LAS VEGAS - For the sixth time in the history of the Pac-12 Tournament, the Arizona men's basketball team will take on the Oregon Ducks and this time there is a spot in the championship game awaiting the winner. The Wildcats defeated USC by 21 points in their quarterfinal while Oregon hung on to win by two points against UCLA. Arizona swept the two meetings with the Ducks during the regular season.
The semifinal game will start at 5:00 p.m. MST and will be televised on Pac-12 Networks with Ted Robinson and Don MacLean on the call and Elise Woodward reporting from the sidelines.
STARTING FIVE
1) Arizona is 42-15 (.737) all-time at the Pac-12 Tournament and has won nine titles. The Wildcats lead all conference schools in wins, winning percentage and titles. Tommy Lloyd is 7-0 at the Pac-12 Tournament, the only coach in the history of the conference that has never lost a game at the Pac-12 Tournament.
2) Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love scored 11 points and had 3 3FG made Thursday vs. USC. He has 85 3FG made this season, tied for seventh in Arizona single-season history.
3) First Team All Pac-12 honoree Oumar Ballo went for 10 points, 13 rebounds against USC. It was his 17th double-double this season and 31st of his career. Both totals rank fifth in Arizona history in their respective categories. He tied his season high with three blocks.
4) Freshman KJ Lewis led all scorers with 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the floor Thursday vs. USC. He also added six rebounds. His top two scoring games of the year have come in the last three games (18 pts at UCLA on 3/7/24).
5) With the win Thursday, Arizona is 18-0 in games following a loss under Tommy Lloyd.
NOTING THE WILDCATS
• The 49 points allowed to USC yesterday are the third fewest in a Pac-12 Tournament game for Arizona and the fewest Arizona has allowed in any game this season.
• The 16 points scored by USC in the first half are the fewest Arizona has allowed under Tommy Lloyd
• The Arizona bench outscored USC's reserves by a 32-3 margin
• The Wildcats had five players score in double figures for the 18th time (leads nation)
• With the win over USC, Arizona has now won 25 or more games three straight years
• According to KenPom.com, Arizona's offense is ranked 7th and the defense is 12th
• Senior Keshad Johnson earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team Honorable Mention and freshman KJ Lewis received Pac-12 All-Freshman Team Honorable Mention status.
• Sophomore Kylan Boswell is tied for the team lead with 116 assists this season and leads the Wildcats with 44 steals. He's also shooting 39.4% from the 3-point line.
• Senior Pelle Larsson had 10 points Thursday and is averaging 12.9 points per game this year. He is shooting 42.3% (11-26) from the 3-point line in nine career games at the Pac-12 Tournament.
• Oumar Ballo is averaging 11.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and shooting 61.4% from the floor in 7 career Pac-12 Tournament games.
• Arizona has not lost back-to-back games under Tommy Lloyd, a span of 104 games which is the third-longest streak in Pac-12 history.
• Arizona is 10-1 in games played in Las Vegas under Tommy Lloyd, and 9-1 in T-Mobile Arena.
• The Wildcats have eight wins in Quad 1 of the NET rankings. Only Houston, Purdue, UConn and Baylor have more.
• Arizona is averaging 89.5 points per game, third-most in the country (Alabama - 90.8)
• The Wildcats have 10+ offensive rebounds in 27 of 32 games, and 16 of the last 17.
• Arizona ranks second in the country in total rebounds/game (42.9) and third in rebound margin at +11.0 per game.
