National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Arizona 84, California Baptist 60
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 18, 2021
Where: McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona
Officials: # Gerry Pollard, # Mike Reed, # Nate Harris
Attendance: 14623

Azuolas Tubelis scored 12 points in the second half to help No. 8 Arizona pull away for an 84-60 victory over visiting California Baptist in a nonconference game on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

Tubelis finished with a game-high 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting for the Wildcats, who remain undefeated (11-0). Tubelis also secured seven rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin scored 14 points, Christian Koloko scored 12 points with 10 rebounds, and Oumar Ballo also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

Ty Rowell and Tre Armstrong led Cal Baptist with 11 points each while Reed Nottage finished with 10.

The Lancers (8-3) started strong and kept things close in the first half, thanks to 8-of-15 shooting from 3-point range. Arizona led just 40-33 at halftime. But the Wildcats clamped down in the second half, forcing the Lancers into 0-for-12 from deep.

Arizona shot 50.8 percent from the floor for the game while Cal Baptist finished at 33.3 percent.

Arizona came out of halftime on a 9-0 run to open up a 49-33 lead with 17:01 remaining. The Lancers went the first 3:08 of the second half without scoring a point. The Wildcats would not be challenged from there.

The Lancers jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game and opened up an 18-7 lead on a Rowell 3-pointer at the 16:14 mark of the first half. The Lancers owned a 10-point lead nearly halfway through the first half before Arizona rallied.

Pelle Larsson hit a 3-pointer to give Arizona its first lead, 24-22, with 9:01 to go. Mathurin scored five straight points to give Arizona a 36-30 lead. Mathurin scored 11 points in the first half for Arizona.

Arizona faces No. 18 Tennessee on Wednesday. Cal Baptist takes on SE Missouri State on Tuesday.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
California Baptist   Arizona
Tre Armstrong 11 Scoring Azuolas Tubelis 19
Daniel Akin 3 Assists Kerr Kriisa 5
Elijah Thomas 4 Rebounds Oumar Ballo 10
Tobin Kund 2 Free Throws Made Azuolas Tubelis 5
Daniel Akin 1 Steals Christian Koloko 2
Daniel Akin 2 Blocks Oumar Ballo 5
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
California Baptist 60 33.3 8-27 4-6 12 24 3 3 13
Arizona 84 50.8 9-22 9-13 21 42 12 5 13