The Wildcats entered the game against their in-state rivals as 21-point favorites. But like most rivalry games, it’s best to just throw out the standings, odds, and records and just play ball. Arizona Men’s Basketball survived a test from ASU, escaping with an 89-82 win in Tucson on Wednesday night.
Four Wildcats finished in double figures, including Tobe Awaka, who led all scorers with a career-high 25 points. He shot an efficient 8-of-11 from the field, including 1-of-1 beyond the arc, and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. He also pulled down five rebounds and recorded a block.
Homegrown product Koa Peat also dazzled in the front court for Arizona, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds, including six offensive boards. Peat shot 9-of-15 from the floor, while shooting 6-of-8 from the charity stripe. It’s his fourth double-double of the season and third in the last five games.
Ivan Kharchenkov and Jaden Bradley also finished in double figures with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Kharchenkov went 2-of-4 beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the free throw line, while tacking on four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Bradley once again showed why he is Arizona’s closer, scoring eight of his 12 points in the second half, and avoid a second-half foul after picking up three in the first.
Both teams shot the ball well from the field. Arizona had the slight edge, connecting on 54.2% of its baskets, while ASU hit on 47.8%. On the glass, the Wildcats came out on top, out-rebounding the Sun Devils 39 to 28, but had just one more offensive rebound.
The game was a tale of two strategies. The Sun Devils connected on 11-of-25 (44.0%) three-point baskets, while the Wildcats out-scored their in-state foes 46-22 in the paint. Arizona also shot 15 more free throw attempts than ASU, converting 21-of-26 (80.8%) versus 7-of-11 for Bobby Hurley’s squad.
The game opened up as a back and forth affair, with neither team leading by more than three points until Tobe Awaka connected on his lone 3-pointer of the night with 7:37 to play in the first half. But ASU’s Massamba Diop and Andrija Grbovic scored 14 of the next 17 points for the Sun Devils, helping them take a 39-38 lead into the locker room at half time. The last time Arizona trailed at the half was against Alabama on December 13, over a month ago.
After forcing just one turnover in the first half, the Wildcats turned two quick turnovers into a 7-0 run orchestrated by Peat and Kharchenkov early in the second half to re-take the lead, jumping on top 47-43 with 17 minutes left to play. But the UA still couldn’t shake ASU, which re-took a one-point lead with 14:32 remaining, before the Wildcats used 11-straight made field goals to surge ahead to a 12-point lead with 7 minutes left to play.
ASU made it a one-possession game with under a minute to play, but a jumper from Jaden “The Closer” Bradley and two clutch free throws by Awaka sealed the deal for the undefeated Wildcats.
Arizona (17-0, 4-0) is back on the road this Saturday, January 17, for a matchup against UCF (14-2, 3-1), which landed 18 votes in the AP Top 25 Poll this week after falling out of the No. 25 spot.