Arizona men’s basketball held off a pesky Missouri team to open win the EA Sports Maui Invitational quarterfinal 72-53.
The Wildcats (4-0) led by as much 21, but the Tigers (3-2) did not let the UA pull away until late.
Sophomore forward and sixth man Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had game high 15 points and six rebounds. Freshman forward Stanley Johnson had 14 points, three steals and four rebounds.
Junior forward Brandon Ashley also had a game high 15 points and two rebounds.
Arizona shot 45 percent from the field, 31 percent from three and 76 percent from the line. The Tigers shot 36 percent, 23 percent from beyond the arc and 69 percent on free throws.
Senior point guard T.J. McConnell has six points, nine assists and three steals. Junior center Kaleb Tarczewski fouled out with seven points and a game high eight rebounds.
Mizzou freshman guard Montaque Gill-Caesar scored 13 points.
Arizona will play Kansas State (3-1) at 5:30 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN on Tuesday in semifinals.
Game nuggets
-Arizona began the game No. 2 in the AP, but dropped to third after a lost ballot was found
-Attendance was 2,400 in the Lahaina Civic Center, home of Division II Chaminade
-There was two ties and one lead change
-The Wildcats had 26 points in the paint, Mizzou had 20
-Missouri had 17 turnovers and the UA had six
-Arizona had 24 points off of turnovers, while the Tigers had eight
