MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Surging Arizona is now displaying why it was thought-about among the best groups within the nation originally of the season.
The Wildcats shot 51% tonight to defeat 21st-ranked West Virginia 75-56 right here on the WVU Coliseum.
It was Arizona’s fifth straight victory and boosts its Large 12 report to 3-0 with wins over TCU and Cincinnati.
Former starter KJ Lewis got here off the bench to steer three double-figure scorers with 21. The sophomore guard was 9-of-13 from the ground in simply 26 minutes of courtroom time.
Jaden Bradley contributed 15 and Anthony Dell’Orso added 10 for the Wildcats, now 9-5 total.
Arizona’s bench outscored West Virginia’s 34 to 10 and the Wildcats additionally had a 36 to 22 edge within the paint.
“We weren’t our ordinary selves, particularly defensively,” Mountaineer coach Darian DeVries stated afterward. “I did not suppose we have been fairly as related as we’ve been, and I believed Arizona did a very good job of exploiting a few of our pick-and-roll defensive issues that gave us some points. It is definitely one thing we have got to wash up and get higher at as we transfer ahead.”
Arizona took management of the sport with seven minutes to go within the first half and by no means relinquished its lead. The benefit bought to 13 within the first half, after which to fifteen early within the second half earlier than WVU went on a 13-3 run to chop the deficit to 5, 48-43.
Lewis answered with a pair of free throws after which his layup began an 11-0 run throughout a three-minute stretch to place the sport away.
Arizona made 31 of its 61 discipline purpose makes an attempt, together with 7 of 20 from behind the 3-point arc. West Virginia, in the meantime, related on simply 21 of its 58 discipline purpose makes an attempt for 36.2%
“The ball bought caught somewhat bit at instances and I believed we have been somewhat too anxious attempting to go get it on our personal,” DeVries stated. “When there have been alternatives after we did get it and had a couple of open appears that did not go in, however that is basketball.
“I believed Arizona did a pleasant job. They bumped us off our spots and bought us out in areas the place we weren’t as comfy,” DeVries added.
Javon Small was the one WVU participant to achieve double digits with 17.
“We weren’t the aggressor on each ends of the ground for a very good portion of that sport and that aggressiveness and physicality usually will get rewarded,” DeVries famous. “You must be the one on the correct facet of it and I did not suppose we have been tonight.”
WVU’s injured checklist now contains freshman guard KJ Tenner, who didn’t go well with up for tonight’s sport. West Virginia has been taking part in with out double-digit scorer Tucker DeVries and has but to see Detroit Mercy switch Jayden Stone play in a sport this season.
Arizona’s victory tonight avenges an 83-76 nonconference loss to the Mountaineers within the Bahamas again on Nov. 29.
This week was the Mountaineers’ first look within the Related Press Prime 25 since Dec. 26, 2022.
West Virginia, which noticed its seven-game successful streak come to an finish tonight, tallied a season-low 56 factors. The Mountaineers drop to 11-3 total and 2-1 in Large 12 play.
WVU continues convention play this Sunday at Colorado.
