No. 2 Arizona Basketball and Kerr Kriisa routes the Utes

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Fueled behind Kerr Kriisa’s triple-double, No. 2 Arizona Basketball (25-2, 15-1) overpowered Utah, beating the Utes 97-77. 

Kerr Kriisa made his first official appearance with the Wildcats last season in Salt Lake City, and it is fitting he would have one of his best games with Arizona Basketball as the team returned to action against the Utes.

Kriisa would finish his night, registering the first triple-double for the Wildcats since Andre Iguodala in 2004, as he ended his evening with 21 points on 7-10 shooting from three, including 10 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Arizona would also get big contributions from Azuolas Tubelis who scored 23 points and grabbed five rebounds, meanwhile, Benn Mathurin and Dalen Terry added with 14 points each respectively.

Starting off a bit back and forth in this one, Utah would pull ahead briefly at 28-27 with 6:44 to play in the first half.

Luckily for us, it wouldn’t last long as the Wildcats used their superior depth and talent to squash the Utes, ending the half on a 28-6 run to make it 53-33 at the half. Kriisa would even bury a half-court three as time expired.

A strong showing in the second half by Arizona Basketball would give the Wildcats a comfortable cushion as they cruised to the 20-point win.

Arizona would start the second half on a 9-0 run, giving the Wildcats a 29-point lead, their largest of the game.

Utah would climb back in a bit in this, whittling down Arizona’s lead to just 17 with 10:48 to play in the game; however, luckily for us, the Wildcats quelled any surge from the Utes, once again pulling ahead by as many as 28 with 4:13 to play before Utah would end the game on a 12-4 run.

Arizona would go on to win by a 97-77 final!

Where does Arizona Basketball go from here?

With the win, Arizona improves to 25-2 (15-1) on the year and sits comfortably atop the Pac-12 standings with just a handful of games remaining. The Wildcats will return to action on Thursday when they travel to Boulder to take on Colorado, followed by another tough matchup against USC on Tuesday evening.

Watch the highlights as the Wildcats dismantled the Utes!