ARIZONA BASKETBALL

Arizona’s Oumar Ballo after win: Stanford can ‘go home … study science’

Mar 10, 2023, 1:37 PM

Oumar Ballo #11 of the Arizona Wildcats is fouled by Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Stanford Cardinal in...

Oumar Ballo #11 of the Arizona Wildcats is fouled by Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Stanford Cardinal in the first half of a quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wildcats defeated the Cardinal 95-84. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo was asked if his head coach entered a win against the Stanford Cardinal emphasizing the high-low game.

He and forward Cedric Henderson went straight from the court to the Pac-12 Networks postgame show’s setup courtside at T-Mobile Arena after a 95-84 win Thursday that advanced the Wildcats to face their rivals in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals.

Ballo had to get something off his chest.

“First of all … as Ingram said yesterday, saying they are the toughest and biggest in the country: I hope they can go home, relax and study some science,” the Arizona center said of Stanford.

He was referencing Stanford big man Harrison Ingram’s own postgame appearance with the Pac-12 Networks crew a day prior.

After Stanford dropped Utah, he made this grand proclamation:

“We’re the biggest, baddest team in the country,” Ingram said. “I mean, we started off bad, but I don’t think any team in the country right now wants to play us. We have good shooters, good playmakers and we’re huge.”

Arizona is just bigger. Ballo threw his 260-pound frame around for 24 points and six rebounds against the Cardinal a day after Harrison’s comment. Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis added 20 points, and the duo combined to shoot 19-for-25 (76%) from the floor.

And that is why former Arizona player and current Pac-12 analyst Matt Muehlebach asked Ballo about the Wildcats’ high-low game being an emphasis heading into the matchup against Stanford.

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Arizona’s Oumar Ballo after win: Stanford can ‘go home … study science’