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Arizona’s 99-71 victory over South Dakota State was not just its 13th win on the season, it was Arizona’s final opportunity to get live reps before the Big 12 season begins. The Wildcats took this opportunity and ran with it. Three players recorded a double-double for Arizona in the game (Jaden Bradley, Motiejus Krivas and Koa Peat), while six players scored ten or more points.
South Dakota State showed their worth in this game shooting 45% from beyond the arc and 41% from the field. Jackrabbits junior Kalen Garry continued his scorching stretch of play, notching a team-high 20 points while missing only three of his 11 attempts from the field.
Damon Wilkinson has been producing all season for South Dakota State off their bench providing a punch of post presence. Wilkinson showcased why he stands out for the Jackrabbits team, putting fancy moves on some of Arizona’s best players – a balanced 11 points paired with four rebounds and three assists for the big man from De Smet.
South Dakota State simply did not have the talent or physical attributes to hang with Arizona, but it seems they will be a team to watch in the Summit.
Koa Peat Flips Switch
When Peat debuted against the defending national champion Florida Gators and scored a stunning 30 points, some fans were expecting him to rip right through everyone Arizona plays. However, Peat has not scored more than 20 points since that opening game. The matchup against SDST may have been Peat flipping a tonal switch towards being more aggressive with 19 points, 14 rebounds and three assists. Peat was unstoppable.
From a pure optics perspective it looked like it did when Peat was at Perry High School the way he towered over his defenders. “Mr. Arizona” has been incredibly mature about his approach to the non-conference, often taking a back seat in these games to allow his teammates to get their rhythm. But this was not that version of Peat…
From the tip-off Peat was looking to dominate and set the tone. If Peat is able to bottle this non-conference up and take these performances with him into the Big 12 regular season, his stock will only continue to rise and Arizona will simply keep winning.
He even hit a three from the top of the arc that needed the bank but found the bottom of the net regardless. The 6-foot-8 forward brings to the table a mix of size, skill, strength and intelligence that is not often seen in players his age.
Doubling Down on Depth
Arizona’s depth will pay its dividends in the spring. Having six players in an eight-man rotation that are able to lead the team in scoring or rebounding on any given night is something coaches would sacrifice a lot to have. The matchup versus South Dakota State was the third time this season the Wildcats have had six or more players score in double figures.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd has been open about his rotation being set in stone already. This gives players clarity on what their role is this year and the staff an idea of who to focus most of the energy on.
Arizona’s bench includes a lethal shooter in Anthony Dell’Orso, the nation’s best rebounder in Tobe Awaka and a borderline 5-star prospect in Dwayne Aristode. Those three players would start at most other programs.
While other Big 12 teams are looking to the G-League or the NBA for talent to help them, Arizona is doubling down on what it’s got.
Arizona’s Real Season Starts Now?
The Big 12 conference is set to be completely captivating again this year. Arizona is looking to earn its first Big 12 championship this season, meanwhile Houston looks to defend theirs, Iowa State looks to capitalize on an all-time trio for its program, Kansas seeks to cash in on Darryn Peterson’s only year in college, BYU is trying to leverage AJ Dybantsa into a title and the list of hungry teams goes on and on.
The Wildcats will have to overcome some truly special teams this season to accomplish their goals. That pursuit begins on January 3 when Arizona takes on Utah and first year head coach Alex Jensen. The Utes currently sit at 8-5 and are led by junior Terrance Brown who averages over 21 points per game.
Can Arizona win their first Big 12 title this season? To come along for the ride, follow the AZ Wildcats Podcast with Damon Fairall and Kevin Thomas.
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