Arizona men’s basketball wrapped up its exhibition schedule with an absolute thrashing, obliterating Eastern Washington 85-54 on Friday night at ALKEME Arena at McKale Center. This wasn’t just a win, folks, it was a statement. The Wildcats blasted through their three preseason games with an average winning margin of 23.3 points. If you blinked, you missed how overmatched Eastern Washington was.
No Answers For The Wildcats’ Machine
Seriously, Eastern Washington, led by former Gonzaga coach Dan Monson, had absolutely no answer for Arizona’s pure speed, size, and athleticism. Arizona shot a blistering 52.4 percent overall from the field. They drained nine of 23 three-pointers, with five different players hitting from deep for the third straight exhibition. On defense, they locked down the Eagles, holding them to a paltry 34.5 percent shooting. The Wildcats forced a whopping 19 turnovers, converting those into 20 points. They dominated the boards, finishing plus-14, and ran up a 48-32 edge in points in the paint. Get this: Arizona finished with more assists (23) than Eastern Washington had field goals (20). That’s just wild. They led 50-26 at halftime, even being up by as many as 31, and held a 30-point lead for the final 15:16 of the game. Total control.
Caleb Holt’s Electric First Half Lights Up The Floor
Individual performances were just as impressive, even with no player logging more than 24 minutes. Caleb Holt was the runaway scoring leader with 21 points, adding five rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Yeah, he had five turnovers, including two in the opening minute and three in the first six, but then he went off! Holt dropped 15 points before halftime, including a personal 7-0 run late in the first half. He scored on a layup, then stole the inbound pass and scored again, forcing a timeout, grabbed the defensive rebound, and then buried a three-pointer. Talk about a highlight reel! Motiejus Krivas also had a monster game, putting up 12 points with eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, all in just 17 minutes. Ugnius Jarusevicius (12), Ivan Kharchenkov (11), and JJ Mandaquit (11) all hit double figures, showing off that depth.
The real games kick off on November 2, when Arizona faces off against old Pac-12 foe UCLA in Las Vegas. This isn’t just a regular season opener; it’s the finale of a three-game series. UCLA snagged a win in Phoenix in 2024, and Arizona got its revenge last November at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This upcoming clash? It’s for bragging rights, a hot start to the season, and a chance to truly set the tone. Get ready, college hoops fans, the Wildcats are coming in hot.
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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