PHOENIX (AP) — Koa Peat scored 11 points, Tobe Awaka grabbed 15 rebounds and top-ranked Arizona smothered San Diego State for a 68-45 win Saturday night in the Naismith Hall of Fame Series.
The Wildcats (11-0) had a hard time getting their free-flowing offense going against the brutish Aztecs (6-4), relying on defense instead.
Arizona held San Diego State to 26% shooting from the floor and 1 of 14 from 3-point distance, turning a tight game into a runaway after halftime at the home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
The Wildcats are one of six remaining unbeaten teams following No. 3 Duke’s loss to No. 19 Texas Tech.
Reese Dixon-Waters led San Diego State with eight points. Leading scorer BJ Davis had four on 1-of-12 shooting.
Arizona won each of its previous five games by at least 20 points, including blowouts over No. 16 Alabama and No. 21 Auburn.
The physical Aztecs made it much tougher on the Wildcats, turning nearly every possession into a wrestling match.
San Diego State held Arizona to one field goal over a 6 1/2-minute span and forced a string of turnovers while building a 19-11 lead.
The Wildcats got back in it with a little defense of their own, closing on an 8-0 run to lead 28-27 at halftime despite going 1 for 10 from behind the arc with 10 turnovers.
San Diego State went 8 for 29 from the floor in the first half, including 1 for 7 from 3.
Arizona locked in defensively even more to open the second half, holding the Aztecs to 3-of-18 shooting while stretching the lead to 47-34.
San Diego State shot 7 of 28 in the second half, missing all seven 3-pointers.
Up next
San Diego State hosts Whittier on Monday.
Arizona hosts Bethune-Cookman on Monday.
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