Anthony Dell'Orso was the star of the night for Arizona, posting a career-high 22 points as the Wildcats edged out a late surge from BYU to claim a 75-68 victory. Arizona seemed to have the game in hand with a commanding 16-point lead in the second half, but things got tense when they found themselves up by just five points with 42 seconds left on the clock.
In a crucial moment, Arizona's defense stepped up, forcing a BYU turnover. Jaden Bradley seized the opportunity, connecting with Dell'Orso for a dunk that extended their lead to 75-68, effectively sealing the win.
BYU's A.J. Dybantsa missed a dunk, and another turnover by the Cougars in their final possessions helped Arizona breathe a sigh of relief.
Dell'Orso's performance was nothing short of efficient, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and knocking down four of his eight three-point attempts. He also contributed four rebounds and a steal. A standout moment was his buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave Arizona a 42-35 lead at halftime.
Ivan Kharchenkov also played a pivotal role, adding 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including two three-pointers. He chipped in with seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal. With Dwayne Aristode and Koa Peat sidelined, Arizona needed every bit of offense from Dell'Orso and Kharchenkov.
For BYU, A.J. Dybantsa lived up to his billing as a top NBA Draft prospect, pouring in 35 points on 13-of-28 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. However, he didn't get much help from his teammates, who combined for just 33 points on a tough shooting night.
Rob Wright III, usually a reliable scorer for BYU, was held to 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Entering the game with an average of 18.7 points and a 48.8 percent shooting clip, Wright struggled to find his rhythm against Arizona's defense. BYU's shooting woes extended beyond the arc, hitting only five of their 19 attempts.
Arizona, often criticized for their long-range shooting, flipped the script by sinking nine of their 21 three-point tries. After a closely contested first half, capped by Dell'Orso's timely three, Arizona maintained control throughout the second half, never allowing BYU to regain the lead after the 26-25 mark with just under six minutes left in the first half.
In the end, the Wildcats' combination of timely defense and clutch shooting proved too much for BYU's late rally, securing a hard-fought victory.