Houston we have a problem! Cougars too much for Arizona Basketball

SAN ANTONIO, TX – It wasn’t the Wildcats’ day as Arizona Basketball (33-4, 18-2) was overmatched by a more experienced and mature Houston team. 

Bennedict Mathurin finished his evening scoring 15 points and grabbing four rebounds, meanwhile, Dalen Terry added 17 points and six rebounds of his own; however, it was not enough for Arizona Basketball as the Wildcats fell to a more experienced and mature Houston team by a 72-60 final.

Coming into this one, we knew the Wildcats were going to have all that they could ever bargain for and then some as they took on a talented and experience fifth-seeded Houston team.

After all, Houston had been playing well and was just a year removed from their stellar Final Four run last season.

And from the tip, it was clear that the Cougars were the more dominant and more aggressive team as they jumped out to a 12-4 lead after the first five-plus minutes of game action.

Despite Arizona’s best attempts to stay in this one in the first half, the Wildcats looked sloppy and a bit out of sorts as Houston’s defensive toughness and veteran leadership ultimately proved to be the difference-maker here.

Holding Arizona Basketball to just 28 first-half points on 7-25 shooting from the field, the Wildcats would have their work cut out for them in the second half.

Coming out more focused in the second half, Arizona was able to battle back somewhat, pulling within two points at 37-35 with 16:52 to play, and again 42-40 with 13:33 left in the game.

Unfortunately for Arizona, that would be the closest that the Wildcats would get in this one, as for every run the Wildcats tried to make, the Cougars had a response.

Using their length and athleticism, Houston was able to physically shut the Wildcats down, holding them to just 60 points on 18-54 shooting (33.3 percent).

With the loss, Arizona ends their season 33-4 (18-2) in Tommy Lloyd’s first season, but the Wildcats certainly made one heck of a run considering not many predicted the Cats to make it this far at the beginning of the year.

As for Arizona, it will be an interesting off-season as Mathurin will depart for the NBA, and the Wildcats will have to do a bit of roster shuffling.