Arizona Wildcats Shoot Their Way to 20-0 Start

The Arizona Wildcats showed why they are the top-ranked team in the nation. They dominated West Virginia with a 88-53 win. This victory brought their record to 20-0, just one win away from tying the school record for the best start in history. Brayden Burries led the charge with 22 points. He has now had six 20-point games this season. Motiejus Krivas also had a strong game with 11 points and 12 rebounds, his third double-double in the last six games. Koa Peat contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds, while Tobe Awaka had 14 rebounds. Anthony Dell’Orso scored 12 points, bouncing back from a rough stretch. The Wildcats shot 52. 5 percent from the field. They hit 10 three-pointers, the most in a Big 12 game this season. Six different players made at least one three-pointer, but Burries was the most effective, going 4 for 8 from beyond the arc. West Virginia struggled, shooting just 34. 4 percent from the field. This was the second straight game where Arizona held their opponent under 60 points and 35 percent shooting. The last time they did that was in January 2023. The Wildcats took control early, leading 43-23 at halftime. They extended their lead in the second half, forcing West Virginia coach Ross Hodge to call a timeout just over three minutes in. A 7-0 run put Arizona up 60-32, and Krivas hit their eighth three-pointer soon after.West Virginia didn’t attempt their first free throw until 12:18 left in the second half. They had their best shooting stretch during this time, making three straight baskets. However, Arizona never went more than 2 ½ minutes without scoring after halftime. A 13-0 run, including seven straight points from Dell’Orso, put the game out of reach with less than two minutes remaining. The Wildcats started the game strong, making their first four shots, including two three-pointers by Burries. He had 10 points in the first seven minutes. Dell’Orso hit a three-pointer, snapping an 0 for 15 streak, to make it 20-8 with 12:17 left in the first half. West Virginia started cold, going 4 of 18 from the field. They didn’t make their first three-pointer until more than 10 minutes in. After making three of their next four shots, they missed seven in a row, allowing Arizona to pull away. The Wildcats mixed perimeter shots with their strong inside game. Burries’ third three-pointer capped off the first of two 7-0 runs. The second run ended with a triple from Peat, making the score 40-21 with 2:01 left before halftime. Arizona’s next challenge will be on the road against ranked opponents. They start with a game against No. 13 BYU. This is the first of seven games against ranked Big 12 teams remaining on their schedule.