Henri Veesaar’s impressive 19-point performance propelled Arizona to its seventh consecutive victory, as they triumphed 81-70 over No. 25 Baylor on Tuesday night in Tucson, Arizona. Jaden Bradley contributed significantly with 13 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while KJ Lewis added 11 points and seven assists to secure the win for Arizona.
Arizona, with a record of 11-5 overall and an unblemished 5-0 mark in the Big 12 conference, seized control of the game against short-handed Baylor (11-5, 3-2) for the majority of the matchup. The Wildcats surged to a commanding 27-point lead in the second half. Although Baylor mounted a comeback, connecting on eight consecutive field goals to narrow the deficit to 71-62 with 2:52 remaining, they ultimately fell short of overtaking Arizona.
Despite Baylor’s recent success, entering the AP Top 25 on Monday after winning six of their last seven games, the team faced adversity due to a limited six-player rotation. Both Jalen Celestine and Langston Love missed their fourth consecutive game due to ankle injuries, impacting Baylor’s depth on the court.
Off the bench, Robert Wright led Baylor with 16 points, while VJ Edgecombe contributed 14 points to the team’s efforts. Jeremy Roach, a transfer from Duke, recorded 13 points but encountered foul trouble, picking up his fourth foul with 16:59 left in the game as Arizona held a commanding 46-25 lead. Norchad Ormier also grappled with foul issues throughout, accumulating four fouls by the end of the game and finishing with nine points.
Arizona showcased a balanced scoring effort, with the top eight players in their rotation all contributing points. Anthony Dell’Orso notably scored all nine of his points in the first half, aiding Arizona in establishing a substantial 42-19 lead at halftime.
Although Baylor briefly took the lead with Omier’s layup just 14 seconds into the game, Arizona quickly regained control and maintained their advantage. Omier faced foul trouble early on, receiving his second foul with 18:54 left in the first half, leading to a brief exit from the game.
Arizona surged ahead to an 11-4 lead before Omier’s 3-pointer marked Baylor’s second field goal of the game with 13:36 remaining in the first half. The Wildcats then embarked on a decisive 12-0 run, establishing a commanding 37-15 lead with 2:25 left in the first half.
Caleb Love’s pivotal shot, including a banked 3-pointer, was instrumental in Arizona’s dominant run as they asserted their dominance in the first half. Baylor showed resilience in the second half, shooting an impressive 69% from the field, including 5 of 11 from beyond the arc after a slow start of 1 of 9 on 3
