ARIZONA BASKETBALL
No. 5 Arizona uses massive run to rout Oregon State
Oregon State forward Glenn Taylor Jr., right, shields the ball from Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
TUCSON, Ariz. — Azuolas Tubelis scored 19 points, Courtney Ramey added 11 and No. 5 Arizona used a massive first-half run to blow out Oregon State 84-52 on Saturday night.
The Wildcats (21-3, 10-3 Pac-12) slogged through a foul-filled first half before racing past the Beavers with a 19-2 run that gave them a 26-point halftime lead.
Arizona had 22 assists on 28 field goal, grabbed 17 more rebounds and outscored Oregon State by 16 in the paint to win its sixth straight. Tubelis hit 6 of 10 shots and grabbed eight rebounds in 23 minutes after scoring 40 points against Oregon on Thursday.
The Beavers (9-15, 3-10) brought one of the nation’s least-experienced teams into McKale Center and had the game at the pace they wanted — for a little while.
One of Division I’s more deliberate teams, Oregon State prevented the Wildcats from getting out in transition early, the game bogged down even more by 21 combined first-half fouls.
Once the Wildcats started rolling, the Beavers couldn’t catch them, losing their seventh straight to Arizona. Jordan Pope led Oregon State with 11 points.
The Beavers turned the first half into a grind, but Arizona handled it well.
Relying on defense and half-court offense, the Wildcats steadily built a 14-point lead in small increments. Arizona seemed to spend as much time at the free throw line as running their offense and took advantage, hitting 15 of 21 in the first half.
The Wildcats finally found room to maneuver once the parade of whistles slowed, getting out in transition for layups and early-offense baskets.
Led by Tubelis. Arizona closed the first half on a 19-2 run, capped by Kylan Boswell’s deep 3 at the buzzer for a 47-21 lead. Tubelis needed 8 1/2 minutes for his first shot, but had 15 first-half points.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon State: The Beavers managed to get the pace they wanted in the early going. They couldn’t sustain it — Arizona had something to do with that — and remain winless at McKale Center since 2010.
Arizona: The Wildcats had to fight through a string of whistles and Oregon State’s deliberate style early and still built a 14-point lead. Arizona blew it open with a big run that put the game out of reach by halftime.
UP NEXT
Oregon State: Hosts No. 9 UCLA on Thursday night.
Arizona: Plays at California on Thursday night.
