ARIZONA WILDCATS BASKETBALL

No. 4 Arizona basketball’s Oumar Ballo wins Pac-12 Player of the Week

Dec 26, 2023, 1:36 PM

Oumar Ballo...

Oumar Ballo #11 of the Arizona Wildcats is greeted by teammates during player introductions before the Desert Classic against the Florida Atlantic Owls at T-Mobile Arena on December 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Owls defeated the Wildcats 96-95 in double overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

No. 4 Arizona basketball redshirt senior center Oumar Ballo won the Pac-12 Player of the Week award for performances in a win over Alabama and a loss against No. 7 Florida Atlantic.

Ballo recorded double-doubles in both games, totaling 29 points and 33 rebounds for the Wildcats to cap nonconference play.

He is the second Arizona player to win the award this year after guard Kylan Boswell on Nov. 13.

Ballo scored 16 points with 12 rebounds during Arizona’s 87-74 win over Alabama at the Jerry Colangelo Hall of Fame Series at Footprint Center last Wednesday.

“We obviously wanted to pound it inside and take advantage of (Ballo),” head coach Tommy Lloyd said postgame. “He just impacts the game at both ends of the floor. He rebounded really well today, changed a bunch of shots around the rim and his physical force of putting his body on guys in the paint just wears them out.”

Ballo followed with a career-high 21 boards against FAU in a double-overtime loss, 96-95.

This is his second Pac-12 Player of the Week honor, the first coming last season.

The seven-footer won the Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year and made First Team All Pac-12 after starting all 35 games last season. He entered 2023-24 as a preseason All-American.

Ballo has averaged 12.9 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting 61.9% from the field in 11 games this season.

UCLA’s Sebastian Mack won Pac-12 Freshman of the week, beating out fellow nominee KJ Lewis of Arizona.

The Wildcats return to action Friday against California on the road to begin the Pac-12 schedule.

Arizona Wildcats basketball

Arizona...

Associated Press

Arizona goes cold from deep as 6-game win streak snapped with loss at red-hot Kansas State

Arizona missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, and Dug McDaniel scored a season-high 24 points to lead Kansas State past No. 13 Arizona, ending its six-game win streak.

8 hours ago

Tobe Awaka won the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday...

Brandon Cadiz

Arizona Wildcats’ Tobe Awaka named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

Arizona Wildcats' junior forward Tobe Awaka was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week after averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

16 hours ago

Arizona jumped up seven spots in Monday's AP poll...

Associated Press

College basketball rankings: Arizona jumps up 7 spots in AP poll

The Arizona Wildcats again saw positive movement up The Associated Press' top 25 men's basketball rankings on Monday.

2 days ago

Arizona...

Damon Allred

No. 20 Arizona dominant inside, gets revenge against No. 13 Texas Tech for lone conference loss

No. 20 Arizona men's basketball hit the paint hard in a show of physicality to beat No. 13 Texas Tech, avenging its lone loss in Big 12 play.

3 days ago

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.

7 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.

9 days ago

No. 4 Arizona basketball’s Oumar Ballo wins Pac-12 Player of the Week