of play.

Arizona led 29-28 in a low-scoring first half, but kept pounding the ball inside in the second half, until Krissa got untracked with a three-pointer at the 14:03 mark, again at the nine-minute mark and again with six minutes left in the game.

Arizona remains unbeaten at home this season -- a perfect 13-0.

Up next: Arizona State in Tempe on Monday.

Photo: Tubelis