Arizona Basketball: Wildcats rout New Mexico Lobos

Arizona basketball had five players in double figures and used a stifling defense to easily handle the Lobos in Tucson on Tuesday evening.

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Don’t count out the Arizona Wildcats just yet. Sean Miller’s team had just seven scholarship players on hand, but made dispensing New Mexico look easy.

Wildcat sophomore Chance Comanche led the way with a career-high 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting. Freshman forward Lauri Markkanen and freshman guard Rawle Alkins both chipped in 13.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 12-0 lead and never looked back as the Lobos did not score for nearly the first six minutes of the game. The game was never really in doubt as Arizona never led by less than double digits past that point.

Arizona’s defense was suffocating. The Lobos only shot 26 percent from the field, 14 percent from three, were out-rebounded by 19 and committed 26 fouls.

All the more impressive is Arizona did this with only seven scholarship players. Guard Allonzo Trier is suspended and Parker Jackson-Cartwright is injured. They also lost forward Ray Smith at the start of the season due to a career-ending third ACL tear.

Despite this, Arizona looked “at its best” at times, according to head coach Sean Miller after the game. The 18th ranked Wildcats have won five in a row and now sit at 11-2. The team will open Pac-12 play at Cal on December 30th.

Do not count out Sean Miller’s squad come Pac-12 play. The freshmen seem to be coming together nicely and the return of Trier and Jackson-Cartwright will give them a boost. Depth and heavy minutes will always be a concern, especially as the season wears on, but the Wildcats are certainly talented enough to compete with the best out west.

For New Mexico, it is a disappointing and sobering end to non-conference play. Craig Neal’s team probably did not think it could win in Tucson, but definitely wanted his team to compete harder. Neal remarked after the game that he felt his team was prepared but looked “shell-shocked” at the start.

The Lobos finished their non-conference season at a disappointing 7-5. They will start conference play at home versus Fresno State on December 28th.