Azuolas Tubelis had 19 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 as the No.8 Arizona got off to a slow start to beat Cal Baptist 84-60- on Saturday.
The Wildcats (11-0) continued their best start since the start of the 2014-15 season with 12 straight wins, but it wasn’t easy at first. They were down by 11 less than four minutes into the game and did not take their first lead until 9:01 from the end of the first half.
Tubelis was 7 of 16 on the field after starting 1 of 6, adding seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks, while Mathurin was 5 of 11 and had three of eight Arizona 3 points.
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Christian Koloko added 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks and Oumar Ballo had 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks as Arizona blocked 12 shots from Cal Baptist – 10 in the first half – and converted 12 offensive rebounds. in 19 second chance points while the Lancers (8-3) failed to score on any of their 12 offensive rebounds.
Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) takes on California Baptist guard Chance Hunter in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday December 18, 2021 in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo / Rick Scuteri)
Arizona extended their seven-point halftime lead to 16 with less than 3 minutes into the second half, with 10 of their first 12 points coming from Tubelis. A 3-point Pelle Larsson capped an 8-0 streak to give the Wildcats a 61-41 lead with 12:31 left.
Cal Baptist was led by Ty Rowell, who had 11 points and was 3 for 3 on 3 points, while freshman Taran Armstrong – who topped Division I in assists at 8.3 per game – finished with nine points, three assists and four turnovers.
The Lancers had their first six shots, including five 3-pointers, to take an 18-7 lead with 16:14 remaining in the first half. But they missed 19 of their next 21 shots, going 13 in a row in a 14-0 run in Arizona to give the Wildcats a 26-22 lead with 7:29 left before halftime.
Arizona edged Cal Baptist 28-11 in the 8:37 first-half final to lead 40-33 at the break.
BIG PICTURE
Cal Baptist: The Lancers are in their fourth year of a five-year transition from Division II to Division I and will not be eligible for the Western Athletic Conference or NCAA tournaments until 2022-2023. They are now 0-5 against Power Conference programs, including a loss earlier this season to Texas.
Arizona: The Wildcats are set to embark on a four-game road trip, their longest since 2008. Arizona won’t play at the McKale Center again until Jan. 13, when they host Colorado for their game. Home opening of the Pac-12 Conference.
FOLLOWING
Cal Baptist: Welcomes the state of southeastern Missouri in their final non-conference game on Tuesday before starting the WAC game.
Arizona: At No.18 in Tennessee Wednesday.
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