Arizona rides Allonzo Trier’s 20 points to beat Long Beach State
Dec 22, 2015, 9:58 PM
Arizona guard Kadeem Allen (5) right, moves around Long Beach State guard A.J. Spencer during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015, in Tucson, Aria. (Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
(Kelly Presnell/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
TUCSON, Ariz. — Freshman Allonzo Trier scored 20 points to lead six Arizona players in double figures and the eighth-ranked Wildcats beat Long Beach State 85-70 on Tuesday night in their final warmup before opening the Pac-12 season.
The Wildcats (12-1), winners of seven straight, are off until they play at Arizona State on Jan. 3.
Nick Faust scored 17 points for Long Beach State (6-8). He fouled out with 1:20 to play.
Arizona won its 47th consecutive home game, the longest active streak in the country.
The Wildcats won it at the free throw line and on the boards. They made 28 of 32 free throws to Long Beach State’s 9 of 15 and outrebounded the 49ers 40-20.
Gabe York and Mark Tollefsen scored 12 points apiece for Arizona while Kadeem Allen, Ryan Anderson and Dusan Ristic each added 11.
Justin Bibbins and Roschon Prince had 13 points each for Long Beach State.
The Wildcats, who jumped five spots in this week’s rankings, led by as many as 12 points in the first half and 17 in the second before Long Beach State briefly cut it to nine.
Ristic scored the first six points of the second half to put Arizona up 50-34. The 49ers climbed back at 52-41, then Trier made consecutive 3s and the Wildcats led 58-41.
The 49ers scored six straight points to get it to single digits, 69-60, on Travis Hammonds’ free throw with 6:49 to play. Arizona responded with seven straight, capped by York’s 3-pointer, and the lead was 76-60 with 5:18 to play.
Long Beach State never got closer than 10 points after that.
The Wildcats took the lead for good midway through the first half and were up 44-34 at halftime.
TIP-INS
Long Beach State: The 49ers are 0-6 all-time against Arizona, all the games played in Tucson. … Five teams on the Long Beach State schedule either are or have been in the AP Top 25.
Arizona: Trier’s three 3s tied a career best. … The Wildcats return to practice on Sunday. … Arizona has not beaten a team currently ranked in the Top 25. … Anderson, a transfer from Boston College and Arizona’s leading scorer on the season, is from Long Beach. … Arizona plays its first three Pac-12 games on the road.
UP NEXT
Arizona is at Arizona State on Jan. 3.
