The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (9-5, 3-0 in Big 12) secured its fifth straight win and third straight Big 12 conference victory, beating West Virginia University 75-56 on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m. in WVU Coliseum.  

KJ Lewis came out strong, recording a career-high 21 points to go along with three rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Jaden Bradley led second, scoring 15 points, four rebounds and five assists, while Anthony Dell’Orso added 10 points.

Arizona held the Mountaineers (11-3, 2-1 in Big 12) to their lowest-scoring game of the season, as West Virginia’s offense scored just 56 points, where the program normally averages 75.6 points per game. Javon Small led the Mountaineers with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.  

First half

Dell’Orso captured the first basket of the night for Arizona, quickly answered by the Mountaineers with a shot from beyond the arc taken by Jonathan Powell. Five minutes into the game, Small scored a 3-pointer to tie the score at 8. However, Dell’Orso responded with his own shot from 3-point range, taking the lead back for Arizona. 

With Arizona battling through a tight lead, the Wildcats went on a 6-point scoring run initiated by a layup from Bradley to gain a 23-15 advantage. With 7:37 remaining in the first half, Lewis scored a jumper to further extend the score to 27-17. The Mountaineers kept their offense alive, going on a 5-point scoring run to stay close.

No scoring occurred from either team for two minutes as the first half drew to a close. In the final moments of the period, Arizona’s growing lead was halted as West Virginia’s Amani Hansberry hit a 3-pointer, cutting the deficit down to single digits. The Wildcats did not slow down on their scoring as they went into halftime up 39-28. 

Arizona’s offense kept pressure on the Mountaineers the entire first half, shooting a collective 53.3 percent from the field. Each starter was able to put points on the board as Bradley and Caleb Love scored 6 points apiece. The Wildcats’ defense, which collected 20 rebounds in the first period, held West Virginia to 10-for-26 shooting. 

Second half

A minute into the second half Arizona made two baskets, keeping steady control of the game and holding a 15-point lead. Soon after, West Virginia made three straight 3-pointers, two made by Sencire Harris, quickly denting Arizona’s advantage and getting closer with a 48-43 score. 

The Wildcats gradually regained their lead as Lewis scored a layup, sparking an 11-point scoring run that put Arizona up 64-47. With 6:34 left in the game, the Mountaineers trimmed the lead down to 12 points but failed to fully overcome the deficit. 

The Wildcats closed out the game on a 9-2 scoring run as Arizona went on to win 75-56. Lewis led the second half, going on to score 13 of his total 21 points in the period. 

Looking ahead

Arizona will return home looking to continue its hot streak as they prepare to face the University of Central Florida on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. in McKale Center. 

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