The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (13-6, 7-1 in Big 12) cruised to a 78-63 victory over the University of Colorado Boulder (9-10, 0-8 in Big 12) on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m. in McKale Center. The Wildcats controlled most of the game, eventually building a 17-point lead that the Buffaloes couldn’t overcome.
Anthony Dell’Orso led the charge, scoring 20 points, going 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. While he dominated scoring, he did not record any rebounds or assists. KJ Lewis was second for Arizona, contributing 12 points along with six assists. Tobe Awaka was a force on the glass, collecting 15 rebounds (seven offensive, eight defensive) against Colorado.
Arizona has won back-to-back games as the Wildcats headed into the matchup coming off a 92-78 win against Oklahoma State University on Jan. 21.
“Where I came from [Campbell University] I averaged, you know, 20-plus points all year […]. It’s not new stuff to me but like, they [Colorado] were sitting into the zone, you know, that probably plays more into my specialty a little bit, just from the outside. My teammates found me in the right spots, tonight I was able to knock them out,” Dell’Orso said post-game.
First half
Trey Townsend scored the first basket of the game to give Arizona a 2-0 start but was followed directly with a 3-pointer by Andrej Jakimovski, putting Colorado’s first points on the board. Surrounded by Buffalo jerseys, Awaka managed to score a basket, giving Arizona a 1-point lead. Dell’Orso continued building offensive pressure, hitting a shot from beyond the arc to further stretch the lead. Arizona started the first period on a 7-0 run, forcing a Colorado timeout as the Wildcats led the Buffaloes 9-3.
Townsend extended Arizona’s lead to 7 points; however, Colorado found its way back, narrowing the score to 16-14 with a reverse layup by Trevor Baskin. On back-to-back possessions, Awaka put up a dunk, followed by Jaden Bradley completing an and-one opportunity. These possessions were crucial in picking up the 21-16 lead with under 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
Caleb Love scored his first points 15 minutes into the game, making two free throws. Directly after, Julian Hammond Ⅲ sank a 3-pointer as the Wildcats remained scoreless for five minutes, holding onto a 1-point edge. Love scored his first non-free-throw points of the night shooting from beyond the arc, reclaiming the 28-26 Wildcat advantage.
Arizona went into halftime leading Colorado 33-31. Love and Townsend led the first half for the Wildcats, scoring 8 points apiece while defensively, Awaka secured seven rebounds.
Second half
Five minutes into the second half, Elijah Malone tied the game at 40 after scoring a second-chance jumper. Shortly after, Henri Veesaar made a layup on the fastbreak, extending Arizona’s lead to 47-42 with 11:26 remaining in the game.
The Wildcats used this momentum to find a 3-0 scoring run, capped off with a layup by Bradley, gaining an 8-point lead. Lewis grabbed a steal and converted a layup on the other end, sparking a 10-5 scoring run for Arizona.
Colorado made multiple attempts to narrow the lead, but Arizona continued to retaliate against the Buffs. Veesaar and Dell’Orso would shoot back-to-back 3-pointers, holding control of the 58-49 score with 7:31 left in regulation.
The Wildcats spiked their lead to 17 points with under four minutes remaining in the game, making it almost impossible for the Buffaloes to make a comeback. Ultimately, Colorado was unable to close the gap, giving Arizona a dominating 78-63 victory.
Looking ahead
Arizona remains home as the Wildcats look to continue their winning ways, preparing to host No. 3 Iowa State University on Monday, Jan. 27 at 8:30 p.m. in McKale Center.
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