Arizona basketball dumps Kansas State behind Burries, Krivas

Center Motiejus Krivas scored a career high 25 points while guard Brayden Burries continued his torrid play, as Arizona beat Kansas State 101-76 on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at McKale Center.

After collecting 17 points and 11 rebounds on Jan. 3 at Utah, Burries scored 28 points against K-State, tying the career-high he set on Dec. 13 against Alabama, while making all 11 two-pointers he took and 1 of 5 3-pointers.

Advertisement

While Krivas’ double-double was his third of the season, forward Koa Peat also chipped in one of his own with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Krivas again produced at a career-high level despite having tape wrapped around his right wrist and index finger, after appearing to tweak that area against San Diego State on Dec. 20.

“Obviously, Krivas is a really good player,” Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said. “And with Arizona, you’ve got to pick your poison. The problem is, it’s all poison.”

The Wildcats were only 3 for 16 from 3-point range but, as usual, did not rely much on the long ball in a game when they outrebounded K-State 55-32 and scored 20 more points in the paint than the Wildcats of Kansas (54-34). All three of UA’s primary post players picked up double-digit rebounds: Krivas (12), Tobe Awaka had 11 and Koa Peat had 10

UA shot 49.3% overall and held K-State to 33.8%, while Arizona also scored 14 more points at the line, making 30 of 39 free throws while K-State was 16 of 19. Three K-State players fouled out.

Advertisement

“Arizona did a really good job of pounding it inside and putting us in difficult situations where the refs had to blow the whistle,” Tang said.

The Wildcats missed all eight 3-pointers they took in the first half and were 0-9 before Burries hit one from the right wing to give UA a 75-57 lead with 11:33 left.

Brayden Burries #5 (L) of the Arizona Wildcats reacts after scoring against the Kansas State Wildcats during the second half of the NCAAB game at McKale Center on Jan. 7, 2026, in Tucson.

But thanks to Krivas and the Wildcats’ ability to…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizona-basketball-dumps-kansas-state-162646171.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-01-08 16:26:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.