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In a physically demanding exhibition matchup on Friday night, the Arizona Wildcats emerged with an 82-67 victory over San Diego State at the McKale Center. The Wildcats, under head coach Tommy Lloyd, moved to 2-0 in exhibition play and will conclude their preseason schedule next Friday at home against Eastern Washington.
Arizona's offensive struggles in the first half allowed the Aztecs to hold a lead for nearly five minutes, but the Wildcats closed the half strong and controlled the final 20 minutes. Star returners Mo Krivas (17 points, 15 rebounds) and Ivan Kharchenkov (13 points, 12 rebounds) paced the effort.
San Diego State refused to go away quietly. An 8-0 run in under two minutes trimmed a 19-point Arizona lead to 11, prompting Lloyd to call timeout with 5:56 remaining. The Wildcats then endured a 1-for-11 stretch before a Caleb Holt floater with 1:20 left pushed the lead to 79-63.
Key Analysis
Maksim Brnovic shows promise
With RJ Godfrey still ineligible, Arizona needs production at power forward, and Lithuanian freshman Maksim Brnovic appears ready to fill that role. In 19 minutes, Brnovic posted 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and grabbed four rebounds. He also recorded a steal and a two-handed transition dunk in the first half. His outside shooting spaced the floor for Krivas, Kharchenkov, and the rest of the offense. The 6-foot-10 big man remains raw and must avoid foul trouble to stay on the court, but his upside is clear and he may be asked to contribute heavily without Godfrey.
Arizona willingly shot from three
Last season, Arizona was one of the most infrequent three-point shooting teams in the country, though efficient when they did shoot. Friday was different, especially in the first half. The Wildcats took what San Diego State's defense offered but made just 3-of-17 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes. They continued shooting in the second half and found their rhythm, going 6-of-17 to finish 9-of-34 for the game. This team is likely to shoot more threes than last year's squad, but another 3-of-17 half could change that quickly.
Mo Krivas dominates
It's rare for the best player on the floor to finish 3-of-10 from the field, but that's what Mo Krivas did on Friday night. The big man was a force on both ends, recording a game-high 17 points and 15 rebounds—six on the offensive glass—along with four blocks and two steals in 29 minutes. Krivas did most of his scoring at the free-throw line, where he shot 11-of-14 and helped foul out Elzie Harrington and Luca Vincini of San Diego State. Defensively, he altered numerous shots at the rim, even blocking a fadeaway jumper, showcasing why he's a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Lloyd challenged Krivas after Tuesday's exhibition against San Francisco, and the Lithuanian senior responded emphatically.
Arizona has a full week before hosting Eastern Washington on Friday, Oct. 23 for its final exhibition game. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM MST and will be broadcast on ESPN+.