Azuolas Tubelis scored 12 points in the second half to help No. 8 Arizona pull away for an 84-60 victory over visiting California Baptist in a nonconference game on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.
Tubelis finished with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting for the Wildcats, who remain undefeated (11-0). Tubelis also secured seven rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin scored 14 points, Christian Koloko scored 12 points with 10 rebounds, and Oumar Ballo also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.
Ty Rowell and Tre Armstrong led Cal Baptist with 11 points each while Reed Nottage finished with 10.
The Lancers (8-3) started strong and kept things close in the first half, thanks to 8-of-15 shooting from 3-point range. Arizona led just 40-33 at halftime. But the Wildcats clamped down in the second half, forcing the Lancers into 0-for-12 from deep.
Arizona shot 50.8 percent from the floor for the game while Cal Baptist finished at 33.3 percent.
Arizona came out of halftime on a 9-0 run to open up a 49-33 lead with 17:01 remaining. The Lancers went the first 3:08 of the second half without scoring a point. The Wildcats would not be challenged from there.
The Lancers jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game and opened up an 18-7 lead on a Rowell 3-pointer at the 16:14 mark of the first half. The Lancers owned a 10-point lead nearly halfway through the first half before Arizona rallied.
Pelle Larsson hit a 3-pointer to give Arizona its first lead, 24-22, with 9:01 to go. Mathurin scored five straight points to give Arizona a 36-30 lead. Mathurin scored 11 points in the first half for Arizona.
Arizona faces No. 18 Tennessee on Wednesday. Cal Baptist takes on SE Missouri State on Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
California Baptist | Arizona | |
Tre Armstrong 11 | Scoring | Azuolas Tubelis 19 |
Daniel Akin 3 | Assists | Kerr Kriisa 5 |
Elijah Thomas 4 | Rebounds | Oumar Ballo 10 |
Tobin Kund 2 | Free Throws Made | Azuolas Tubelis 5 |
Daniel Akin 1 | Steals | Christian Koloko 2 |
Daniel Akin 2 | Blocks | Oumar Ballo 5 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
California Baptist | 60 | 33.3 | 8-27 | 4-6 | 12 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
Arizona | 84 | 50.8 | 9-22 | 9-13 | 21 | 42 | 12 | 5 | 13 |