TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona was shaky with the ball early, had trouble getting shots to fall from the perimeter. With a roster full of new players and old players in new roles, it was kind of expected.

Once the Wildcats got rolling, Houston Baptist really had no chance.

Brandon Randolph scored 25 points, Brandon Williams added 13 and Arizona opened a transitional season with a 90-60 win over Houston Baptist Wednesday night.

''We didn't have a great deal of confidence, which that's kind of who we are right now,'' Arizona coach Sean Miller said of the first half. ''We're a bunch of guys who haven't played together and our hope is as we continue to work in practice, those experiences will help us improve.''

The new-look Wildcats had a slew of turnovers in the first half as they fought first-game jitters, but shook those out at halftime to quickly turn a nine-point lead into a rout with 57 second-half points.

The perimeter shots weren't falling most of the night - 6 for 22 from the 3-point line - but the defense was good all night, allowing Arizona to extend its nonconference home winning streak to 48 straight games.

Chase Jeter had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats.

''I thought we were a little nervous and they came out to play,'' Randolph said. ''We just had to settle down.''

Houston Baptist figured to have a hard time playing a Power Five program in one of college basketball's toughest road environments and was put at a further disadvantage with 6-foot-11 senior center Josh Ibarra unable to play due to a leg injury.

The Huskies held up OK inside, but struggled from the perimeter, going 5 for 21 from the 3-point arc while shooting 32 percent overall.

Jalon Gates led Houston Baptist with 12 points.

''When you're shooting over 6-7, 6-8 guys at times, you're not getting in a comfort zone of shooting the ball,'' Huskies coach Ron Cottrell said. ''It was more about who was on the floor for them than who was in the stands.''

Arizona entered a season unranked for the first time since 2010 after a major roster overhaul.

The Wildcats lost their top five scorers from last year's NCAA Tournament team, with Dylan Smith the top returner at 4.3 points per game.

Arizona was sloppy offensively early, finishing the first half 9 of 24 from the floor with 11 turnovers.

The Wildcats led 33-24 behind their defense.

Using its size and quickness to harass the Huskies, Arizona held Houston Baptist scoreless for nearly 3 1/2 minutes to open the game and 2-for-16 shooting to open with a 13-4 run.

Houston Baptist fought back to pull within five, but continued to struggled against the bigger Wildcats, going 8 for 34 from the floor and 1 for 10 from 3-point range.

Arizona cleaned up its turnovers in the second half (two) and took control early, going on an 11-0 run to build the lead to 50-35.

GAME NOTES:

• Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph scored a career-high 25 points Wednesday night, besting his previous high of 17 set last season against Purdue. Randolph's eight made field goals were also a career high, as were his seven made free throws. Randolph was 8 for 12 from the floor, with the 12 attempts also setting a new career high. Randolph's four rebounds were also a new career high.
• Redshirt junior center Chase Jeter scored 11 points and had 10 rebounds in his first official game with Arizona. Jeter played two seasons at Duke and tied his career high as a Blue Devil on Wednesday night. Jeter also had 11 points versus Marist in 2016. His 10 rebounds established a new career high, and he notched the first double-double of his career.
• Arizona had 28 made free throws in Wednesday's win, which is tied for the most in a season opener under coach Sean Miller. Arizona went 28 for 32 in last year's 101-67 win over Northern Arizona. The Wildcats attempted 36 free throws, which also tied for the most in an opener under Miller. The Wildcats attempted 36 free throws against Cal Poly in 2013.
• Houston Baptist shot just 31.9 percent in Wednesday's game, converting 22 of 69 field goal attempts. The 31.9 field goal percentage was the lowest by an Arizona opponent in a season opener since 2010 when Idaho State shot 28.1 percent.
• Redshirt junior guard Dylan Smith finished with nine rebounds Wednesday, establishing a new high for his Arizona career. Smith had four rebounds twice last year, which stood as his previous high. Smith's career high came in 2016, while at UNC Asheville, when he had 10 rebounds at Coastal Carolina.
• Freshman guard Brandon Williams was 8 for 9 from the free throw line Wednesday and finished with 13 points and five assists to no turnovers. The eight made free throws tied Kobi Simmons (2016), Brandon Ashley (2012) and Nick Johnson (2011) for the most made free throws by a freshman in his debut under coach Sean Miller.

QUOTABLES:
"Chase [Jeter] had some good moments. The best is yet to come. I don't think he scratched the surface and he hasn't played a lot of basketball in college and even this year he was really playing his best for about a two-and-a-half, three-week period, and then he got injured. So I think right now the injury is finally leaving him and I think we're all anxious for him to experience a good stretch of health because one thing Chase has always done at every level that he has played is he rebounds. Tonight he had a double-double with nine defensive rebounds, which is excellent."
– ARIZONA COACH SEAN MILLER

"I was excited before we even started the game. It's the season opener and I was just ready to see the Zona Zoo."
– SOPHOMORE GUARD BRANDON RANDOLPH

"We were attacking in the second half, we got over the nerves. We came ready to play in the second half. We were attacking, dishing to open guys, and getting out in transition." 
- SOPHOMORE GUARD ALEX BARCELLO

"This is a great crowd, there is no doubt. This is a great opener for them to get their crowd here and get them excited about their season, and certainly there is a lot to be excited about with their team." – HOUSTON BAPTIST HEAD COACH RON COTTRELL