After scoring 99 points in an offensive explosion against No. 16 BYU, Oklahoma State was held in check by No. 1 Arizona in its first game in a week. The Wildcats imposed their will in the paint and on the glass and used balanced scoring attack to move to 23-0 on the season, setting a Big 12 record for the best start in conference history. Here are three observations and takeaways from the Arizona Wildcats’ 84-47 win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
1) Is Arizona’s defense being talked about enough?
As good as Arizona’s defense has been all season, is it being talked about enough? The Wildcats stymied a high-octane Oklahoma State team that was one point shy of 100 points in its previous game, holding it to under 50 points and sub-25% shooting from the the field.
The UA didn’t force an eye-popping number of turnovers either, but simply forced the Cowboys to take take contested shots and settle for jumpers. Both teams took a similar number of attempts from the field and from the line, but the effort from defensive standouts like Jaden Bradley, Ivan Kharchenkov, and Motiejus Krivas made things difficult the entire afternoon for Oklahoma State.
For perspective, the Wildcats assisted on more made field goals than the Cowboys had in the game (UA: 17 assists, OSU: 15 FG).
Following the win, Arizona now boasts KenPom’s top-rated defense. With Kansas playing some of its best basketball of the season as of late, that No. 1 rated defense will be crucial in a hostile environment like Allen Fieldhouse, especially with the short turnaround the Wildcats have.
2) Chris Rounds for MVP!
After today, we may need to have a conversation about Associate Head Director Performance Enhancement Chris Rounds being the team MVP this season. Why? Because even in a conference game, the Wildcats looked like men among boys next to the Cowboys, allowing them to completely dominate the game inside on both ends of the floor.
On the offensive end, Arizona outscored Oklahoma State 54-to-14 in points in the paint, as the Wildcats’ bigs and guards alike were able to get downhill and score with ease around the rim. Defensively, the UA dominated the glass, winning the rebounding margin by 21 as it pulled down 56 boards compared to OSU’s 35.
As expected, Tobe Awaka excelled in the game, grabbing 10 of his 12 rebounds and muscling his way for eight points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field early, helping the Wildcats set the tone in the first half. That energy caught the attention of Oklahoma State head coach Steve Lutz.
“He’s damn good, guys. He’d start on 75% of teams in the Big 12,” said Lutz during his postgame press conference. “Whatever he’s getting in NIL, he deserves it.”
Awaka also tallied three blocks, as Arizona imposed its will for the full 40 minutes.
3) Balanced scoring allowed Delly to start finding his flow again
After having at least one player score 20 or more points in the last three games, Arizona’s offensive attack was more balanced, as five players scored in double figures, led by Brayden Burries‘ 15-point performance.
Bradley finished with 13 points, including two thunderous dunks, while Koa Peat and Krivas added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The fifth scorer in double figures was Anthony Dell’Orso, the senior guard from Australia who has struggled to find his shot in recent weeks. Since the start of Big 12 play, Delly has had more scoreless games (3) than double figures games (2). And while it wasn’t flashy against the Cowboys, Delly connected on an efficient 4-of-6 from the field, including 1-of-3 from downtown.
“We had a good conversation yesterday,” said Tommy Lloyd after the game. “Delly is a great dude, a high-character guy. He’s here for it. So, I’m happy to see him have a little bit of success, because I’m sure that makes him feel a little bit better. But, you know, I just told him there’s really no scenario I see where I don’t keep giving him opportunities. So he’s earned that. He deserves that, and then our team needs it from him. So it was great contributions from him today.”
And just like Coach Lloyd, Anthony Dell’Orso is doubling down on himself.
“Yeah, just stay positive. Stick to your routine, you know. Keep your checklist, like I do. Tiny progressions,” said Dell’Orso postgame to the media. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself. Don’t get too behind. Just trying to stay level headed. Don’t look at how many teams you’ve got left, how many games. One game at a time, one possession at a time. And you know the right things will happen.”
Arizona certainly hasn’t been dependent on Dell’Orso’s offense this season, but has missed his ability to pour it on from three in recent weeks. While Saturday was a small sample size, hopefully his efficient shooting numbers continue and he resumes his role as a lethal shooter and offensive spark off the bench for the Wildcats as they take on six ranked opponents in the next seven games.