Arizona Wildcats Triumph Over BYU
TUCSON, Arizona (AP) — In a decisive display of resilience, the University of Arizona’s basketball team, ranked No. 4, defeated No. 23 Brigham Young University (BYU) 75-68 on Wednesday night, marking a recovery from their recent slump. Anthony Dell’Orso emerged as a key contributor off the bench, scoring a career-best 22 points, while Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 18 points to help the Wildcats secure the victory and improve their record to 24-2 overall and 11-2 in the Big 12 Conference.
Game Highlights
After an impressive start that saw them win 23 consecutive games and hold the top ranking in the nation for nine weeks, Arizona faced challenges, suffering consecutive defeats to No. 9 Kansas and No. 16 Texas Tech prior to this matchup. Dell’Orso showcased his shooting prowess, nailing eight of 15 attempts from the floor, including four of eight from beyond the arc.
BYU’s freshman standout, AJ Dybantsa, led the Cougars with an impressive 33 points, hitting 12 of 27 shots and surpassing 30 points for the sixth time this season. The Cougars were missing starting guard Richie Saunders, who suffered a torn ACL in a recent overtime win against Colorado, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.
Second Half Control
Throughout the second half, Arizona maintained control of the game, extending their lead to 66-50, thanks to a three-pointer from Dell’Orso with 6:40 remaining. Although BYU managed to trim the margin to 73-68 in the closing minute, they were unable to close the gap further. Notably, Dell’Orso’s timely three-pointer just before halftime helped Arizona establish a 42-35 lead at the break.
Injury Updates
The Wildcats faced additional setbacks, playing without starting forward Koa Peat and reserve guard Dwayne Aristode. Arizona announced Peat would miss the upcoming game against No. 2 Houston due to a lower leg muscle strain, while Aristode was sidelined for a second consecutive game due to illness.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, BYU will host No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday, while Arizona prepares for a challenging contest against No. 2 Houston in their next outing.
