Brayden Burries, Anthony Dell’Orso and Koa Peat each scored 18 points to help No. 13 Arizona notch a 93-67 victory over Utah Tech on Friday night at Tucson, Ariz.
Tobe Awaka had 12 points and a career-best 18 rebounds off the bench for the Wildcats (2-0), who pulled away in the second half. Burries had four steals and joined Dell’Orso by sinking three 3-pointers.
Ethan Potter scored 15 points for Utah Tech (2-1), which has lost 18 of its last 19 road games. The victory during the stretch was an 81-79 overtime win at South Dakota on Monday.
Tanner Davis had 11 points and Noah Bolanga added 10 for the Trailblazers.
Arizona shot 57.1% from the field, including 7 of 15 (46.7%) from 3-point range. The Wildcats owned a 40-30 rebounding advantage with Awaka collecting eight of the team’s 13 offensive boards.
Arizona also held a 26-3 edge in fastbreak points in the follow-up to its season-opening 93-87 victory over No. 3 Florida, the defending national champion, on Monday.
The Trailblazers made 38.2% of their shots and were 6 of 22 (27.3%) from behind the arc.
Utah Tech trailed 51-44 early in the second half after Balonga’s basket capped a 7-0 burst.
The lead was later 10 before Arizona erupted with 10 consecutive points. Jaden Bradley had two baskets during the run and Dwayne Aristode capped it with a layup to give the Wildcats a 68-48 lead with 9:45 left.
A 3-pointer by Burries made it 80-59 with 4:59 remaining. Utah Tech never was within 20 points the rest of the way.
Dell’Orso scored 15 first-half points to help the Wildcats hold a 44-37 lead at the break.
Utah Tech made nine consecutive free throws to take an early 9-5 lead and later was up 14-13. A 3-pointer by Chance Trujillo was the Trailblazers’ only field goal during the first 9 1/2 minutes of the contest.
Arizona overcame the one-point deficit with 10 straight points and 18 of 20. Dell’Orso made two 3-pointers and Bradley added a basket to end the run with eight consecutive points as the Wildcats took a 31-16 advantage with 8:37 left before intermission.
Arizona led by 14 late in the half before Utah Tech finished with an 11-4 push to trail by seven.
–Field Level Media
