Arizona Wildcats avenge loss at KU, top Jayhawks to reach Big 12 semis

[ad_1]

Bruce Pascoe
 |  Arizona Daily Star

Here’s what you need to know about the University of Arizona

UA was established in 1885, and its main campus is in Tucson. The Wildcats once had a live bobcat named Rufus as a mascot.

The Republic

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Arizona Wildcats shot 52.6% from the field and defended Kansas better than they did five days earlier to beat the Jayhawks 88-77 in a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal game Thursday at T-Mobile Center.

The win moved Arizona to 21-11 and into a Big 12 semifinal game against Texas Tech on Friday at about 6:30 p.m., keeping alive the possibility that the Wildcats could still pick up a preferential top four NCAA Tournament seed on Selection Sunday.

Kansas dropped to 21-12.

Henri Veesaar, coming off the bench while UA coach Tommy Lloyd opted to put Trey Townsend back in the starting lineup, led the Wildcats with 19 points and four rebounds – while Townsend added 16 points and three rebounds.

Arizona held Kansas to 41.9% shooting.

Arizona called a timeout with 5:43 left after Kansas trimmed UA’s lead to 70-69 on a turnaround jumper from Dickinson, who had begun hurting the Wildcats inside after scoring mostly outside before halftime. Dickinson had 19 points and 12 rebounds at that point after collecting 33 points and 10 rebounds against Arizona on March 8.

But Henri Veesaar drove inside for a score and picked up a foul from Dickinson, then converted a three-point play to give the Wildcats a 73-69 lead with 5:02 to go, and UA were up by seven with four to go before Dajuan Harris responded to having Bryant block his shot out of bounds by hitting a 3-pointer that made it 76-72 with 3:24 left.

But Arizona scored six straight points to go ahead 82-72 with 1:37 left and hung on from there against the Jayhawks, who had to go to overtime a night earlier to beat UCF and reach the quarterfinals.

Leading 45-37 at halftime after shooting 53.3% in the first half and making 7 of 11 3-pointers, the Wildcats took 10-point lead early in the second…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/ua/2025/03/13/arizona-wildcats-avenge-loss-at-kansas-top-jayhawks-to-reach-big-12-semis/82390616007/

Author :

Publish date : 2025-03-14 04:16:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.