TUCSON, Ariz. — No. 1 Arizona matched No. 16 Texas Tech shot for shot for 40 minutes Saturday afternoon, but the Wildcats came up short in overtime, falling 78-75 at McKale Center. The matchup unfolded in a nationally televised spotlight, with ESPN's "College Gameday" broadcasting from Tucson and a sellout crowd of 14,688 packing McKale Center. The afternoon also featured a halftime Ring of Honor ceremony for former Wildcat guard Caleb Love, adding to the energy inside the arena.
In a matchup that saw 11 lead changes and 11 ties, Arizona (23-2, 10-2 Big 12) erased a four-point second-half deficit and forced overtime when Ivan Kharchenkov's late free throws capped a poised closing stretch in regulation. The Wildcats led for more than 26 minutes and carried momentum into the extra period before Texas Tech made the decisive plays down the stretch.
Arizona had five players score in double figures, led by Brayden Burries and Tobe Awaka with 16 points apiece. Awaka added 12 rebounds for a double-double, helping the Wildcats to a 41-39 edge on the glass and a 13-6 advantage in second-chance points. Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 13 points, and Bradley finished with 11 points and four assists.
The Wildcats shot 39.3 percent from the field and 23 of 31 from the free-throw line, repeatedly attacking the paint to offset a 4-of-16 performance from beyond the arc. Arizona also took care of the ball, committing just three turnovers compared to seven for Texas Tech.
Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3) countered behind JT Toppin's dominant 31-point, 13-rebound effort. Christian Anderson added 19 points, knocking down six 3-pointers. Donovan Atwell chipped in 11 points, including a key triple in overtime that pushed the Red Raiders in front.
The teams were deadlocked at 32-32 at halftime and again at 66-66 at the end of regulation after matching 34-point second halves. In overtime, Arizona briefly grabbed the lead on a pair of free throws from Awaka, but Texas Tech shot 5 of 8 from the field in the extra session and closed the game at the line.
Arizona finished with a 23-6 advantage in bench scoring and held Texas Tech to 40.9 percent shooting overall. But the Red Raiders' 11 made 3-pointers, and timely execution in overtime proved the difference.
Arizona will look to bounce back at home on Wednesday, February 18th, at 7 p.m. MST, against BYU.
