Arizona comes back to force OT before losing to West Virginia

Arizona overcame a 10 point second half deficit to force overtime before ultimately losing 83-76 in the third-place game in the Battle 4 Atlantis. A three-point shot by Caleb Love with 14 seconds in regulation left tied the game and ultimately sent it to overtime.

It was too much Tucker Devries for West Virginia. Devries scored 26 points on 8-16 from the floor with all his field goals and all but four of his attempts from three. Devries also had four rebounds and six assists. Arizona had a 21-14 rebounding advantage in the first half, but a 26-18 deficit on the boards in the second half.

The inability for Arizona to defend three-point shooting hindered Arizona again. Arizona entered the game 298th nationally allowing opponents to shoot 35.7 percent on three-point attempts. Arizona associate head coach Jack Murphy stated on the post-game that allowing all eight of Devries threes on catch and shoots was a problem.

Arizona turned up the defense to force overtime using a smaller lineup. West Virginia made two of its last 17 shots in regulation per the postgame Arizona radio broadcast. The Mountaineers shot 39.7 percent from the floor and made 12-34 three-point attempts. Other than Devries West Virginia was 4-22 on three-point attempts.

Trey Townsend had his best game for Arizona scoring 19 points on 7-12 from the floor with four rebounds. Jaden Bradley and K.J. Lewis each scored 10 before the latter fouled out. West Virginia had a 24-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Arizona had 14 turnovers to 10 for West Virginia.

Tobe Okani scored 20, Javon Small 14 and Amani Hansberry had 13. Arizona held Small to 2-9 from the floor after he averaged 30 points per game in the first two games in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Arizona is off until December 7 when they host Southern Utah.