3 keys to No. 2 Arizona’s 97-77 win over Utah as Kerr Kriisa posts first career triple-double
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Utah Utes guard Marco Anthony (10) tries to shoot over Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo (11) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Jay has covered sports in Utah for more than 30 years and has been writing for the Deseret News since 2019.
Arizona showed again Thursday night why many believe the No. 2-ranked Wildcats can win it all this year. Azuolas Tubelis scored a game-high 23 points and Kerr Kriisa recorded a triple-double as Arizona pounded Utah 97-77 at the Huntsman Center.
Kriisa scored all 21 of his points in the first half and played the maestro in the second half, finishing with 10 assists and 10 rebounds. He was inserted back into the game with one minute, 57 seconds remaining to get the final rebound.
The loss snapped Utah’s two-game winning streak, and came after Arizona won 82-64 in Tucson on Jan. 15. Arizona (25-2, 15-1) clinched at least a share of the Pac-12 championship with the blowout win.
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Utah Utes guard David Jenkins Jr. (1) is knocked to the ground on the drive as Utah Utes guard Jaxon Brenchley (5) helps him up in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Marco Anthony (10) competes for a loose ball as the Arizona Wildcats bench points in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Branden Carlson (35) is defended by Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) runs into a Ute cheerleader after hitting 3-pointer in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes head coach Craig Smith watches the action in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Branden Carlson (35) has his shot blocked by Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Rollie Worster (25) shoots over Arizona Wildcats guard Bennedict Mathurin (0) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Both Gach (2) and Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) compete for the ball in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard David Jenkins Jr. (1) and Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) get tangled up in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Marco Anthony (10) tries to shoot over Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo (11) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Lahat Thioune (0) is defended by Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes head coach Craig Smith cheers on his team in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Branden Carlson (35) has his shot blocked by Arizona Wildcats center Christian Koloko (35) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Branden Carlson (35) blocks the shot by Arizona Wildcats guard Bennedict Mathurin (0) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats guard Kerr Kriisa (25) goes to the floor in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Arizona Wildcats forward Azuolas Tubelis (10) dunks over Utah Utes guard Rollie Worster (25) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Rollie Worster (25) steals the ball as Arizona Wildcats guard Adama Bal (2) defends in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard Eli Ballstaedt (13) drives o Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo (11) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes center Lahat Thioune (0) drives on Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo (11) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
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Utah Utes guard David Jenkins Jr. (1) dribbles up court in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Here are 3 keys to Arizona’s win:
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• Utah led 28-27 with six minutes, 44 seconds remaining in the first half, but then the wheels came off for the Utes — and Kerr Kriisa got white-hot. He made six 3-pointers in the half’s final six minutes to give the Wildcats a 53-33 lead at the break.
• Having ended the first half on a 26-5 run, the Wildcats picked up where they left off in the second half, going on a 9-0 run to pretty much put the game out of reach.
• Having rolled his ankle in Utah’s 60-58 win over Cal last Saturday, Branden Carlson started for the Utes and logged 21 minutes, scoring 10 points. Gabe Madsen led Utah with 15 points, while David Jenkins Jr. added 14 off the bench in his best game in quite some time.
Utah fell to 11-17 overall, 4-14 in Pac-12 play, and will host Arizona State on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Huntsman Center.
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