Talk about making a statement! Arizona just rolled into Auburn, Alabama, and did what almost no one has done in over seven years: they absolutely torched the Tigers on their home court, winning 80-69 on Friday night. This wasn’t just any win, either. The Wildcats snapped Auburn’s ridiculous 71-game nonconference home win streak at Neville Arena, a run that stretched all the way back to 2016. For the second year running, Arizona proved they’re the guys who crash the party and end those seemingly unbreakable home streaks against non-league opponents.
Holt’s Homecoming Heroics and Wildcat Punch
Man, Caleb Holt came home and played like he had something to prove. This guy dropped a monster 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and snatched five steals in what was clearly a breakout performance. Remember how he was struggling from deep, missing 10 of 11 triples in the first three games? Forget that noise, he went 4-of-6 from downtown against Auburn. What a turn! But it wasn’t just Holt lighting it up. Ivan Kharchenkov was right there with him, putting up 19 points and eight rebounds, including a clutch three that pushed the lead to 68-61 late in the second half. And then there’s Motiejus Krivas, who was a force with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Despite getting 12 shots blocked, including six by Auburn’s big man Narcisse Ngoy, the Wildcats still shot 44.4 percent overall, cranking it up to 50 percent in the second half. They even outrebounded Auburn by 12 and dropped 16 more points in the paint. That’s some serious grit right there.
Defensive Stands and a Smart Lineup Shake-Up
Look, Auburn struggled big time. They shot a dismal 34.8 percent from the field, and while they launched 31 threes and hit 11 of them, they were stone cold inside the arc, going just 12-of-35. Junior guard Tahad Pettiford, who walked into this game averaging 22.5 points, was completely stifled, managing only nine points on 4-of-14 shooting. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd wasn’t afraid to make moves, either. He shook up the starting lineup, bringing in Washington transfer JJ Mandaquit for Bryce James. Mandaquit played 31 minutes, scoring six points all from the charity stripe, while James and backup center Ugnius Jarusevicius didn’t even see the floor. The bench was quiet, too, with Maksim Brnovic and Evan Otten each chipping in two points for a total of four in 27 minutes. This shows you Lloyd was locking into the guys who were delivering. The Wildcats did have their hiccups, with 12 turnovers, double what they had in Tuesday’s win. But even with nine shots blocked and eight turnovers in the first half, they still led 36-32 at the break.
Clutch Runs and Closing Power
The second half started wild! Auburn swatted Arizona’s first shot, but then the Wildcats just exploded with a 10-0 run to grab a 14-point lead less than three minutes in. You thought they’d pull away, right? Nope, Auburn clawed back with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to 48-42. Things got dicey when Krivas picked up his third foul with 13:02 left. Without him, Auburn went on a 9-2 run, tying it up on an Owen Freeman hook shot. But Krivas came back in with 9:38 to go, immediately drew Ngoy’s fourth foul, though he missed the freebie. Auburn even took a brief 54-53 lead, their first since it was 18-16, thanks to a Freeman free throw. But Holt, being Holt, swooped in with a steal and a dunk to snatch the lead right back! There were four lead changes and two ties in two minutes, a real nail-biter. But then Arizona unleashed another massive 9-0 run, with Kharchenkov’s three putting them up 68-61. Mandaquit sealed the deal with four consecutive free throws, pushing the lead to 74-65. That’s how you close out a powerhouse team on their own floor.
What a road win for the Wildcats, moving them to 3-1 on the season. Snapping a 71-game home streak is no joke, and it screams loud and clear that this Arizona team is for real, especially with guys like Caleb Holt hitting their stride early. They’re showing resilience, making adjustments, and hitting critical shots when it counts. The early season vibes are strong for Arizona after taking down a huge road challenge like this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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