The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (6-5, 0-0 in Big 12) secured a crushing 94-41 victory against Central Michigan University on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. in McKale Center. The Wildcats have wrapped up their non-conference schedule as they head into Big 12 play in the upcoming week.
First half
Caleb Love led the team in scoring with a game-high 24 points, two rebounds and one assist in the matchup. KJ Lewis, a sophomore guard, came off the bench and put up an impressive 13 points to lead second. Lewis also added on three assists and five rebounds, contributing to the team’s lead early on in the match.
Love, a fifth-year guard, pressured the board and found easy ways to be effective offensively in the half. Jaden Bradley found a second-chance shot from beyond the arc that pulled Arizona ahead 6-3, shortly followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from Love.
The Wildcats dominated the first half, forcing 10 turnovers from the Chippewas, resulting in offensive opportunities for Arizona.
Conrad Martinez, a sophomore guard, made four crucial assists for Arizona through the first half, including one that led to a dunk by Lewis to stretch the lead to 19-10. Martinez combined a total of five assists and 9 points, one of his best performances of the season.
The team’s ball movement remained fluid, helping to create openings in the paint for Arizona. The Wildcats also dominated the board, ending the half leading Central Michigan 44-23.
Central Michigan guard Cayden Vasko, contributed a majority of the team’s offensive and defensive efforts, leading the Chippewas with 10 total points and six rebounds.
Second half
The Wildcat’s defense started the second half out strong, finding a way to collect multiple rebounds. Tobe Awaka gave size in the paint for Arizona as the 6-foot-8 forward led the team with 10 rebounds.
Arizona continued to contribute on all sides of the floor, taking advantage of multiple scoring runs. Martinez made a shot from beyond the arc, allowing the Wildcats to stretch their lead to 63-30 over Central Michigan with still 12:33 remaining in the game.
Arizona’s size in the paint was the root of Central Michigan’s struggles to get rebounds and penetrate the paint. The Wildcats grabbed 45 total rebounds throughout the game.
Sophomore Henri Veesaar served as a problem in the box, as the 7-foot forward collected four defensive rebounds. Central Michigan never found a way to respond, shooting only 25.9 percent on field goals in the game. Emmanuel Stephen made a dunk to extend the lead to 41-points for the Wildcats.
Love slowed down offensively in the second half as the team saw effort from freshman forward Carter Bryant and junior guard Anthony Dell’Orso. Bryant totaled five assists in the match, serving as an essential playmaker. Dell’Orso along with Bryant contributed 11 second half points to add to the team’s total score.
Late into the second half, Awaka made his first 3-pointer of the season, exciting the crowd as he’s usually seen in the paint. The Wildcats finished the second half shooting 61.8 percent from the field.
Nearing the game’s end, Arizona began to substitute its players after building a comfortable 51-point lead with under two minutes remaining in regulation. The Wildcats ended the game on a 6-0 scoring run to dominate the Chippewas 94-41, closing out their non-conference schedule.
Looking ahead
The Wildcats are set to host TCU for their first Big 12 matchup taking place on Monday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. in McKale Center.
Out of the three matchups in the history between the programs, the Wildcats most recent matchup against the Horned Frogs resulted in an 85-80 overtime victory on March 20, 2022, allowing Arizona to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
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