The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (8-5, 2-0 in Big 12) defeated the No. 16 University of Cincinnati (10-3, 0-2 in Big 12) 72-67 in the Wildcats’ second Big 12 match of the season in Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio on Jan. 4 at 12:30 p.m.
Jaden Bradley, a junior guard, led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points overall on 5-for-9 shooting. Freshman forward Carter Bryant had a perfect shooting night from the field, going 5-for-5 on shooting and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Bryant finished with 14 points and four rebounds, three of which came in the first half.
Caleb Love, a fifth-year guard, came in third for scoring as he put up 12 points and brought down six rebounds for Arizona. Love was able to attempt multiple shots from beyond the arc but only went 2-for-8 from the 3-point line.
Henri Veesaar contributed eight rebounds, three offensive and five defensive, helping Arizona maintain possession. Veesaar, a 7-foot sophomore forward, battled against Cincinnati’s 7-foot Aziz Bandaogo, who was able to grab nine rebounds (four offensive, five defensive).
First half
Arizona dominated the first half in multiple categories, including limiting the Bearcats to just 32.1% shooting from the field while Arizona shot 42.9%. Several different players contributed to the Wildcats’ scoring efforts with significant support from the bench, which outscored Cincinnati’s bench 15-6.
The game remained close throughout the first half, with Arizona holding the lead for the majority of the period. With four minutes remaining before halftime, the Wildcats began to gradually pull ahead and stretch the score, leading by as many as 13 points in the beginning period.
Love and Bradley led the first half, scoring 9 points apiece.
Arizona’s offense out-shot the Bearcats significantly in the first half. The Wildcats put up an impressive 84.6% from the free throw line compared to Cincinnati’s 60%.
From beyond the arc, Arizona shot 57.1% and 42.9% from the field, whereas the Bearcats struggled, shooting just 20% from 3-point range and 32.1% inside the paint.
At the end of the first half, Arizona led 39-26, maintaining a comfortable 13-point advantage heading into the second half of the game.
Second half
Arizona continued to widen its lead, which got up to 19 points in the first eight minutes of the second half.
With 8:59 remaining in the second half, the Wildcats’ lead began to falter. Cincinnati went on a 9-0 scoring run, putting pressure back on Arizona.
The Bearcats’ sophomore guard Jizzle James made back-to-back shots, helping Cincinnati to narrow the 64-61 gap with just over three minutes remaining. While James only scored 5 points in the second half, he contributed three assists and three rebounds, creating plays and earning possessions for Cincinnati.
As fouls on both sides increased, free throw shots became crucial to the game’s outcome. Arizona made 10-of-14 free throws during the second half, which was a major contributing factor to the Wildcats’ win. On the contrary, Cincinnati went 6-for-13, hurting the Bearcats’ chances to secure the victory.
The game ended in Arizona’s favor, with the Wildcats leading by 5 points to win 72-67. Sophomore guard KJ Lewis led the team in the second half, scoring 8 points. Love brought down four rebounds and Veesaar contributed with two steals. The team was well rounded in the Wildcats’ success throughout the entirety of the game.
Looking ahead
The Wildcats will match up against West Virginia University in the WVU Coliseum on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m. The two programs are 3-3 from their first meeting in 1948 up until the most recent game in 2024 during the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Arizona fell 83-76 in the overtime loss on Nov. 29, 2024.
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