Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Arizona Wildcats upset the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines 80-62 on Sunday to move to 5-0 on the season. Arizona’s win marked its first victory against a top-five team since Dec. 30, 2017.
The Wolverines dropped to 3-2 with the loss.
It was an incredible night for Arizona’s Christian Koloko, who notched 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists and four blocked shots in the win. Bennedict Mathurin was also impressive, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
Arizona Basketball @ArizonaMBB
DENIED ????<a href=”https://twitter.com/kolokojunior1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@kolokojunior1</a> doing <a href=”https://twitter.com/kolokojunior1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@kolokojunior1</a> things<br><br>???? ESPN <a href=”https://t.co/3mfDyb5AEH”>pic.twitter.com/3mfDyb5AEH</a>
Arizona Basketball @ArizonaMBB
????????????????????<a href=”https://twitter.com/BennMathurin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BennMathurin</a> to <a href=”https://twitter.com/kolokojunior1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@kolokojunior1</a> <br><br>???? ESPN <a href=”https://t.co/PsgwS5V64u”>pic.twitter.com/PsgwS5V64u</a>
The Wildcats were impressive defensively throughout the night, but once things were tied at 21 with seven minutes remaining in the first half, Arizona took control and pulled away in the second half.
Arizona began the second half by making its first nine shots to push the lead to 62-45.
The Wildcats shot 4-of-21 from deep (19 percent), but went 33-of-66 from the field (50 percent). Michigan, meanwhile, was awful from deep on Sunday, with Brandon Johns Jr. making the team’s only three pointer on 14 attempts.
Eli Brooks was the Wolverines best player Sunday, notching 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Hunter Dickinson, meanwhile, finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and two steals.
Outside of Brooks and Dickinson, Michigan failed to get much production from anyone else. The Wolverines also had an unacceptable 10 turnovers in the first half and 15 overall.
If Michigan has Final Four dreams, it’s going to have to get better following a loss to an unranked opponent. Head coach Juwan Howard, who is in his third season, has quite a bit of work to do. Arizona, meanwhile, is looking impressive and could find themselves with Michigan among the nation’s top 25 teams next week.
The Wolverines will next face the Tarleton Texans on Wednesday, while the Wildcats won’t face their next opponent, the Sacramento State Hornets, until Saturday.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
