Ballo's double-double, stout second-half defense lift No. 11 Arizona to 82-71 win over Stanford.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Arizona watched Stanford players drain one 3-pointer after another, just as it did a month ago in Northern California.
Staring down the barrel of another potential blowout loss, the Wildcats shut down the Cardinal by running them off the 3-point line.
Oumar Ballo had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Caleb Love added 18 points and No. 11 Arizona stifled Stanford in the second half for an 82-71 win on Sunday night.
“They came out shooting the lights out of the ball, 1 through 5, everyone hitting transition 3s,” said Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, who helped lead Arizona's defensive charge off the bench. “At halftime, we adjusted, tried to run them off the line, stay out front and coach's game plan worked.”
The Wildcats (17-5, 8-3 Pac-12) let Stanford have its way offensively for the second straight game, falling into an 11-point halftime hole as the Cardinal (11-10, 6-5) hit nine 3-pointers.
Arizona turned the game around with its defense, holding Stanford to 9-of-32 shooting while forcing 11 second-half turnovers. Pelle Larsson added 17 points and the Wildcats had a 48-24 advantage in the paint.
Maxime Raynaud had 29 points and Michael Jones 21 for Stanford, which played without leading scorer Kanaan Carlyle due to an upper-body injury suffered Thursday against Arizona State.
“I don’t think anything changed in terms of philosophically or game planning; we just didn’t execute as well," Stanford coach Jared Hass said. "They did a nice job of being physical on the drives and getting steals.”
The Cardinal shot Arizona out of Maples Pavilion on Dec. 31, hitting a school-record 16 3-pointers on 25 attempts in a 100-82 win.
Stanford got off to another torrid start at McKale Center, lost its touch and found it again in a first half filled with wild swings.
The Cardinal opened 6 of 7 from 3 to take a 26-17 lead, missed 13 straight shots during a six-minute funk, then started draining 3s again during a 12-0 run.
Raynaud had 21 points by halftime, Jones 16 and Stanford went 9 of 19 from the arc to lead 45-34.
“We made a bunch of shots and I love the guys were playing loose and free,” Hass said.
The freedom evaporated in the second as Arizona started getting the ball to Ballo and tightening up on defense.
Ballo powered inside for a couple of early baskets, forcing the Cardinal collapse and opening up the floor for Arizona.
The Wildcats also were far better defensively in the second half, staying connected with Stanford's shooters while contesting nearly every shot. The Cardinal missed 15 of their first 18 shots and Arizona surged to a 59-52 lead with a 13-0 run.
Stanford kept hanging around despite its shaky shooting, but KJ Lewis stretched Arizona's lead to 75-65 with a layup and two free throws with just over a minute left.
“We guarded a little better, didn't get beat individually,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said.
LEWIS LEADING
Lewis had 12 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting. His biggest impact came on the defensive end.
Lewis hounded Stanford's guard all night and played exceptional positional defense, finishing with two steals and a blocked shot.
“KJ's got amazing instincts defensively, he’s got amazing physical tools and reaction time and he’s not afraid to take a risk,” Lloyd said “I don’t want to tame him. I'm good with that.”
BIG PICTURE
Stanford: The Cardinal have led the nation in 3-point shooting since the start of Pac-12 play on Dec. 29 and were certainly on the mark in the first half. Once Arizona cut off Stanford's offensive flow in the second half, the Cardinal had no answer.
Arizona: The Wildcats have had trouble with Stanford the past few seasons and looked like they might be headed toward a season sweep at the hands of the Cardinal. But Arizona found its defensive mojo in the second half, riding each missed shot and roar of the crowd to victory.
UP NEXT
Stanford: Hosts UCLA on Wednesday.
Arizona: Plays at Utah on Thursday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Maxime Raynaud vs. Oumar Ballo (Benny Gealer gains possession) | |||
19:40 | Oumar Ballo blocks Brandon Angel's two point jump shot | |||
19:38 | Kylan Boswell defensive rebound | |||
19:24 | +3 | Caleb Love makes three point jump shot | 0-3 | |
19:06 | +3 | Maxime Raynaud makes three point jump shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 3-3 | |
18:31 | +3 | Kylan Boswell makes three point jump shot | 3-6 | |
17:59 | +2 | Maxime Raynaud makes two point jump shot (Michael Jones assists) | 5-6 | |
17:51 | Maxime Raynaud personal foul (Oumar Ballo draws the foul) | |||
17:37 | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | |||
17:35 | Pelle Larsson offensive rebound | |||
17:32 | Pelle Larsson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:30 | Maxime Raynaud defensive rebound | |||
17:17 | Maxime Raynaud misses two point hook shot | |||
17:15 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
16:59 | Oumar Ballo misses two point jump shot | |||
16:57 | Keshad Johnson offensive rebound | |||
16:55 | Keshad Johnson misses two point layup | |||
16:53 | Brandon Angel defensive rebound | |||
16:46 | Brandon Angel misses two point jump shot | |||
16:44 | Michael Jones offensive rebound | |||
16:41 | +2 | Michael Jones makes two point jump shot | 7-6 | |
16:25 | Kylan Boswell turnover (lost ball) (Benny Gealer steals) | |||
16:19 | +3 | Michael Jones makes three point jump shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 10-6 | |
16:00 | Oumar Ballo turnover (lost ball) (Spencer Jones steals) | |||
15:46 | +2 | Maxime Raynaud makes two point layup | 12-6 | |
15:44 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
15:44 | TV timeout | |||
15:33 | +2 | Pelle Larsson makes two point layup (Kylan Boswell assists) | 12-8 | |
15:04 | Benny Gealer misses two point jump shot | |||
15:02 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
14:51 | KJ Lewis turnover (bad pass) (Michael Jones steals) | |||
14:26 | Spencer Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
14:24 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
14:16 | +3 | Pelle Larsson makes three point jump shot (Caleb Love assists) | 12-11 | |
14:07 | +3 | Spencer Jones makes three point jump shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 15-11 | |
13:45 | KJ Lewis misses two point layup | |||
13:43 | Maxime Raynaud defensive rebound | |||
13:37 | +3 | Maxime Raynaud makes three point jump shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 18-11 | |
13:24 | +3 | Caleb Love makes three point jump shot (KJ Lewis assists) | 18-14 | |
13:17 | +3 | Michael Jones makes three point jump shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 21-14 | |
12:55 | +3 | Kylan Boswell makes three point jump shot | 21-17 | |
12:37 | +2 | Maxime Raynaud makes two point dunk (Michael Jones assists) | 23-17 | |
12:20 | Caleb Love turnover (lost ball) (Spencer Jones steals) | |||
12:16 | +3 | Benny Gealer makes three point jump shot (Spencer Jones assists) | 26-17 | |
12:02 | Spencer Jones blocks Oumar Ballo's two point layup | |||
12:00 | Spencer Jones defensive rebound | |||
11:58 | Pelle Larsson personal foul (Maxime Raynaud draws the foul) | |||
11:58 | TV timeout | |||
11:31 | Andrej Stojakovic misses three point jump shot | |||
11:29 | Cardinal turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
11:06 | Jaden Bradley misses two point jump shot | |||
11:04 | Motiejus Krivas offensive rebound | |||
11:01 | Motiejus Krivas misses two point layup | |||
10:59 | Michael Jones defensive rebound | |||
10:33 | Andrej Stojakovic misses two point layup | |||
10:31 | Motiejus Krivas defensive rebound | |||
10:22 | +2 | Pelle Larsson makes two point layup (KJ Lewis assists) | 26-19 | |
10:07 | Michael Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
10:05 | Motiejus Krivas defensive rebound | |||
10:00 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
9:58 | James Keefe defensive rebound | |||
9:57 | Motiejus Krivas personal foul (James Keefe draws the foul) | |||
9:40 | Motiejus Krivas blocks James Keefe's two point jump shot | |||
9:38 | Keshad Johnson defensive rebound | |||
9:26 | +2 | Motiejus Krivas makes two point dunk (Pelle Larsson assists) | 26-21 | |
8:56 | Motiejus Krivas personal foul (James Keefe draws the foul) | |||
8:49 | Jaden Bradley shooting foul (Maxime Raynaud draws the foul) | |||
8:49 | +1 | Maxime Raynaud makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-21 | |
8:49 | +1 | Maxime Raynaud makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-21 | |
8:26 | Keshad Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Jared Bynum steals) | |||
8:19 | Michael Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
8:16 | Cardinal offensive rebound | |||
8:04 | Andrej Stojakovic misses three point jump shot | |||
8:02 | Jaden Bradley defensive rebound | |||
7:56 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Jaden Bradley assists) | 28-23 | |
7:44 | Jared Bynum misses three point jump shot | |||
7:42 | Andrej Stojakovic offensive rebound | |||
7:39 | Benny Gealer misses three point jump shot | |||
7:37 | Spencer Jones offensive rebound | |||
7:25 | Spencer Jones misses two point jump shot | |||
7:23 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
7:15 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
7:13 | Oumar Ballo offensive rebound | |||
7:11 | +3 | Jaden Bradley makes three point jump shot (Oumar Ballo assists) | 28-26 | |
6:51 | Benny Gealer misses three point jump shot | |||
6:49 | Caleb Love defensive rebound | |||
6:40 | +2 | KJ Lewis makes two point layup (Keshad Johnson assists) | 28-28 | |
6:35 | Cardinal 30 second timeout | |||
6:35 | TV timeout | |||
6:19 | Spencer Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
6:17 | Benny Gealer offensive rebound | |||
6:10 | Spencer Jones misses two point jump shot | |||
6:08 | Maxime Raynaud offensive rebound | |||
6:04 | Maxime Raynaud misses two point layup | |||
6:02 | Maxime Raynaud offensive rebound | |||
6:00 | +2 | Maxime Raynaud makes two point layup | 30-28 | |
5:48 | Keshad Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
5:46 | Keshad Johnson offensive rebound | |||
5:41 | KJ Lewis misses three point jump shot | |||
5:39 | KJ Lewis offensive rebound | |||
5:37 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point dunk (KJ Lewis assists) | 30-30 | |
5:30 | Brandon Angel turnover (bad pass) | |||
5:07 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Caleb Love assists) | 30-32 | |
4:44 | +2 | Brandon Angel makes two point layup | 32-32 | |
4:26 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
4:24 | Benny Gealer defensive rebound | |||
4:06 | +2 | Maxime Raynaud makes two point hook shot (Benny Gealer assists) | 34-32 | |
3:51 | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | |||
3:49 | Oumar Ballo offensive rebound | |||
3:49 | Brandon Angel personal foul (Oumar Ballo draws the foul) | |||
3:49 | TV timeout | |||
3:44 | Pelle Larsson misses three point jump shot | |||
3:42 | Maxime Raynaud defensive rebound | |||
3:32 | +2 | Michael Jones makes two point layup (Maxime Raynaud assists) | 36-32 | |
3:12 | Caleb Love misses two point jump shot | |||
3:10 | Brandon Angel defensive rebound | |||
2:46 | +3 | Michael Jones makes three point jump shot (Brandon Angel assists) | 39-32 | |
2:23 | Motiejus Krivas misses two point layup | |||
2:21 | Andrej Stojakovic defensive rebound | |||
2:01 | +3 | Maxime Raynaud makes three point jump shot | 42-32 | |
1:58 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
1:42 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point dunk (Caleb Love assists) | 42-34 | |
1:19 | +3 | Michael Jones makes three point jump shot (Brandon Angel assists) | 45-34 | |
0:58 | Brandon Angel shooting foul (Oumar Ballo draws the foul) | |||
0:58 | Oumar Ballo misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
0:58 | Oumar Ballo misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
0:58 | KJ Lewis offensive rebound | |||
0:56 | Benny Gealer personal foul (KJ Lewis draws the foul) | |||
0:36 | Pelle Larsson turnover (lost ball) | |||
0:08 | Andrej Stojakovic misses three point jump shot | |||
0:05 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
0:01 | Jaden Bradley misses two point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Spencer Jones defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |