In upsetting BYU a few days ago, Oklahoma State scored 58 points in the second half and were a free throw shy of triple digits for the game. The Cowboys would have needed a third half against Arizona to reach that number.
The top-ranked Wildcats’ defense clicked on all cylinders in an 84-47 win over OSU on Saturday afternoon at McKale Center, extending the best start in school history.
Arizona (23-0, 10-0 Big 12) shot 51.6 percent, including 57.6 percent in the second half while holding the Cowboys (16-7, 4-6) to 24.6 percent. That’s the lowest opponent FG percentage since 2021 and lowest by a league foe since Washington State shot 20 percent in a 60-25 loss to the UA in 2014.
The UA broke the Big 12 record for best start to a season, topping Kansas’ 22-0 start in 1996-97. Arizona beat the Jayhawks in the Sweet 16 that season en route to the national title.
Brayden Burries scored 15 points, one of five players in double figures, and once again Arizona dominated on the boards and in the paint. Tobe Awaka had 12 rebounds in 20 minutes and Motiejus Krivas added nine rebounds in 21 minutes as the UA outrebounded OSU 55-35 and were plus-40 in the paint (54-14).
The UA led 40-22 at halftime despite multiple stretches with scoring from the field, making the most of 17 trips to the foul line. OSU, shot 20.7 percent in the first half, started 1 of 11 after the break and went more than six minutes without scoring.
A monster dunk in transition by Bradley made it 52-25 with 14:04 left, part of a 13-0 run. It was at the tail end of that stretch, though, when Koa Peat went down hard under his own basket and limped off the court. He returned to action less than three minutes later.
Anthony Dell’Orso hit a 3 with 6:41 left, preventing Arizona from going without a made triple for the first time since Dec. 2020 against UTEP. The Wildcats were 2 of 14 from the perimeter.
Arizona missed its first six shots, going more than three minutes without its first field goal. OSU led 6-4 but then went 3-plus minutes without points and the Wildcats hit 8 of 11 shots on a 15-3 run to lead 21-9 midway through the first half.
The Cowboys started 3 of 18 from the field but then hit two in a row during a 7-0 run to get within 25-18. The UA went another 4-plus minutes without a basket, and also missed four of eight foul shots during that span, beforePeat dunked in transition as part of a 10-0 run.
The UA has a quick turnaround as the schedule starts to get much tougher, with a trip Monday to No. 11 Kansas. The Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2) have won seven in a row including Saturday’s 71-59 home win over Utah.