Freshman Caleb Holt went off for 24 points and nine rebounds Friday night, leading No. 12 Arizona to an 80-69 victory at Auburn and absolutely wrecking Auburn’s 69-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. The Wildcats, now sitting at 3-1, showed serious grit, especially when things got tight on the road.
Holt’s Homecoming Heroics Steal the Show
This was a massive homecoming game for Holt, who grew up right there in Alabama, and he brought the thunder, adding five steals to his impressive stat line. You love to see a highly touted recruit deliver like that! He wasn’t alone in the effort, though. Ivan Kharchenkov dropped 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Motiejus Krivas was a beast inside with 16 points and 12 boards. Derek Dixon chipped in 11 points, rounding out a strong offensive night for the Wildcats. They needed every one of those points against a team that battled hard on their home court.
Auburn’s Comeback Fizzles As Arizona Goes Clutch
Arizona looked like they were going to run away with it early in the second half. They had a slim 36-32 lead at halftime, but then exploded with a 10-0 run in less than three minutes, pushing their cushion to 14 points. Holt and Krivas both threw down a three-point play during that burst. But give Auburn credit, they weren’t going down easy. Thomas Dowd, who led the Tigers with 15 points and nine rebounds, hit four of his five three-point attempts, sparking a comeback that saw them drain four treys to tie the game at 53. Auburn even snatched a 61-59 lead with just over seven minutes left. That’s when Arizona clamped down. Kharchenkov took over, keying a critical 9-0 spurt with five points and a clutch assist, and the Wildcats never looked back. The Tigers really shot themselves in the foot, hitting just 35% from the field and 60% from the free-throw line, while Arizona was money at the stripe, going 18 for 22 (82%). And man, did Arizona dominate the glass, outrebounding Auburn 49-37.
What a road win for No. 12 Arizona, especially with that streak on the line! Next up, they’ve got a massive test, hosting No. 4 UConn on Wednesday night. Auburn will try to regroup when they play West Virginia on Tuesday night. Talk about a statement win for the Wildcats, huh? They earned that one.
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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