The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (12-0) remains at home to take on South Dakota State University (7-7) on Monday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. in McKale Center. Arizona looks to maintain its winning streak going into its thirteenth game of the season.
The Wildcats enter this matchup after a blowout win against Bethune-Cookman University last Monday, Dec. 22 where Arizona took victory by over 30 points. Arizona has won their last seven games by at least 20 points.
History vs. South Dakota State
This is only the second time the teams have faced each other. They first met back on November 21, 2019, where the Wildcats took a 71-64 victory. The Jackrabbits led 32-29 at halftime, but the Wildcats came back in the second half to take the win.
Jackrabbits to watch
South Dakota State is currently 7-7 this season and have lost the past two consecutive games. Recently, they faced the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee on Friday, December 19th where they lost by one point. Sophomore Jaden Jackson shot a 3-pointer on the final buzzer which ended the game 88-87.
The team is led by head coach Bryan Petersen. This is Petersen’s first season as the Jackrabbits head coach. He previously served as an assistant coach for six seasons before being promoted this season to head coach.
The lead scorer for the Jackrabbits is sophomore guard Jaden Jackson. Jackson has collected 179 points so far this season averaging 12.8 per game. Sophomore center Damon Wilkinson has also been important to the team’s success acquiring 172 points, 63 field goals and 46 free throws.
Wildcats to watch
Arizona is looking to remain in the No. 1 spot in the AP rankings as they remain undefeated this season. They have held the No. 1 spot for the past three consecutive weeks and look to defend their spot as the undefeated Iowa State University trails them in the No. 2 spot. The last time the Wildcats held this top spot in December of 2023.
Leading the way for the Wildcats is freshman guard Brayden Burries has tallied the most points this season at 168 averaging 14.0 points per game along with 4.4 3-pointers per game. Burries was essential in the win against Bethune-Cookman as he totaled 20 points. Following behind Burries is star forward Koa Peat. Peat averages 13.8 points per game and a .561 field goal percentage.
Junior center Motiejus Krivas is a key player when guiding the team to victory. Standing tall at 7-foot-2, Krivas is able to dominate offensively and defensively, dominating the boards and guarding the net. He has the highest number of blocks this season with 19 and averages 1.6 per game while also collecting 97 rebounds.
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