Five Arizona players scored in double figures led by Jaden Bradley and Caleb Love with 16 points, Tobe Awaka and Henri Veesaar combined for 29 points and 19 rebounds and Arizona avenged their 70-54 loss at Texas Tech last month with an 82-73 win over the Red Raiders on Saturday night in Tucson.
Arizona led for 38:39 and the game was tied for only 56 seconds, but Texas Tech always seemed to be in the game until Love made four free throws in the final 15 seconds. K.J. Lewis and Veessar scored 15 and Awaka had 14 points and 10 rebounds as Arizona had exceptional balance with Townsend out.
Arizona took a 13-6 lead and extended it to nine points in the first half but Texas Tech remained in the game and cut the deficit to 39-37 at halftime. The Wildcats rebuilt the lead to nine points less than six minutes into the second half, but the Red Raiders continued to battle back.
Arizona answered the Texas Tech mini-runs and maintained a two to three-possession lead throughout the second half. After Texas Tech shot 39.4 percent in the first half and made five of their 12 three-point shots, Arizona held them to 35.1 percent and seven of 21 on threes in the second half.
Arizona shot a blistering 51.7 percent from the field, outrebounded Texas Tech 42-29, had a 30-17 edge in bench points, 48-28 in points in the paint, outscored 25-16 in fast break points and were 18-23 from the free throw line to 9-10 from the free throw line.
J.T. Toppin led Texas Tech with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Elijah Hawkins had 10 points and 12 assists. Arizona held Texas Tech leading scorer Chance McMillian to 10 points on 3-12 from the floor and 2-7 on threes with Love defending him for most of the game.
Arizona improves to 17-6 overall and 11-1 in the Big XII to stay in a first place tie with Houston after the win over Texas Tech. Houston is at Arizona next Saturday in a first-place showdown. Arizona is at Kansas State on Tuesday night.