Wildcats win EA Sports Maui Invitational: By the Numbers
Nov 27, 2014, 6:04 AM | Updated: 6:27 am
The Arizona Wildcats continue to roll, winning their sixth consecutive game to begin the season and the EA Sports Maui Invitational Championship in the process.
Arizona held on to its slim lead late, finishing out the game with strong free throw shooting to ensure the 61-59 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs. The Wildcats are one of only a handful to teams to win multiple EA Sports Maui Invitational championships.
Forwards Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the way for the Wildcats, scoring 18 and 14 points respectively. Guard T.J. McConnell was the third Arizona player in double figures with 11 points of his own.
The No. 3 ranked team in the country found a way to win despite struggling to score from the field. The Wildcats shot just 36.5 percent from the field, but were aided by the Aztecs’ putrid free throw percentage (54.2 percent).
Arizona will have a very happy Turkey Day in Hawaii.
Here’s a look at Wednesday’s tournament win by the numbers:
1
Wednesday’s game was close throughout as the Wildcats outscored the Aztecs by exactly one point in each half. Arizona’s two-point victory was its closest game of the season so far after winning by only three points in the semi-final.
6
Arizona is one of six schools to win the Maui Invitational multiple times. The program’s second championship ties them with Connecticut and Michigan. Duke leads all schools with five championships.
9
Stanley Johnson led all players with nine rebounds. It was the second most boards the freshman grabbed in a game this season. He had 10 in a double-double against UC Irvine on Nov. 19.
24-7
The Wildcats own the Aztecs as of late. After knocking them out of postseason play eight months ago, Arizona’s win on Wednesday night extends its series lead to 24-7 all time.
33
Arizona extended its regualr season, non-conference winning streak to 33 games, the longest active streak in the country. The run began in December 2011 with a win over Oakland.
83.3
Free throw shooting was a huge reason the Wildcats’ record remains unblemished. Arizona shot 20 of 24 (83.3 percent) from the charity stripe.
