Arizona outscored Arizona State 49-36 in the second half to earn an 87-74 win in Tempe on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats slowly extended the lead early in the second half and had a 10-2 run late to erase any doubt about the outcome. Arizona took its biggest lead, 87-67, with 1:03 left in the game.
The freshmen led the way for Arizona as all five starters finished in double figures and Tobe Awaka had seven points and 13 rebounds. Koa Peat scored 21, Brayden Burries had 17 and Ivan Karchenkov 12 among the Arizona freshmen who thrived against Arizona State.
Motiejus Krivas scored 15 and Jaden Bradley 10 to complete the players in double figures for Arizona. Arizona State scored the first four points of the game and did not trail until Jaden Bradley made two free throws to put Arizona ahead 17-16 with 9:22 remaining in the first half.
The free throws by Bradley came in the middle of a 10-2 Arizona run to put the Wildcats ahead 25-18. Arizona State slowly got back in the game and eventually tied the score at 30 on an Anthony Johnson layup with 4:15 left in the first half.
A three-point shot by Noah Meeusen with two seconds left in the first half gave Arizona State the 38-all tie at halftime. Arizona scored the first six points of the second half. Arizona State cut its deficit to three once after the initial second-half surge by Arizona, but never had possession down one score after that.
Peat scored 15 points in the second half in his second consecutive dominant performance against Arizona State. The star freshman for the Wildcats had 24 points and 10 rebounds as Arizona beat Arizona State 89-82 in Tucson earlier this month.
Arizona tied the program record with its 22nd straight win, the most consecutive victories by the Wildcats and by a Big XII team to begin a season. Arizona is off for a week before hosting Oklahoma State on January 7.