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Arizona Wildcats Overpower Saint Mary's in Thrilling Exhibition Opener
In an highly anticipated exhibition showdown at McKale Center, the No. 13 Arizona Wildcats pulled away from a gritty Saint Mary's Gaels squad with a decisive 81-68 victory, showcasing the depth and firepower of Tommy Lloyd's revamped roster just weeks before their season opener against defending champion Florida. Jaden Bradley erupted for a game-high 23 points, including 15 in the second half, while Anthony Dell'Orso chipped in 13 and five-star freshman Koa Peat dazzled with 10 points and seven rebounds in his collegiate debut. Motiejus Krivas dominated the glass with 17 rebounds to go with 11 points, anchoring a frontcourt that outrebounded the Gaels 42-31. Arizona shot a scorching 53% from the field but struggled from deep, hitting just 4-of-16 threes, while converting 13-of-25 free throws in a game that featured five Wildcats in double figures. Saint Mary's, fresh off a 29-6 campaign and an NCAA Tournament second-round appearance, kept it close early behind Joshua Dent's 14 points, but a late 16-2 Arizona run swelled the lead to 17 with under two minutes left, turning the exhibition into a statement win.
This marked the first public matchup between the programs since NCAA rules loosened to allow revenue-generating exhibitions, with Arizona now holding a 6-2 all-time edge, including four straight victories.The win provided invaluable game-speed reps for a Wildcats team blending returning core pieces like Bradley and Dell'Orso with high-octane newcomers, setting a tone of resilience and versatility as they gear up for the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas. "Jaden was lights-out when we needed him most—those second-half buckets opened the floor for everyone," Lloyd said postgame, praising his guard's poise in a crowd of over 12,000 that echoed with "Bear Down" chants. Peat, the prized Gilbert, Arizona, product ranked among the nation's top recruits, added, "It felt amazing to finally play in this atmosphere; the energy pushed us through those tough stretches." For Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett, who has tangled with Arizona in six prior "secret" scrimmages, the loss was a teaching tool: "They've got size and speed—we hung tough, but their run showed why they're a top-15 team." With one more tune-up against Embry-Riddle on Oct. 27, Arizona emerges from this exhibition battle-tested, their balanced attack (81 points on 53% shooting) signaling Big 12 title contention in a season brimming with Final Four aspirations.
Box score
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Looks like we played terribly. Too many fouls. Horrible FT%. Lack of Assists. Too easy for teams to bait Tony Del Taco into shooting and he looked terrible.
We are already in trouble if this is the plan. St Mary's has no talent besides PAULIUS.
Looks like Krivas just vacuumed up a lot of bricks and we got by on a bunch of 2's which is the exact way to strategize to beat us. Force us to take 2's, keep us to 60 attempts from the field and out-score us hitting a mix of 3s and getting to the line.
We need to have lower expectations. Florida may very well clap us if this is the plan.
Not seeing evolution.
Wait, the Gaels' only good player is a kid that shot worse than all but ONE of Arizona's players...yet Arizona is in trouble? Solid breakdown.
Quote from: KansasCityCats on October 24, 2025, 07:15:54 AMWait, the Gaels' only good player is a kid that shot worse than all but ONE of Arizona's players...yet Arizona is in trouble? Solid breakdown.
Paulius was the best player on the court and has proven himself viable.