Arizona Wildcats survive road game scare: By the Numbers

Dec 20, 2014, 6:03 AM | Updated: 6:49 am

It wasn’t easy, but the No. 3 Arizona Wildcats stayed perfect.

With a raucous UTEP home crowd, an opposing forward that just wouldn’t quit and a heavy scoring drought, the Wildcats just barely survived most of their game Friday night after an early 15-2 lead.

UTEP’s star forward Vince Hunter was ‘Zona’s biggest threat, scoring six-of-nine comeback points in the first half to help create an explosive environment and keep the game uncomfortably close.

Arizona didn’t score for almost five minutes during that time, and if it weren’t for a triple at the buzzer by Stanley Johnson, the ‘Cats would’ve scored a season-low at the half and headed to the locker room tied.

But thanks to Johnson’s cool head and quick hands, Arizona was up three at the half.

Hunter wouldn’t go away, however, hitting 18 points and grabbing 12 boards as well as heavily disrupting Arizona’s offense — until he did literally go away, fouling out midway through the second half. It was then that Arizona started to pull ahead. An 18-6 run gave them a 10-point lead and provided enough cushion to finish out the game with the advantage, 60-55.

What’d the win look like, by the numbers?

12

With the victory, Arizona improves to 12-0 and is the first team in the nation to accumulate 12 wins this season. The Wildcats are one of nine Division I college basketball teams without a loss so far.

7

The Wildcats may not have won this game had Hunter not fouled out. The 6-foot-8 forward had 18 points and 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.

Hunter had previously opened UTEP’s season with five-straight double-doubles and has only scored less than 10 points in two games this season — both losses.

Johnson led Arizona with 17 points and six boards.

2010

UTEP’s home crowd was a huge factor in the game. It was their first sellout crowd since 2010 and second home loss of the season.

61-30, 23-22

In Sean Miller’s second win over the Miners, his Arizona team upped its streak over UTEP 61-32.

Yet when the Wildcats have had to face UTEP on the road, they’ve been much more even and the win was the tiebreaker to finally give Arizona the advantage, 23-22.

57.7

Arizona made just 15-of-26 from the freebie line (57.7 percent), including some crucial misses as the Miners inched closer in the final minutes.

60

The Wildcats’ 60 points were the lowest the team has scored in a game this season. Previously, they’d only had two games in which they scored under 70 points this year.

Conversely, Arizona now has held their opponent to under 80 points for 57 consecutive games. This season, no opponent has scored over 68 points against the Wildcats.