Arizona men's basketball secured a victory against San Diego State, winning 82-67 in an exhibition game at ALKEME Arena at McKale Center on Friday night. Despite a challenging shooting performance and defensive lapses, the Wildcats managed to come out on top, reminiscent of their encounter last December when they overcame offensive struggles to clinch a win.
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The Wildcats showcased a balanced offense with six players scoring in double figures, led by Motiejus Krivas who recorded 17 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, and two assists in 29 minutes. Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 13 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Caleb Holt added 15 points. Derek Dixon and JJ Mandaquit each scored 12 points, and Maksim Brnovic rounded out the scoring with 10.
Brnovic had a standout moment midway through the first half, showcasing his skills with a three-pointer, a steal, and a one-handed dunk reminiscent of Michael Jordan. However, he was the only Wildcat to exceed 50% shooting, as the team finished with a field goal percentage of 34.7% and 26.5% from three-point range. Arizona compensated for this by getting to the free-throw line 28 times, converting 21 attempts, and dominating the boards with a 49-38 rebounding advantage, including a plus-12 on offensive rebounds.
San Diego State, missing three key rotation players due to injury, shot 40% from the field and made 5 of 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Isaiah Sy, a transfer from Oregon State, scored 17 points on 7 of 11 shooting for the Aztecs, who also struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away 16 times as Arizona claimed 13 steals.
At halftime, Arizona led 40-32 after initially trailing by six. Despite shooting only 33.3% before the break, they found their rhythm early in the second half, hitting 5 of their first 9 three-point attempts. A critical three-pointer by Brnovic extended the lead to 62-46 with 11:39 remaining.
Although Arizona built a 19-point lead, they encountered a lapse, allowing San Diego State to go on an 8-0 run that closed the gap to 70-59 with 5:56 left in the game. Earlier, the Wildcats faced a rough patch, missing nine consecutive shots and allowing the Aztecs to take a 25-20 lead with a 12-0 run. However, Arizona rebounded with a 14-0 surge, fueled by free throws, ending the first half on an 18-4 run.
Arizona's next exhibition is scheduled for October 23 at home against Eastern Washington, coached by Dan Monson, who hired Tommy Lloyd at Gonzaga over 25 years ago.