Ballo dominates inside, No. 5 Arizona overpowers rival Arizona State 105-60
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley watched film of No. 5 Arizona and feared the worst.
The Wildcats made the nightmare come true, turning the rivals' final Pac-12 game at McKale Center into a blowout.
Jaden Bradley scored 21 points, Oumar Ballo dominated inside and Arizona overpowered Arizona State 105-60 on Saturday night a year after suffering heartbreak at home against the Sun Devils.
“They have size, they've got shooting, guys that can pass, guys who can attack the paint off the dribble,” Hurley said. “It's hard to come up with a clear weakness that they have.”
The Wildcats (20-5, 11-3 Pac-12) had their free-flowing offense clicking all night and tightened up their defense late in the first half to turn the rivalry game into a blowout before the teams head to the Big 12 next season.
Arizona shot 57% from the floor and had a 52-16 advantage in the paint to give Tommy Lloyd his 81st win, most in major-conference history by a coach in his first three seasons at a school. Ballo finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
“It's just one of those days where things went our way,” Lloyd said. “I'm sure in 10 days they'll be ready for a bit of redemption.”
Arizona State (13-13, 7-8) pulled off a miracle in its last trip to Tucson, winning 89-88 on Desmond Cambridge Jr.'s half-court heave at the buzzer.
The Sun Devils were no match for Arizona inside on this trip south - particularly Ballo.
Arizona established the 7-foot, 260-pound center in the paint early, creating easy shots while racking up fouls against Arizona State. Adam Miller had 16 points to lead the Sun Devils, who shot 36% and 6 of 24 from 3-point range after a torrid start.
The NCAA selection committee revealed its potential top 16 seeds on Saturday and Arizona was on the No. 1 line with Purdue, reigning national champion UConn and Houston.
Arizona State certainly wasn't intimidated by the Wildcats' stature nor playing in McKale Center, trading shot for shot midway through the first half.
Arizona kept hitting. The Sun Devils didn't.
The Wildcats made seven straight shots to lead 41-29, and went on a 13-2 run. Arizona shot 21 of 31 from the floor to lead 49-31 at halftime.
Arizona State went six minutes without hitting a shot and missed eight of its last nine as the fouls started piling up.
“I would say my biggest criticism of us was how we finished the half - we could have maybe had it within nine or 10,” Hurley said. “Particularly the last minute, it was embarrassing that we gave up layups, we gave them multiple opportunities, and they were able to stretch the lead to 18 points.”
It didn't get any better in the second half.
Arizona kept scoring and went up 21 on a long 3 by Caleb Love (15 points) that prompted Hurley to call timeout. The Wildcats stretched the lead to 27 midway through the second half.
BRADLEY'S IMPACT
Bradley took some time to adjust to play at Arizona and for Lloyd after transferring from Alabama.
The 6-foot-3 guard has started to find his offensive rhythm the past few weeks, playing more aggressively and hitting more shots. Bradley made 8 of 11 shots against Arizona State after scoring 14 points against Colorado last week.
“I've just been accepting my role, coming off the bench with high energy,” he said. “My team has given me the ultimate confidence and I just try to go out and play the right way.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Arizona State: The Sun Devils managed to hang with Arizona early by hitting shots, but wore down against Arizona's size to end any hopes of a repeat win at McKale Center.
Arizona: The Wildcats have been on a roll lately, winning five straight while proving to be deserving of a No. 1 seed - at least in mid-February.
UP NEXT
Arizona State: Plays at Washington on Thursday.
Arizona: Plays at Washington State on Thursday night.
---
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
---
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Wildcats gains possession) | |||
19:55 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point dunk (Kylan Boswell assists) | 0-2 | |
19:35 | +2 | Jose Perez makes two point jump shot | 2-2 | |
19:14 | Shawn Phillips Jr. blocks Kylan Boswell's two point layup | |||
19:12 | Shawn Phillips Jr. defensive rebound | |||
19:06 | +3 | Jamiya Neal makes three point jump shot (Jose Perez assists) | 5-2 | |
18:54 | Shawn Phillips Jr. personal foul | |||
18:45 | +2 | Caleb Love makes two point jump shot | 5-4 | |
18:19 | +2 | Jose Perez makes two point jump shot | 7-4 | |
17:49 | Keshad Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
17:47 | Frankie Collins defensive rebound | |||
17:37 | +2 | Frankie Collins makes two point jump shot | 9-4 | |
17:25 | +2 | Keshad Johnson makes two point layup | 9-6 | |
17:25 | Frankie Collins shooting foul (Keshad Johnson draws the foul) | |||
17:25 | +1 | Keshad Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 9-7 | |
17:13 | Adam Miller misses three point jump shot | |||
17:11 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
17:05 | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | |||
17:03 | Jamiya Neal defensive rebound | |||
16:58 | Jamiya Neal turnover (traveling) | |||
16:54 | Oumar Ballo turnover (lost ball) (Frankie Collins steals) | |||
16:36 | Frankie Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
16:34 | Keshad Johnson defensive rebound | |||
16:28 | +2 | Kylan Boswell makes two point layup | 9-9 | |
16:04 | Jamiya Neal misses three point jump shot | |||
16:02 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
15:56 | Shawn Phillips Jr. shooting foul (Oumar Ballo draws the foul) | |||
15:56 | TV timeout | |||
15:56 | +1 | Oumar Ballo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-10 | |
15:56 | Oumar Ballo misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
15:56 | Jamiya Neal defensive rebound | |||
15:39 | +2 | Jose Perez makes two point jump shot (Adam Miller assists) | 11-10 | |
15:13 | +2 | Caleb Love makes two point layup | 11-12 | |
14:54 | +2 | Frankie Collins makes two point jump shot | 13-12 | |
14:45 | Alonzo Gaffney personal foul | |||
14:33 | Pelle Larsson misses two point layup | |||
14:31 | Pelle Larsson offensive rebound | |||
14:31 | Alonzo Gaffney shooting foul (Pelle Larsson draws the foul) | |||
14:31 | Pelle Larsson misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
14:31 | Bryant Selebangue turnover (lane violation) | |||
14:31 | +1 | Pelle Larsson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-13 | |
14:16 | +2 | Bryant Selebangue makes two point layup (Jose Perez assists) | 15-13 | |
14:01 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
13:59 | Bryant Selebangue defensive rebound | |||
13:42 | Frankie Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
13:40 | Pelle Larsson defensive rebound | |||
13:33 | +2 | Jaden Bradley makes two point layup (Pelle Larsson assists) | 15-15 | |
13:27 | Jaden Bradley personal foul | |||
13:03 | +2 | Adam Miller makes two point jump shot | 17-15 | |
12:45 | Jaden Bradley misses two point jump shot | |||
12:43 | Jamiya Neal defensive rebound | |||
12:37 | +3 | Adam Miller makes three point jump shot (Jamiya Neal assists) | 20-15 | |
12:17 | +3 | Caleb Love makes three point jump shot | 20-18 | |
11:54 | Motiejus Krivas blocks Bryant Selebangue's two point layup | |||
11:52 | Jaden Bradley defensive rebound | |||
11:46 | +2 | Caleb Love makes two point dunk (Jaden Bradley assists) | 20-20 | |
11:43 | Sun Devils 30 second timeout | |||
11:19 | Adam Miller turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Love steals) | |||
11:12 | KJ Lewis turnover (bad pass) (Adam Miller steals) | |||
11:08 | Pelle Larsson shooting foul (Jamiya Neal draws the foul) | |||
11:08 | +1 | Jamiya Neal makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-20 | |
11:08 | Jamiya Neal misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
11:08 | Motiejus Krivas defensive rebound | |||
10:50 | Motiejus Krivas misses two point jump shot | |||
10:48 | Frankie Collins defensive rebound | |||
10:41 | Frankie Collins turnover (lost ball) (KJ Lewis steals) | |||
10:35 | +2 | Jaden Bradley makes two point layup (Caleb Love assists) | 21-22 | |
10:25 | Adam Miller misses two point layup | |||
10:23 | Motiejus Krivas defensive rebound | |||
10:11 | +2 | Pelle Larsson makes two point jump shot (Jaden Bradley assists) | 21-24 | |
9:40 | Motiejus Krivas shooting foul (Jamiya Neal draws the foul) | |||
9:40 | +1 | Jamiya Neal makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-24 | |
9:40 | +1 | Jamiya Neal makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-24 | |
9:16 | +2 | KJ Lewis makes two point layup | 23-26 | |
8:51 | KJ Lewis shooting foul (Jose Perez draws the foul) | |||
8:51 | +1 | Jose Perez makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-26 | |
8:51 | Jose Perez misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:51 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
8:39 | Frankie Collins personal foul | |||
8:24 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Jaden Bradley assists) | 24-28 | |
8:07 | Jamiya Neal misses three point jump shot | |||
8:05 | KJ Lewis defensive rebound | |||
7:58 | +2 | KJ Lewis makes two point layup | 24-30 | |
7:35 | Adam Miller misses three point jump shot | |||
7:33 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
7:26 | +3 | Kylan Boswell makes three point jump shot | 24-33 | |
7:25 | Sun Devils 30 second timeout | |||
7:25 | TV timeout | |||
6:57 | Frankie Collins misses three point jump shot | |||
6:55 | Sun Devils offensive rebound | |||
6:38 | +3 | Alonzo Gaffney makes three point jump shot (Frankie Collins assists) | 27-33 | |
6:14 | +3 | Kylan Boswell makes three point jump shot | 27-36 | |
5:49 | Jaden Bradley personal foul | |||
5:39 | Jose Perez turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Love steals) | |||
5:33 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
5:31 | Alonzo Gaffney defensive rebound | |||
5:24 | Bryant Selebangue misses two point layup | |||
5:22 | Bryant Selebangue offensive rebound | |||
5:20 | Keshad Johnson shooting foul (Bryant Selebangue draws the foul) | |||
5:20 | Bryant Selebangue misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:20 | Bryant Selebangue misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
5:20 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
5:05 | Pelle Larsson turnover (bad pass) (Bryant Selebangue steals) | |||
4:52 | +2 | Adam Miller makes two point layup | 29-36 | |
4:33 | +3 | Caleb Love makes three point jump shot | 29-39 | |
4:21 | Oumar Ballo blocks Adam Miller's two point layup | |||
4:19 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
4:07 | Pelle Larsson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:05 | Kamari Lands defensive rebound | |||
3:49 | Oumar Ballo blocks Jamiya Neal's two point jump shot | |||
3:47 | Pelle Larsson defensive rebound | |||
3:42 | +2 | Keshad Johnson makes two point dunk (Pelle Larsson assists) | 29-41 | |
3:19 | Jose Perez misses two point layup | |||
3:17 | Jose Perez offensive rebound | |||
3:14 | Kamari Lands misses three point jump shot | |||
3:12 | Wildcats defensive rebound | |||
3:12 | Shawn Phillips Jr. personal foul | |||
3:12 | TV timeout | |||
3:12 | Oumar Ballo misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
3:12 | Kamari Lands defensive rebound | |||
2:51 | +2 | Jose Perez makes two point jump shot | 31-41 | |
2:36 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point dunk (Pelle Larsson assists) | 31-43 | |
2:01 | Jose Perez misses two point jump shot | |||
1:59 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
1:48 | +2 | Oumar Ballo makes two point layup (Keshad Johnson assists) | 31-45 | |
1:25 | Keshad Johnson blocks Jose Perez's two point layup | |||
1:23 | Sun Devils offensive rebound | |||
1:13 | Sun Devils turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
0:58 | Caleb Love misses three point jump shot | |||
0:56 | Jamiya Neal defensive rebound | |||
0:47 | Adam Miller misses two point jump shot | |||
0:45 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
0:35 | +2 | Jaden Bradley makes two point layup | 31-47 | |
0:11 | Jamiya Neal misses three point jump shot | |||
0:09 | Oumar Ballo defensive rebound | |||
0:03 | +2 | Jaden Bradley makes two point layup | 31-49 | |
0:00 | End of period |