Former Arizona Basketball players react to HUGE win over Michigan State

The No. 10 ranked Arizona Basketball team traveled to Hawaii to take part in the Armed Forces Classic and beat the No. 16 Michigan State Spartans 65-53. Twitter reacted accordingly.

The Arizona Basketball team came away with a Huge Win in Hawaii in their first game of the season. It wasn’t just any game or any win, this was huge because of the adversity this team has endured thus far in the season, and because they were taking on Tom Izzo’s No. 16 ranked Spartans.

Izzo has a very highly ranked class of freshman including Miles Bridges playing for him this season Bridge’s was an Arizona target who started out on fire in this game. He had never played against Sean Miller until that night.

After being behind 17-2 in the first half, the Cats came back and fought hard. Kobi Simmons scored a team-high 18 points, making 80% of his free-throws. Kobi proved he IS a scoring machine. When he went down with an ankle twist, Wildcats fans most probably got down on their knees and prayed hard, ‘Please, please, please don’t let Kobi be injured!’

More from Wildcats Basketball

• Arizona Basketball likely to schedule Florida Atlantic for 2023
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s FIBA World Cup performance is reminiscent of Kobe Bryant’s
• Rawle Alkins a star in the Drew League this summer
• Arizona Basketball to play in ‘Battle 4 Atlantis’ in 2024
• Reflections on the Pac-12, the Arizona Wildcats, and other memories

Comments post game care of Arizona Athletics (full press conference video below):

“Kobi Simmons as a freshman showed a lot of confidence a lot of ability,” said Miller, “We went into halftime, I think he had about 15 of our 34 points, and that’s a big reason we got back in the game. He was outstanding, and he has a lot of talent, we watch him every day, I think the best is left to come too.”

“I feel like you have to have confidence when you step on the floor,” said Simmons, “My teammates know what we need to do and I came in and just sparked a little bit.”

“It was a great game for college basketball,” said Allen, “But, you know we have like 35 games left so we are going to have to celebrate tonight, put this game behind and get ready for our game next Tuesday.”

Arizona was awarded a trophy from the Armed Forces and Kobi expressed the feelings we all had after that win. It was the first game played in the season in College Basketball, and it couldn’t have been a more exciting come-from-behind win.

But it wasn’t Simmons who scored the game-winning basket and then followed it with a game-winning block, and that player was Sean Millers leader and only senior, Kadeem Allen. Watching Kadeem Allen take the ball from baseline to baseline with seven seconds left in the game tied with Michigan State 63-63, and like a bullet, hit his target, was sheer joy.

If you are like us, huge fans of the Arizona Wildcats, you may have lost your voice last night, and at the very least jumped up and down as the Cats took down the Spartans in their first game of the season.

Here is the play if you missed it:

But we weren’t the only people watching, former Arizona Wildcats were also watching and celebrating. We thought we would have some fun and bring you all their Tweets.

Postgame Press Conference:

Must Read: Arizona Basketball: All Four Commits Sign with the Cats for 2017

One can only imagine how having Allonzo Trier in the line-up could help this team win by a bigger margin, but it is not looking bright as he didn’t travel with the team. Chance Comanche proved tonight his defense and presence on the team and the court makes a huge difference, a big man with the hassle of a guard. The team still only has eight scholarship players in their lineup if they came out of the Spartan battle with no injuries, but it’s a great eight! BearDown!