It started with a Kerr Kriisa 3-pointer 20 seconds into the game and ended with a Pelle Larsson rebound at the end.
Everything in between was Arizona basketball as everyone has come to know it.
Three-pointers, breakaway jams, domination near the basket, and oh yes, turnovers. Those pesky turnovers.
Still, Arizona was able to overcome those 17 turnovers to win fairly easily over Oregon State Thursday night, 86-74. At one point, Arizona had a 24-point lead.
Arizona returned to form after two-and-a-half lackluster performances, which included one loss. Arizona’s win prevented Tommy Lloyd from losing back-to-back games for the first time in his coaching career.
Arizona started the game unlike it had the previous two games – fast and well, jumping out to an early double-digit lead. It played its fast-paced style and the Beavers had no choice but to do the same.
“I really liked how we started the game,” Lloyd said on his post-game radio show. “I thought that both sides of the floor we were good and I thought for the most part defensively, we were in attack mode …
“That first half kind of ignited us a little bit and offensively we were flowing a little bit better. We came here with the mission to get back on the winning track and so it was mission accomplished.”
Indeed.
Arizona is now 15-2 overall and 4-2 in the Pac-12 Conference.
Arizona played much like it had for most of the season: free-wheeling and aggressively.
“We were hunting shots; we weren’t worried about what they were doing,” Lloyd said. “(It was) just a good balance of, you know, letting it rip from outside and attacking inside. I was happy (in) he first half … the second half, I wish we would have played a little bit better. Some of the turnovers, a couple casual defensive possessions that we got to tighten up, but, hey … “
But, all is right again.
Azuolas Tubelis had 25 points and 10 rebounds. Oumar Ballo had 14 points and 15 rebounds (career-high). And Kriisa had 13 points and 11 assists but had five turnovers.
Arizona hit 11 of 29 3-pointers. Three apiece from Kriisa and Courtney Ramey, who had been in a slump the last couple of games. He finished with 11 points, hitting four of 11 shots. He, however, had four turnovers.
“Courtney was aggressive,” Lloyd said. “Courtney’s a guy you kind of gotta let roam free a little bit and attack on some of those drives. He made a lot of really good plays, maybe a couple of tough plays when they (Beavers) made that run in the second half (as he was) trying to force (things). He was trying to thread the needle on some of those passes, but I’ll take it. I’ll take that activity. No one’s perfect. So, it was good to have Court back playing with that effort, impacting the game like he did.”
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