Jaden Bradley takes over in 2nd half, helps No. 20 Arizona beat byu

On By Littum

NCAA Basketball: Iowa State in ArizonaJanuary 27, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcat’s main coach Tommy Lloyd yells at a judge after a call was made during the first half against Iowa State in the McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Misted Pictures

Caleb Love had 18 points, and Jaden Bradley scored all 17 of his points in the second half to help No. 20 Arizona defeat byu 85-74 Tuesday night in Provo, Utah.

Bradley took over the game during a central stretch in the second half and scored 11 of his team’s 13 points to transform a one-point lead into a double-digit advantage as Wildcats (16-6, 10-1 BIG 12) won their fifth straight game.

Henri Veesaar added 17 points and six rebounds, while Tobe Awaka contributed 14 points and nine rebounds in the victory.

Egor Demin scored 16 points, but made only 7 out of 20 shots from the field in the downturn for Cougars (15-7, 6-5), which had their four-game-winning strip cracked.

Cougars shot 41.8 percent from the field compared to Arizona’s 49.2 percent clips and went cold down the stretch. Byu missed nine straight shooting attempts at one point, a corner that began during the most important stretch of the second half, like Wildcats composed when visitors opened open a tight game.

Dallin Hall accounted for 11 points and six assists, and Richie Saunders had 11 points and six rebounds as Byu fell only for the second time in 13 home matches.

Hall made a layup to get Byu within one point, 67-66, with 7:47 back.

Wildcats then went to work and Bradley scored seven points under a 9-0 spurt that helped them take their biggest lead of the game at the time, 76-66, with 4:42 back.

Bradley continued his offensive wave by beating four straight free kicks after a pair of Saunders -Freebies to put Arizona ahead with 12 with 4:02 back.

Wildcats drove to an 84-69 lead after a Carter Bryant-Dunk, which limited BYU to three points in a seven-plus minute stretch.

Cougars had led four points earlier in the second half before falling apart.

In the first half, Veesaar ignited a 10-0 race for Arizona with a tipping shot as wildcats rose 18-10. Cougars later responded with an 11-2 race to take a one-point lead.

The teams went into the break tied to 41-41.

-Felt level media