The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (11-5, 5-0 in Big 12) secured a win 81-70 against No. 25 Baylor University on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 9 p.m. in McKale Center. This victory extends the Wildcats’ winning streak to seven straight wins, maintaining their undefeated conference record. 

Arizona’s last match against Baylor on Dec. 7, 2019, resulted in a 58-63 defeat for Arizona. Prior to that match, the Wildcats and Baylor have traded wins and losses as Arizona narrowly holds a 6-5 record advantage.

Henri Veesaar led the team with a career-high 19 points. Impressively, he also led the Wildcats in rebounds, bringing down seven boards along with two steals. Jaden Bradley ended the night leading second for Arizona, collecting 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field, six assists and five rebounds.

First half

Arizona dominated the early minutes of the first half. Anthony Dell’Orso, a junior guard, sunk a shot from beyond the arc, gathering momentum for the Wildcats as they headed into the fifth minute of play. Baylor kept Arizona on edge by drawing seven fouls on the Wildcats in the first half and earning free throws. 

“You’re managing a lead and trying to win the ball game […]. Wins in the Big 12 are hard to come by and we needed to get this one today cause we know we’re going on a two-game road trip,” said head coach Tommy Lloyd. 

Jaden Bradley, a junior guard, kept the ball moving on the court and utilized multiple openings to score easy points. Near the halfway mark of the first period, Bradley nailed a near-half-court shot just before the shot clock expired, earning cheers from the crowd and extending Arizona’s lead to 14-7. 

Minutes later, Dell’Orso found his second and third 3-pointers of the game in back-to-back shots. Dell’Orso ended up having nine points during the game, shooting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. Carter Bryant, a freshman forward, found his footing at the baseline to score another 3-pointer for the Wildcats, sparking Arizona’s growing lead in the first half. 

Veesaar, a sophomore forward, was an asset both offensively and defensively, drawing fouls and blocking shots. Standing at 7-foot, his height served as a significant advantage and was valuable underneath the hoop. However, he still posed a threat from outside the arc, sinking a 3-pointer with 3:04 remaining in the first period

“I knew how I could play and what kind of impact I could make, but I got to say thank you to all my teammates, like they’re putting me in great spots to score and everything,” Veesaar said. 

Caleb Love, a fifth-year guard, made his mark late in the first half by stealing the ball and converting it into a basket on the other end. Love drained a 3-pointer, stretching the Wildcats’ 22-point lead heading into the second half. Love contributed 8 total points to Arizona’s final score as well as three assists. Baylor continued to foul the Wildcats, putting Arizona on the line, shooting 16-of-25 first half free throws. Arizona went into halftime leading the Bears 42-19.

Second half

Arizona kickstarted the second half with a dunk from Bradley, assisted by Love, gaining momentum. Underneath the hoop, junior forward Tobe Awaka, was crucial, drawing several early fouls from Baylor players. 

Awaka completed the night with five rebounds and scored 8 points. Trey Townsend, a fifth-year forward, also contributed easy shots from inside the paint, also adding another 8 points to Arizona’s total. 

The Bears slipped in shots of their own however, Baylor was never able to completely hold Arizona long enough to take control. V.J. Edgecombe sank a 3-pointer to narrow the lead to 9 points, the closest it’s been since the first half. Baylor attempted to pressure Arizona on their inbound plays, but the Wildcats broke through both times and capitalized off of it with a dunk. 

Arizona had numerous breakaways that kept Baylor on their toes and unbalanced. Guards like KJ Lewis were able to make runs down the court, securing easy buckets while potentially drawing fouls as he led the Wildcats with seven assists. This became dangerous territory for Baylor as Arizona’s free throwing shooting percentage increased throughout the game, reaching an average of 64 percent.

Veesaar continued to be an issue for Baylor underneath the hoop as the second half progressed, battling against 6-foot-10 forward Josh Ojianwuna.

“For other five men [players at the 5], he’s a matchup problem. He can go inside [and] bang with you inside,” Bradley said regarding Veesaar. 

“Henri’s playing great […]. I’ve been telling him, ‘Hey Henry, you’re turning into a real player,’ […]. I’m really proud of the way Henri’s progressing,” Lloyd said. 

Bradley managed the ball up the court as the second half progressed, navigating through Baylor’s pressing defense and finding openings on the offensive end of the court. Baylor started to close the gap with 3:25 remaining in the game with only 10 points separating the score with Arizona holding the 69-59 lead. The Bears continued to earn fouls off of Arizona, resulting in their gain of 16 total points from free throws.

As the game entered its final minute, Baylor repeatedly fouled Arizona in hopes of regaining possession. The Wildcats capitalized on their free throws, holding the double-digit lead and securing an 81-70 victory for Arizona. 

“Baylor is a great team so we couldn’t come in here, you know, flat with no energy […]. We got all of Tucson in here you know, the best fanbase in the country so you know, it was kind of easier,” Bradley said. 

Looking ahead

The Wildcats are headed on the road to face Texas Tech University on Saturday, Jan. 18 at noon in United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. This will be the first time the two programs have met since 2013.

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