5th-ranked Arizona improves to 2-1 in Pac-12 with 69-60 win over ASU

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

It wasn't pretty. In fact, it was down right ugly for the first ten minutes of the second half as Arizona blew a 17-point lead but still found a way to beat ASU in Tempe today, 69-60.

The fifth-ranked Wildcats did everything right in the first twenty minutes and built a 45-28 lead over the Sun Devils but scored just 24 points the rest of the way. Fortunately, they could count on Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo to right the ship.

Tubelis scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Ballo, despite early foul trouble, finished with a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Arizona shot just 37.7 percent from the field (20 of 53), but Arizona State couldn't sizzle the nets on its homecourt either, hitting just 25 of 69 from the field for 36.2 percent. Arizona made 24 of 28 free throws, while the Sun Devils were 7 of 10 from the charity stripe.

The Wildcats improved to 13-1 and 2-1 in the Pac-12 Conference, while the Sun Devils dropped to 11-3 on the season and 2-1 in the conference.

Ballo, Tubelis almost perfect from the field in 93-68 win over Morgan State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Oumar Ballo (21) and Azuolas Tubelis (26) combined for 47 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists to lead Arizona to a 93-68 win over Morgan State at McKale tonight. The two big men combined for 17 of 18 field goal attempts as the 5th-ranked Wildcats head into the Christmas break with a 12-1 record.

Courtney Ramey finished in double figures with 13 points, seven assists and three rebounds as Arizona shot 57.6 from the field (34 of 59) and made eight of 25 from long range while out rebounding Morgan State, 45-21.

Up next: Pac 12 foe Arizona State in Tempe on New Year's Eve.

 

5th-ranked Wildcats use Kriisa's 3-pointers to beat Montana State, 85-64

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona  85  Montana State 64

The 5th-ranked Arizona Wildcats, behind six 3-pointers from point guard Kerr Kriisa, improved to 11-1 with an 85-64 win over Montana State at McKale tonight. 

Montana State borrowed from Utah's playbook in this one. And why not? Arizona's only loss this season came at the hands of the Utes as they packed the paint and forced the Wildcats to shoot from the outside back on December 1 in Salt Lake City.

Arizona had an off night against Utah, but not tonight, as Kriisa took care of matters with 18 points on six of 10 field goal attempts, while five of his teammates also hit double figures. 

Cedric Henderson Jr. made sure the Wildcats added some bench points tonight with 16 points, Azuolas Tubelis collected 14, Pelle Larsson 12, Courtney Ramey 10, and Oumar Ballo provided a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Photo: Kriisa

Arizona edges 6th-ranked Volunteers, 75-70

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The Wildcats were ready for prime time tonight...

Arizona 75 Tennessee 70

The 9th-ranked Arizona Wildcats battled 6th-ranked Tennessee from the tipoff to the final buzzer at McKale tonight and came away with a 75-70 win to improve to 10-1.

All 75 points came from the Wildcats' starting five.

Azuolas Tubelis played 35 minutes, scored 19 points, and grabbed nine rebounds.

Oumar Ballo played 30 minutes, scored 18 points, and hauled in eight rebounds.

Pelle Larsson played 36 of the 40 minutes, netted 17 points, grabbed eight boards, and dished out four assists.

Courtney Ramey played 31 minutes and canned four 3-pointers and a free throw for 13 points.

Kerr Kriisa ran the show for 32 minutes and finished the night with eight points and five assists.

Arizona out rebounded Tennessee 38-30 and shot 42.6 percent from the field (23 of 54) but struggled from long range, canning five of 24 attempts.

Tennessee falls to 9-2.

Way to go, Wildcats! 

9th-ranked Arizona gets 51 bench points in rout over Islanders

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The 9th-ranked Arizona Wildcats won 99-61 at McKale tonight over Texas A&M --Corpus Christi and received 51 points off the bench thanks in part to a career-high 16 points from freshman Henri Veesaar (photo left) to improve to 9-1 on the season.

Arizona cleared the bench early in this one and shot 56.7 percent from the field (34 of 60), including 15 3-pointers. Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo did their thing early and then found a spot on the bench. Tubelis scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Ballo contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.

Cedric Henderson. Jr. played just 19 minutes and also finished in double figures with 11. Pelle Larsson chipped in nine points, and Kyle Boswell, subbing for a sickly Kerr Kriisa, scored eight points, grabbed seven boards, and dished out eight assists.

Up next:  #6 Tennessee (9-1) on Saturday at McKale.

10th-ranked Arizona takes down No. 14 Indiana, 89-75

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Las Vegas, Nevada

Arizona  89  Indiana 75

Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Oumar Ballo collected a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds as 10th-ranked Arizona took down 14th-ranked Indiana 89-75 in Las Vegas tonight.

Arizona shot 49.2 percent from the field (31 of 63) and made 10 of 25 from long range to dispose of a talented Indiana team. The Wildcats led 46-36 at the end of the first half and received double-figure scoring from Pelle Larsson with 16 points, while point-guard Kerr Kriisa scored 14 points and dished out seven assists.

Adama Bal contributed off the bench with three 3-pointers.

Arizona improved to 8-1 on the season, while Indiana dropped to 8-2.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Arizona takes down winless Cal, 81-68

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Azuolas Tubelis scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Oumar Ballo chipped in 17 points and blocked four shots as the Arizona Wildcats knocked off winless California 81-68 at McKale Center today for its first Pac-12 Conference win of the season.

Arizona (7-1, 1-1) didn't exactly roll over the Golden Bears (0-9, 0-2). The Wildcats led at the half, 42-33, and outscored California 39-35 in the final 20 minutes.

For the second game in a row, the 4th-ranked Wildcats were without their shooting touch from beyond the arc as they went 4 for 20. However, Arizona took care of the ball in this one, committing just five turnovers.

Up next: a non-conference game with 10th-ranked Indiana in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Photo: Tubelis