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.
No. 10 Southern California 66, UC Irvine 61
Chevez Goodwin scored 23 points, including a key put-back with 24 seconds remaining, and Isaiah Mobley recorded his third consecutive double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Trojans rallied from a 10-point deficit to survive a scare from the Anteaters in Los Angeles.
Southern California (11-0) jumped ahead 12-2 in the first 5:20 but was outscored 34-16 for the rest of the half. UC Irvine built a lead of as many as 10 points and took an eight-point advantage into the locker room.
Goodwin and Mobley combined for 17 of USC’s 24 total made field goals. No other Trojan scored in double figures. Max Agbonkpolo, who scored six points, shot 2-of-9 from the floor. Collin Welp scored 11 of his game-high 24 points before intermission to pace UC Irvine (5-3).
No. 22 Xavier 86, Morehead State 63
Jerome Hunter scored 15 points and Colby Jones added 14 as the Musketeers coasted past the Eagles in Cincinnati for their sixth consecutive victory.
Jack Nunge added 13 points, Adam Kunkel scored 12 and Dwon Odom and Paul Scruggs each had six assists for Xavier (10-1). Zach Freemantle, a first-team All-Big East preseason selection, made his first start of the season and had nine points. He was playing his fifth game after missing the first six because of a foot injury.
Johni Broome scored 20 and Tray Hollowell added 19 for Morehead State (6-5), which trailed 47-19 at halftime. The Eagles scored the first six points of the second half, prompting a timeout by Xavier coach Travis Steele. The closest the Eagles got after that was 56-39 on a basket by Broome with 12:24 left. Steele again called a timeout, and Xavier pulled away.
–Field Level Media
