A 12-day layoff after a tough loss at UNLV may have done the Arizona Wildcats some good.
Arizona returned to beat ASU 73-49 in its Pac-12 opener today at McKale Center, while the Sun Devils shot just 32.6 percent and committed 22 turnovers.
The Wildcats installed a new starting lineup featuring Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Elliott Pitts, while putting away the Sun Devils early, taking a 20-point halftime lead and leading by up to 25 in the second half.
Brandon Ashley, Stanley Johnson and Hollis-Jefferson each had 13 points to lead the Wildcats in scoring.
The win moved eighth-ranked Arizona to 13-1 overall and 1-0 in the Pac-12 entering its first conference road trip of the season: The Wildcats will play at Oregon on Thursday and at Oregon State on Sunday.
ASU dropped to 8-6 and 0-1.
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The Wildcats led 45-25 at halftime and expanded their lead to 25 points before ASU cut it to 60-44 with 9:32 left after two three-pointers from Jonathan Gilling. But the Sun Devils came no closer the rest of the way while UA held ASU to 27.3-percent shooting for the second half.
The Wildcats took a 45-25 halftime lead over the Sun Devils, hitting 4 of 5 early three-point shots and shooting 58.6 percent from the field overall. UA also kept ASU’s leading scorer and rebounder, Savon Goodman, effectively out of the game. Goodman had no points or rebounds in eight minutes while collecting three fouls in the first half, finishing with two points and three rebounds.
UA coach Sean Miller’ went with a new lineup for the first time this season, putting in Hollis-Jefferson in for Johnson and Pitts for Gabe York. UA gave no reason for the change before the game, though Miller indicated after UA’s Dec. 23 loss at UNLV that he would be challenging the Wildcats in practice defensively, and he has praised the defense of both Hollis-Jefferson and Pitts at times this season.
It was Pitts’ first career start and the first of the season for Hollis-Jefferson, who started six games last season, mostly after Ashley was lost for the season with a foot injury.
But both Johnson and York played early in the first half, while UA took early leads over the Sun Devils. Johnson wound up leading the Wildcats' in first-half scoring with 13 points but picked up his third and fourth fouls in the second half, earning some pointed words from Miller, but still managed the 13 points and seven rebounds.
Arizona made 4 of 5 three-pointers to take a 12-7 lead through the first five minutes of the game and later built the lead to 21-8. After 12 minutes, the Wildcats led 27-13, having shot 60 percent from the field and scoring nine points off eight ASU turnovers.
Among the visitors to the game were UA signee Allonzo Trier, who starred in the Hoophall West event in Scottsdale earlier this weekend, and UA recruiting target Ivan Rabb of Oakland.
