ARIZONA WILDCATS BASKETBALL

Arizona’s Caleb Love fuels bounce-back win over Oregon

Jan 27, 2024, 4:49 PM | Updated: 5:54 pm

Caleb Love...

Caleb Love #2 of the Arizona Wildcats controls the ball during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at McKale Center on January 04, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Arizona shooting guard Caleb Love scored 20 points in the first half and finished with 36 in an 87-78 win over Oregon in Eugene on Saturday, helping the Wildcats bounce back from a heartbreaking loss in Corvallis.

Love wasted no time in this one, getting the scoring started with a 3-pointer to give Arizona a 3-0 lead. The Wildcats as a team jumped out to a 17-5 start.

Love’s next bucket didn’t come for nearly eight minutes but he then piled on the points. Although he is shooting just 33.6% from 3 in his first season at Arizona, Love made three of his five first-half attempts, shooting 8-for-13 from the field.

He capitalized on his hot start with a transition dunk, after which officials called a technical foul on Love for yelling at the Oregon fans in the stands.

Love has scored at least 20 in a half in two other games, both part of North Carolina’s run to the Final Four in 2022.

He scored 21 in the first half against Marquette in the first round, but scored just two points in the second half. In the Sweet 16, Love scored just three points in the first half but 27 in the second to help the Tar Heels beat UCLA.

Arizona (15-5, 6-3) started pulling away early in the second half, and Oregon (14-6, 6-3) was never close enough to threaten Arizona’s commanding lead which reached as much as 16.

The 36 points on 12-of-18 shooting that Love finished with is a new regular season career high, edging out his previous best of 34. This is also his 11th game with at least 20 points in an Arizona uniform and 10th in the last 13 games.

With the win, Arizona and Oregon are again tied for first in the Pac-12, and the Wildcats avoid Tommy Lloyd’s first losing streak since arriving in Tucson.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Wildcats basketball

BYU guard Egor Demin (3) drives between Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) and forward Trey Townsend during...

Lance Hartzler

No. 20 Arizona clamps down late to seal win over BYU

The No. 20 Arizona and BYU men's basketball teams were in a fun one in Provo, Utah, Tuesday night.

2 days ago

The Arizona Wildcats and UConn Huskies are finalizing a home-and-home series...

Tyler Drake

Arizona and UConn finalizing home-and-home men’s basketball series

The Arizona Wildcats are reportedly finalizing an agreement with the UConn Huskies for a home-and-home series beginning in the 2025-26 season.

3 days ago

Arizona's Caleb Love after headbutt...

Lance Hartzler

Arizona’s Caleb Love named Big 12 Player of the Week

No. 12 Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love was named the Big 12 player of the week following his performances in wins over Iowa State and ASU.

3 days ago

Arizona still on outside of AP Top 25...

Associated Press

College basketball rankings: Arizona returns to AP top 25 after beating ASU

The Arizona Wildcats (15-6) on Monday returned to The Associated Press' top 25 men's basketball rankings for the first time since November.

3 days ago

Richard Jefferson...

Damon Allred

Former Wildcat Richard Jefferson claps back at Bobby Hurley for questioning Arizona’s class

Richard Jefferson didn't take too kindly to Bobby Hurley questioning Arizona's class after his ASU squad was beaten on Saturday.

5 days ago

After he was ejected for an altercation in which he was headbutted by ASU's BJ Freeman late in an 8...

Bailey Leasure

Caleb Love takes high road after BJ Freeman’s headbutt leads to ejection in win over ASU

After he was ejected for an altercation in which he was headbutted by ASU's BJ Freeman late in an 81-72 win, Arizona's Caleb Love took the high road postgame. 

5 days ago

Arizona’s Caleb Love fuels bounce-back win over Oregon