Arizona’s big three – Ivan Kharchenkov, Mo Krivas and Caleb Holt – had to be BIG on Friday night.
And, well, were.
Brings back the question of mine earlier this week: if the three combine to score about 60 or more it’s likely they’ll win a lot of games.
Friday night, they combined for 59 in the 80-69 win at Auburn, ending the Tigers’ 71-game win streak against non-SEC teams that lasted 10 years.
For Arizona it wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t matter, given the trio partook in the party in their own individual way.
Krivas scored 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. He added four assists and three blocks.
Kharchenkov had 19 points and eight rebounds, 13 points coming in the all-important second half. And hit one crucial 3-pointer.
And freshman Holt had a career-high 24 points, keeping UA afloat in the first half before the vets took over.
“That was such a great team win,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said, not singling out anyone to start his postgame radio show. “It was a gritty game; we knew coming in it would be hard.”
And a bit disjointed, but it’s still just four games in with a changing of a rotation as JJ Mandaquit replaced Bryce James in the starting lineup. There were also moments UA went small with Krivas in foul trouble.
Whatever works.
But it was Holt who was the star early, looking like the guy who was advertised as one of the country’s best players coming out of high school last year. Heck, he’s just a few years removed from being Alabama’s player of the year. His return home was pretty good.
“I don’t think people understand how hard that is,” Lloyd said of the return. ”Caleb, you got to understand, was the state player of the year as a sophomore, and then he left and played at a couple different another high schools and then a prep school.
“He was offered by these guys (Auburn) he told me when he was in seventh grade, so to be able to come back to your home state, it’s not easy with the attention on him. But the dude’s a warrior, and (it’s only) game four at Arizona. He’s only going to get better and better. I was really proud of him.”
Holt was asked in the postgame interview with ESPN what he has learned about playing at this high level and said he felt like “he was just out there” vs. UCLA. (It kind of showed)
But Friday, it was different.
“Coach harps on the little things like rebounding, (valuing) the possession game, stop, score, stop (situations),” he said.
He said he just went out and “hooped” on Friday, “just not putting pressure on myself. It’s just going out to play the game I know I can play.”
And don’t forget the four steals he had on the defensive side. How did that happen?
“I feel like I’m a free safety on the defensive side,” he said. “I played football growing up so I think what would I do if I was on the offensive side (when he plays defense). I just try to read the floor.”
When it wasn’t Holt keeping the team ahead or close, it was Kharchenkov keeping UA ahead. Down the stretch, Arizona hit eight of 11 shots, with Kharchenkov hitting five of them.
“He obviously didn’t play his best game,” Lloyd said, “But man, he’s kind of our difference maker, he’s our force.”
His late 3-pointer at the top of the arch was huge, giving UA a seven-point lead late.
“The three that he had was so timely,” Lloyd said. “I just remember looking at you guys like he’s crazy … that’s one of those ones. If you have the cajones to take it, you better make it, and he did.”
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