The University of Arizona men’s basketball team is set to face the University of Denver in its sixth game of the season on Monday, Nov. 24, at 8:30 p.m. in McKale Center. The Wildcats have had a dominant start to this season, moving up to the No. 2 AP poll spot after taking wins over the University of Florida and the University of Connecticut. Tonight, Arizona looks for its sixth consecutive win to remain undefeated.
History vs. Denver
Arizona holds a 3-1 record over the Pioneers, the first game going back to 1961. The Wildcats only loss in the series came in 1965, in a 2-point game. The program’s most recent matchup was in 1985, giving decades worth of time and players to pass through leading up to this matchup.
Pioneers to watch
Tim Bergstraser leads Denver in his first season as head coach with the program. Before coming to Denver, Bergstraser led Minnesota State University, Moorhead for three seasons as their head coach, earning a 75-22 record. On top of impressive athletic talent and knowledge, his teams have been historically impressive in the classroom, the players averaging a 3.4 GPA for all three seasons underneath his lead.
Carson Johnson, a sophomore guard, currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game. He also leads the team with 16 assists, being a key playmaker for the Pioneers this season. Johnson held a season-high game in several categories against the University of Texas, San Antonio earlier this season. He recorded 29 points, going 9-for-20 from the field as well as 4-for-11 from beyond the arc.
His shooting abilities make him a key player for the Pioneers around the perimeter. Johnson has also found success driving to the basket and drawing fouls, making 7-of-9 free throws against UTSA. A well-rounded player like Johson will be crucial for Arizona to keep its eye on.
Following closely is graduate forward, Jeremiah Burke. Burke averages 17 points per game, shooting 85.7% from the field. Standing at 6-foot-7, Burke is a big rebounder for the Pioneers, tallying a 4.6 boards per game average.
Denver is Burke’s third school as a collegiate athlete, having started at Iowa Lakes Community College for the first two years and spending the next two at North Dakota State University. Now in his final year of eligibility, Burke has dominated with a season-high of 23 points over Texas, similar to Johnson.
Wildcats to watch
Tommy Lloyd has entered his fifth season as head coach of the Arizona program. Lloyd has built a legacy in Tucson for men’s basketball, engaging his team as well as the Tucson community. The success Lloyd has under his belt in just four complete seasons is remarkable. He holds a 112-33 record excluding the five wins Arizona has seen this season.
Senior guard Jaden Bradley has dominated the court this season, leading the Wildcats averaging 16.8 points per game. He showed a season-high performance against the University of Florida in their season-opener with 27 points, going 9-for-14 from the field and 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Bradley has also claimed a spot on the Big 12 Starting Five this week.
Bradley has been a key piece of the Arizona lineup for the last two seasons, often racking in points and assists as well as drawing fouls on opponents. Under pressure, Bradley has proven his strength from the line, making 9-of-10 free throws against Florida.
Following Bradley is freshman forward Koa Peat, averaging 16.2 points per game and similarly having a season-high mark of 30 points against the Gators. Following this performance, Peat was named National Player of the Week, recognized for the second weekly Big 12 honor in addition to being named National Freshman of the Week by the NCAA.
Coming in as a five-star recruit, fans expected big plays from Peat, and he has delivered. In key moments, Peat has been able to put in buckets for the Wildcats and secure a lead for the team. In Arizona’s last dominant defeat over the University of Connecticut, Peat brought down 12 rebounds, another season-high mark. His 6-foot-8 presence is big all across the court.
Follow the Daily Wildcat on Instagram and Twitter/X
