Six players finish in double-figures as UA finishes non-conference with 13-0 record
HIGHLIGHTS: No. 1 Arizona 99, South Dakota State 71
TUCSON — Koa Peat, Motiejus Krivas and Jaden Bradley each posted a double-double as No. 1 Arizona registered a 99-71 nonconference victory over South Dakota State on Monday in front of 14,501 fans at McKale Center.
Arizona (13-0) completed its nonconference slate unbeaten ahead of Saturday’s Big 12 opener at Utah.
It is the Wildcats’ best start since the 2013-14 team began 21-0.
TOMMY LLOYD POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
South Dakota State (7-8) has a three-game losing streak heading into its Summit League schedule Thursday at home against Omaha.
Peat finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, Krivas had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots, and Bradley produced 13 points and 10 assists.
Brayden Burries had 14 points and Ivan Kharchenkov recorded 12.
Tobe Awaka also finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.
South Dakota State’s Kalen Garry had 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
Jaden Jackson finished with 18 points.
Arizona, which never trailed, built a 19-9 lead with 14:26 left in the first half after Bradley capped an 11-3 run with a 3-pointer.
The Wildcats built their largest lead of the first half, 43-25, with 5:58 remaining in the first half following an 8-2 run.
Arizona Postgame Download: Koa Peat & Jaden Bradley
Former Wisconsin player Matthew Mors made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 45-32 with 4:17 left, prompting Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd to call a timeout.
South Dakota State then missed five consecutive shots from the field and was scoreless until Jaden Jackson made a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to cut the lead to 51-35.
Arizona went from making nine of its first 11 attempts from the field to converting only one of its last nine shots.
The Wildcats shot 50% from the field by halftime, when they led 51-35.
Peat had 16 points and eight rebounds at that point.
A 7-0 run by Arizona increased the lead to 58-37 with 16:43 remaining.
The Jackrabbits, who made only one of their last six shots of the first half, continued to struggle from the half to start the second half.
They were 3 of 14 from the field by the time Arizona led 65-44 with 12:16 remaining.
The Wildcats, who entered the game second in the nation with a plus-14.6 average rebounding margin, beat South Dakota State 45-30 on the boards.
Arizona outscored the Jackrabbits 46-26 in the paint.
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