Christian Koloko scored 19 points to lead six Arizona players in double figures as the No. 8 Wildcats won a shot-making showcase 101-76 over Northern Colorado on Wednesday night in Tucson, Ariz.
The Wildcats (10-0) shot 53.4 percent for the game, but it took them until about midway through the second half to break free of the Bears (6-6), who were riding the hot hand of Daylen Kountz. The senior scored a career-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting.
Arizona’s lead was merely 71-67 with 11:10 to go before its depth and superior talent kicked into gear down the stretch while Northern Colorado finally cooled off. The Wildcats responded with a 7-0 run and later had runs of 8-0 and 13-0 to finish with a comfortable victory.
Koloko also pulled down eight rebounds and blocked four shots. Kerr Kriisa had 17 points and seven assists for Arizona, which reached 100 points for the third time this season. Azuolas Tubelis posted 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The other double-digit scorers for the Wildcats were Justin Kier (13), Dalen Terry (12) and Bennedict Mathurin (11).
Matt Johnson II contributed 18 points for Northern Colorado, which shot 47.5 percent, including 11 of 26 from 3-point range. Dru Kuxhausen scored all 15 of his points in the second half.
Kountz, who has eight 20-point games this season, matched his previous career high of 26 when he hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second half.
His early efforts gave Northern Colorado a 22-20 lead just past the midway point of the first half, but Arizona went on a 10-0 run soon after. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Kriisa helped put the Wildcats up 32-23 with 7:24 to go.
Kountz pulled the Bears back by scoring eight points over the next five minutes, and the visitors were within 44-42 at the 2:20 mark when Johnson hit a short jumper. Arizona reinstated its breathing room, however, ending the half with an 8-0 spurt.
Arizona shot 57.6 percent in the first half. Northern Colorado made 56.7 percent before the break but just 37.9 percent after halftime.
–Field Level Media
