Arizona men’s basketball cruised to a 93-69 win Tuesday night at McKale Cetner over San Francisco in their first exhibition game of the season.
There were 14 Wildcats that saw action, with 10 scoring. UA led by as many as 26 points and their developments were on display.
KRIVAS AND KHARCHENKOV LEAD THE WAY
Just like the in the Red-Blue Showcase, returning starters, senior center Motiejus Krivas and sophomore forward Ivan Kharchenkov, dominated.
Krivas led the UA in scoring and rebounds with 20 and six, three offensive boards in 26 minutes, only the fourth-most minutes on the team.
In the Red-Blue Showcase, Krivas had 10 points and five rebounds in about 10 minutes.
Kharchenkov was second scoring for the Wildcats with 18 and he had five rebounds, two steals and three assists.
Led by the Wildcats’ European stars, UA scored 48 points in the paint.
Fifth-year forward RJ Godfrey, a transfer from Clemson, did not play as he awaits a legal ruling that will make him eligible.
HOLT UP
Meanwhile, Arizona’s new look backcourt also shined with highly touted freshman guard Caleb Holt and North Carolina transfer guard Derek Dixon each reaching double figures.
Holt, who was ranked as the No. 2 recruit by 247Sports, scored 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The McDonald’s All-American had five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Dixon had 10 points, inducing a couple three-pointers, three assists and a steal. The Wildcats had 12 steals and 25 points off the 19 turnovers they forced.
On Tuesday, NCAA reporter Andy Katz ranked Holt as his fifth-best freshman.
SCHEDULE UPGRADE
As the Wildcats try to figure out their fifth starter and rotation with all the freshmen and transfer, they do so with an improved exhibition schedule.
Last year they played St. Mary’s, a 81-68 win, and Embry-Riddle, who they beat 113-42. Though Embry-Riddle head coach Ben Tucker went to the UA and served on the coaching staff there, ERAU is in the NAIA.
This is the first season the NCAA has allowed three preseason games and the UA scheduled three: San Francisco, San Diego State on Friday and Eastern Washington on Oct. 23.
Last season, USF went 17-16 and 8-10 in the West Coast Conference. San Francisco is one of the favorites to win the West Coast Conference with Gonzaga having moved to the Pac-12 and Randy Bennett having moved from St. Mary’s to Arizona State.
San Diego State is one of the top programs in the west with two Sweet 16s recently and national runners up in 2023.
Eastern Washington head coach Dan Monson has reached the Big Dance four times, starting when he made Gonzaga famous in the late 1990s.
Arizona opens the regular season in Las Vegas against UCLA on Nov. 2.
THE BRYCE IS RIGHT?
Arizona’s starting lineup featured four expected names and one surprise.
Sophomore guard Bryce James, LeBron’s son, started his second straight exhibition after he played almost 19:23 in the 20-minute Red/Blue Game.
Joining James in the starting line up was returning All-American candidates Krivas and Kharchenkov and Holt and Dixon.
James to hit a 3-pointer 16 seconds into the game. James had two points in the Red/Blue Game and zero last year as the UA intended to redshirt him before the NCAA dropped redshirts with the Five-for-Five rule that allows student-athletes to play five seasons.
James finished the San Francisco game with three points, 1-for-3 from the field and a steal in 14 minutes.
SHORT READS
— The UA announced their regular season tip off times and broadcast information on Tuesday.
The Wildcats have three games on TNT or truTV, including the the UCLA game, two on ESPN+ like NAU, 15 on ESPN’s TV networks like Houston, six on Fox of FS1 like UConn, four on CBS or CBSSN like Baylor and two on Peacock, like Cincinnati.
Arizona’s latest game as before the Maui Invitational is 9:30 p.m. against Kansas State in the first game of the tournament. Their latest game on the mainland is 9 p.m. against BYU.
UA’s earliest games are 10 a.m. at St. John’s and K-State.
— During regular season games, USF is 4-1 against the UA but they have played an official game since 1972. Arizona’s win over the Dons came in 1965.
— UA alum Corey Williams served as color commentator for the game. In May ,Williams was a unanimous selection to the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame.
— San Francisco Director of Athletics Brent Blaylock graduated from the UA and worked at the school for seven years, including supervising the men’s basketball program.
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