Arizona rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half to take a 62-61 lead with 5:32 left, but Houston used an 11-2 run to finish the game and win the Big XII Tournament Championship with a 72-64 win. Arizona led 33-28 at halftime after a slow start offensively for both teams.
Houston outscored Arizona 28-13 in the first 8:17 of the second half to take control. Arizona had a long battle back to take the lead. In between the Houston runs to begin and end the second half, Arizona had a 16-5 run over 6:32 to take its last lead at 62-61 after a Tobe Awaka offensive rebound.
Caleb Love fueled Arizona to the halftime lead scoring 14 of his 19 points. Love had five points on 1-6 from the field, 1-4 on threes and 2-2 free throws in the second half. Arizona played basically a six-man rotation in the second half. Trey Townsend played three minutes in the second half and Anthony Dell'Orso only two.
Carter Bryant, K.J. Lewis and Henri Veesaar came off the bench with Tobe Awaka, Jaden Bradley and Love as Tommy Lloyd shortened the rotation. Bradley scored 14 points and Lewis 11 to join Love in double figures. Arizona received 14 points and 15 rebounds combined from Awaka and Veesaar on 6-8 from the field.
Turnovers hindered Arizona in the final few minutes of the game. Bradley had an airball with 4:33 remaining and Arizona trailing 64-62 that resulted in a shot clock violation. With 1:09 left and Arizona trailing 66-64 Veessar and Love's feet collided which resulted in the latter being called for travelling.
Ja'vier Francis had a dunk off a scramble to extend the Houston lead 68-64 with 43 seconds remaining. Bradley was called for a double dribble with 32 seconds left and that basically cemented the outcome. Awaka's field goal with 5:32 left was the last one of the game for Arizona.
Arizona missed its last five field goals and made only one of its last eight. Point guard Miles Uzan led Houston with 25 points on 8-16 from the floor, 4-6 three-point shots and 5-5 from the free throw line with four rebounds and four assists. Emmanuel Sharp with 17 points was the only other Houston player in double figures.
Arizona will await its NCAA Tournament fate on Sunday. The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is at 3 PM on Sunday on CBS and TNT. Arizona is currently projected to be a four seed in the South Region playing in the Denver pod against 13th seed High Point by Joe Lunardi of ESPN.