Starters for tonight's game:
Arizona
Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Brandon Randolph
DeAndre Ayton
Allonzo Trier
Dusan Ristic
Alabama
Donta Hall
Riley Norris
Collin Sexton
Dazon Ingram
John Petty
FIRST HALF
Brandon Randolph opens up the scoring for the Cats connecting from 3pt land. Ayton jab steps and hits a contested shot from midrange. Randolph converts as well, hot start for the freshman with 5 points in the first two minutes of the game. Ristic with a nice back down in the paint, converts with a right hook. Rawls Alkins first to come in off the bench for Arizona, he receives a massive ovation from the fans here at McKale. So far so good on the defensive front for the Wildcats making it hard for Alabama’s freshman sensation Collin Sexton. [SCORE UPDATE: 10-7 Arizona] 15:50 1ST HALF
Ayton drops in another from mid range, he has such a smooth stroke for a big, every time he shoots from inside the stripe it looks money. PJC draws a charge against Sexton putting him on the bench early with two quick fouls. Jackson-Cartwright connects from the corner giving Alkins his first assist of the season. Ristic drops in a layup off of a dime from Alkins, the energy Rawle plays with makes him a great addition to this squad. [SCORE UPDATE: 19-13 Arizona] 11:07 1ST HALF
Ayton with a two handed jam finishing through contact provided by Donta Hall. Another highlight reel play from Ayton but this time showing off his handle? Puts the ball on the deck, goes behind the back and gets fouled at the rim, but that just goes to show the versatility of the big man. Left handed put back slam from Ayton, this is shaping up to be a big game for him. Besides Rawle's free throw I believe that segment was all Ayton for the Cats. The Crimson Tide have had a tough time stopping Arizona on the defensive end thus far but still keeping it close. Sexton is fun to watch, keep an eye on him throughout the rest of this one.The light just feels like it's about to switch on for the frosh. [SCORE UPDATE: 26-20 Arizona] 7:10 1ST HALF
Trier knocks down a three ball to give Arizona some breathing room, Alabama misses on the other end and Arizona makes them pay, a big two handed flush by Ayton on the assist from Trier. Alabama's Donta Hall with a nice one handed dunk from under the basket with a little hang action to quiet the crowd down. Doesn’t matter, Brandon Randolph is still hot from deep! Nice contributions from the freshman thus far. [SCORE UPDATE: 36-31 Arizona] 2:!3 1ST HALF
The first half is all DeAndre Ayton and there’s just nothing the Tide can do about it. Athletic looking finger roll out of a post move requiring him to switch hands mid air dropping it in with his right. Sexton banks in a deep three through great defense from Jackson-Cartwright to close the half. If you would’ve told me Alabama was going to be leading at halftime I wouldn’t believe you from watching the game. Good basketball being played by both teams here in Tucson, should be a great finish. [SCORE UPDATE: 40-38 Alabama] HALFTIME
SECOND HALF
Trier starts off the second half scoring for the Cats, nice up and under move finishing with a floater from a couple steps inside the charity stripe. Ayton knocks down a three ball from the top of the key. McKale is rowdy after some strong defense and a couple baskets from the Cats, Alkins scores on a 2 on 1 fast break, Randolph hits a tough shot from mid range. Sexton is getting it going with a quiet 16 thus far, he’s also 6-6 from the line. [SCORE UPDATE: 51-49 Alabama] 15:42 2ND HALF
Ayton the recipient of a nice pass from Trier flushes in a one handed dunk. Right on time, Sexton drops in a three ball extending Alabama’s lead to five causing Miller to call a time out. Hope you guys are enjoying the talent in this one, definitely some names we'll be hearing professionally for years to come. [SCORE UPDATE: 58-53 Alabama] 12:28 2ND HALF
Trier with another triple draws Arizona within 2. Randolph follows that up with a three ball of his own after a big time dunk over a Wildcat by Donta Hall. Cats closing the gap here in McKale. [SCORE UPDATE: 60-59 Alabama] 10:54 2ND HALF
Trier's free throws put Arizona out front momentarily, Sexton at the line for two and hits them both, game is tied at 62. Alonzo Trier providing an offensive spark draining a three ball. Alkins connects in the paint with a tough shot. Ira Lee gets in on the scoring with an awkward left off to the side of the basket, not sure how he got that one to go but the Cats will take it. Missed free throws are becoming a problem for Arizona, they are a shade over 50%, 12/21 to be exact. [SCORE UPDATE: 69-67 Arizona] 8:00 2ND HALF
Ristic doing his best to stay involved, he gets a right handed hook to go to extend Arizona’s lead to four. Alabama hasn’t hit a FG in over three and half minutes but free throws are keeping them alive, sloppy defense on both ends of the floor is turning this one into a long game. Atkins wide open in the corner fires up an airball, Sexton euro steps around PJC and brings it within two. [SCORE UPDATE: 76-74] 3:58 2ND HALF
Not much going on besides free throws here at McKale, Ayton has a tip in and mid range hit. Alabama has been to the line on pretty much every possession in this last stretch. Just as I type that Ayton knocks another one down from midrange. Wildcats up 6, Ristic takes one at the line. Norris drains a three for Alabama but a little too late. Career high for Ayton tonight in rebounds and points, crazy thing about those stats is he disappeared for a stretch of about ten minutes. As Matt said “it’s gonna be a long time before you see someone like DeAndre Ayton playing in Tucson again.” [SCORE UPDATE: 87-82 Arizona] 0:16 2ND HALF
Thats a wrap, Arizona outlasts a tough Alabama team at home. Huge game from Ayton paired with a big second half out of Trier was enough to get the job done in Tucson.
FULL GAME STATS:
Arizona
Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Brandon Randolph
DeAndre Ayton
Allonzo Trier
Dusan Ristic
Alabama
Donta Hall
Riley Norris
Collin Sexton
Dazon Ingram
John Petty
FIRST HALF
Brandon Randolph opens up the scoring for the Cats connecting from 3pt land. Ayton jab steps and hits a contested shot from midrange. Randolph converts as well, hot start for the freshman with 5 points in the first two minutes of the game. Ristic with a nice back down in the paint, converts with a right hook. Rawls Alkins first to come in off the bench for Arizona, he receives a massive ovation from the fans here at McKale. So far so good on the defensive front for the Wildcats making it hard for Alabama’s freshman sensation Collin Sexton. [SCORE UPDATE: 10-7 Arizona] 15:50 1ST HALF
Ayton drops in another from mid range, he has such a smooth stroke for a big, every time he shoots from inside the stripe it looks money. PJC draws a charge against Sexton putting him on the bench early with two quick fouls. Jackson-Cartwright connects from the corner giving Alkins his first assist of the season. Ristic drops in a layup off of a dime from Alkins, the energy Rawle plays with makes him a great addition to this squad. [SCORE UPDATE: 19-13 Arizona] 11:07 1ST HALF
Ayton with a two handed jam finishing through contact provided by Donta Hall. Another highlight reel play from Ayton but this time showing off his handle? Puts the ball on the deck, goes behind the back and gets fouled at the rim, but that just goes to show the versatility of the big man. Left handed put back slam from Ayton, this is shaping up to be a big game for him. Besides Rawle's free throw I believe that segment was all Ayton for the Cats. The Crimson Tide have had a tough time stopping Arizona on the defensive end thus far but still keeping it close. Sexton is fun to watch, keep an eye on him throughout the rest of this one.The light just feels like it's about to switch on for the frosh. [SCORE UPDATE: 26-20 Arizona] 7:10 1ST HALF
Trier knocks down a three ball to give Arizona some breathing room, Alabama misses on the other end and Arizona makes them pay, a big two handed flush by Ayton on the assist from Trier. Alabama's Donta Hall with a nice one handed dunk from under the basket with a little hang action to quiet the crowd down. Doesn’t matter, Brandon Randolph is still hot from deep! Nice contributions from the freshman thus far. [SCORE UPDATE: 36-31 Arizona] 2:!3 1ST HALF
The first half is all DeAndre Ayton and there’s just nothing the Tide can do about it. Athletic looking finger roll out of a post move requiring him to switch hands mid air dropping it in with his right. Sexton banks in a deep three through great defense from Jackson-Cartwright to close the half. If you would’ve told me Alabama was going to be leading at halftime I wouldn’t believe you from watching the game. Good basketball being played by both teams here in Tucson, should be a great finish. [SCORE UPDATE: 40-38 Alabama] HALFTIME
SECOND HALF
Trier starts off the second half scoring for the Cats, nice up and under move finishing with a floater from a couple steps inside the charity stripe. Ayton knocks down a three ball from the top of the key. McKale is rowdy after some strong defense and a couple baskets from the Cats, Alkins scores on a 2 on 1 fast break, Randolph hits a tough shot from mid range. Sexton is getting it going with a quiet 16 thus far, he’s also 6-6 from the line. [SCORE UPDATE: 51-49 Alabama] 15:42 2ND HALF
Ayton the recipient of a nice pass from Trier flushes in a one handed dunk. Right on time, Sexton drops in a three ball extending Alabama’s lead to five causing Miller to call a time out. Hope you guys are enjoying the talent in this one, definitely some names we'll be hearing professionally for years to come. [SCORE UPDATE: 58-53 Alabama] 12:28 2ND HALF
Trier with another triple draws Arizona within 2. Randolph follows that up with a three ball of his own after a big time dunk over a Wildcat by Donta Hall. Cats closing the gap here in McKale. [SCORE UPDATE: 60-59 Alabama] 10:54 2ND HALF
Trier's free throws put Arizona out front momentarily, Sexton at the line for two and hits them both, game is tied at 62. Alonzo Trier providing an offensive spark draining a three ball. Alkins connects in the paint with a tough shot. Ira Lee gets in on the scoring with an awkward left off to the side of the basket, not sure how he got that one to go but the Cats will take it. Missed free throws are becoming a problem for Arizona, they are a shade over 50%, 12/21 to be exact. [SCORE UPDATE: 69-67 Arizona] 8:00 2ND HALF
Ristic doing his best to stay involved, he gets a right handed hook to go to extend Arizona’s lead to four. Alabama hasn’t hit a FG in over three and half minutes but free throws are keeping them alive, sloppy defense on both ends of the floor is turning this one into a long game. Atkins wide open in the corner fires up an airball, Sexton euro steps around PJC and brings it within two. [SCORE UPDATE: 76-74] 3:58 2ND HALF
Not much going on besides free throws here at McKale, Ayton has a tip in and mid range hit. Alabama has been to the line on pretty much every possession in this last stretch. Just as I type that Ayton knocks another one down from midrange. Wildcats up 6, Ristic takes one at the line. Norris drains a three for Alabama but a little too late. Career high for Ayton tonight in rebounds and points, crazy thing about those stats is he disappeared for a stretch of about ten minutes. As Matt said “it’s gonna be a long time before you see someone like DeAndre Ayton playing in Tucson again.” [SCORE UPDATE: 87-82 Arizona] 0:16 2ND HALF
Thats a wrap, Arizona outlasts a tough Alabama team at home. Huge game from Ayton paired with a big second half out of Trier was enough to get the job done in Tucson.
FULL GAME STATS:
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