No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night in Tucson, Ariz.
Key Takeaways
No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night in Tucson, Ariz. Key Points:
- Arizona secured at least a share of the conference crown by defeating Kansas 84-61 on Saturday and earned it outright with a strong defensive performance against Iowa State.
- The Wildcats' defense smothered Iowa State, who shot just 29% from the floor and made only 7 of 30 three-point attempts.
- Arizona plays at Colorado on Saturday.
The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by defeating No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday. They earned it outright with a strong defensive performance against Iowa State, giving coach Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, the most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.
The Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) struggled against Arizona's physical defense, shooting just 29% from the floor and making only 7 of 30 three-point attempts. Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best three-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went just 1 for 5 from beyond the arc.
Arizona's defense smothered Iowa State, who shot a dismal 9 of 33 from the floor and 4 of 20 from three in the first half. The Wildcats closed the half on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime. Iowa State's struggles continued into the second half, missing their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16 points. Despite a brief rally, Iowa State couldn't overcome Arizona's defense.
Arizona plays at Colorado on Saturday. The Wildcats have been dominant this season, with a team-first mindset and high-level talent recruited by coach Tommy Lloyd. They are considered favorites to reach their first Final Four since the 2000-01 season under Lute Olson.
The Arizona Wildcats (12-17, 3-15 Big 12) will face the Arizona State Sun Devils (22-9, 9-9 Big 12) in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. EST in Kansas City, Missouri. The Sun Devils have a record of 13-0 against non-conference opponents and rank seventh in the Big 12 with 23.4 defensive rebounds per game. The Wildcats are ninth in the Big 12 scoring 70.4 points per game and shooting 44.7% from the field.
The teams meet for the third time this season, with Arizona State winning the last matchup 75-69 on Feb. 14. In that game, McKinna Brackens led the Sun Devils with 24 points, and Lani Cornfield led the Wildcats with 24 points. Gabby Elliott is scoring 16.4 points per game and averaging 4.6 rebounds for the Sun Devils, while Brackens is averaging 16.2 points and 5.7 rebounds over the last 10 games.
The Wildcats' Sumayah Sugapong averages 1.4 made 3-pointers per game, scoring 11.1 points while shooting 35.2% from beyond the arc, and Cornfield is shooting 45.7% and averaging 15.3 points. In their last 10 games, the Sun Devils have averaged 67.6 points, while the Wildcats have averaged 67.2 points.
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