Arizona guard Allonzo Trier scores 12 points in first game back from suspension
Jan 21, 2017, 4:52 PM | Updated: 7:40 pm
Arizona guard Allonzo Trier, center, shoots as UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, left, and center Thomas Welsh defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, in Los Angeles. Arizona won 96-85. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
University of Arizona sophomore guard Allonzo Trier looked understandably shaky in his first game of the regular season after being suspended for the first 19 games, but he was still able to make in impact with 12 points in No. 14 Arizona’s upset 96-85 win over No. 3 UCLA.
Arizona head coach Sean Miller started his freshmen wing duo of Rawle Alkins and Kobi Simmons in favor of Trier, who came off the bench early in the first half.
For his first shot of the season, Trier was wide open on a three-point shot but appeared to hesitate and missed.
After Trier started out the day missing his first two shots, junior point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright had a terrific drive to suck in the UCLA defense and find another wide open look for Trier, and this time, Arizona’s leading returning scorer from last season would not miss.
As Trier did all season long in his freshman campaign, he would then continue to attack the basket and draw fouls to earn his points at the free-throw line.
Off UCLA freshman sensation Lonzo Ball’s miss with less than nine seconds left on the clock in the first half, Trier grabbed the rebound and went coast-to-coast for the layup as time expired.
Like his team did, Trier played with tremendous effort defensively, where the Wildcats held UCLA to 85 points, eight points off their average of 93.3 heading into Saturday’s game. It was an impressive performance for the team defense considering Ball’s stellar performance of 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
“I don’t think we win without him,” Miller said of Trier after the game. “It means a lot, especially for this team and his family.”
Clearly playing with saved up energy from the 19 games he missed, Trier was one of the leading rebounders for Arizona with seven and also chipped in four assists and a steal.
The Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field and went a plus-nine on the glass in their biggest win of the season, with five different Arizona players grabbing at least five rebounds.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
