Pelle Larsson scored 21 points to lead hot-shooting No. 1 Arizona, which emphatically defended its new top ranking with a 98-73 victory over No. 23 Wisconsin on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona (8-0) shot 58.3 percent from the field, including making 12 of 26 from 3-point range, and was in total command after burying the Badgers (7-3) with a 25-8 run to the end the first half. The Wildcats were up by 17 at the break and expanded it to as much as 31 after halftime.
Larsson made all four of his shots from behind the arc. Caleb Love scored 20 points for Arizona, including eight during the key run to end the first half that put the Wildcats up 48-31. Love added seven rebounds and five assists.
Arizona showed off its typical balance, as Oumar Ballo had 15 points and nine rebounds, Keshad Johnson added 11 and 9, and Kylan Boswell scored 10 points with nine assists.
John Blackwell scored 17 points to lead Wisconsin, while Steven Crowl scored 11.
The Wildcats, playing as the No. 1 team for the first time in nearly a decade, ended the Badgers’ six-game winning streak that included a win over then-No. 3 Marquette.
In a matchup of teams that play at opposite tempos, the Wildcats enforced their preferred fast pace, thanks to a plus-nine rebounding edge and a defense that limited the Badgers to 41.4 percent shooting.
Arizona led almost all of the first half but Wisconsin forged a 23-23 tie after being down by six points. The Wildcats then ripped off their 25-8 run over the final 8:32.
The surge featured five 3-pointers, a highlight one-handed, fast-break dunk by Love and an alley-oop dunk to Ballo. The half ended with Boswell’s long 3-pointer with four seconds to go.
Arizona’s 17-point halftime lead was its largest at McKale Center against a ranked opponent since being up by 18 against No. 11 UCLA on Feb. 14, 2009, according to the Pac-12.
–Field Level Media
