By R.L. Bynum
Caleb Love sank four huge free throws in the win at Duke and has had other big moments, but hadn’t asserted himself offensively as an Arizona Wildcat until Friday night.
Love collected 20 points, three 3-pointers, six assists and only one turnover. He shot 8 of 12 from the floor and spearheaded a huge first-half run as the No. 3 Wildcats coasted to a 100–68 home win over Belmont.
“I was a little bit more aggressive coming into this game,” Love said. “The floor was opened up a little more because our offense is really fast, and it opens things up for all of us.”
Love got half of his points when Arizona (4–0) scored 18 consecutive first-half points — including a pair of 3-pointers and a reverse layup — and had 15 points with the Wildcats leading 56–35 at halftime. The run included eight points in 52 seconds.
“I was really proud of the effort he was playing with,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “I felt like he was really establishing a standard of effort for him that was higher than he had done previously. I told him if you stay true to that, your moments are going to come and they did tonight.”
In the second half, the 6–4 senior guard’s corner 3-pointer and dunk pushed Arizona’s lead to 73–44.
“When my shot is falling and things are going in rhythm, it’s just knowing the right shots to take and the right plays to make,” said Love, who dished out three of his assists after halftime, including an alley-oop to Keshad Johnson and a behind-the-back pass to Johnson, who dunked.
Love was one of five Wildcats to score in double figures, including Motieju Krivas, who had 20 points and nine rebounds. Krivas and Love were the first Wildcats to score at least 20 points in a game this season.
“We got a lot of weapons on this team, and so anybody can get to it any given night,” Love said.
Arizona (4–0) returns home Sunday to face UT Arlington at 6 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Networks).
Penn State (4–0) easily beat Morehead State at home 74–51 on Friday night, but D’Marco Dunn and Puff Johnson each had quiet games off the bench.
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In his second game of the season, Johnson had four points, a block and a steal in 16 minutes. Dunn, who has only started one of the Nittany Lions’ four games, had three points on 1 of 4 shooting in 14 minutes.
In Saturday games, Destiny Adams’ Rutgers team (2–2) hosts Saint Francis at noon, Dawson Garcia’s Minnesota team (2–1) hosts South Carolina-Upstate at 2 p.m., Dontrez Style’s Georgetown team (1–2) hosts Mount St. Mary’s at noon, and Kennedy Todd-Williams’ No. 23 Ole Miss team (2–1) faces Howard in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas at noon.
Checking in on 17 former Heels
Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward
6–3 | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 22 starts, 17.8 points, 43.2 FG%, 25.0 3FG%, 66.8 FT%, 9.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.6 steals, 1.0 block
81–60 Thursday loss at Indiana — Started; 38 minutes, 24 points, 10–21 FG, 0–1 3FG, 4–7 FT, 9 rebounds, 4 fouls, 5 turnovers, 3 steals, -15
Season-highs — 36 points, 22 rebounds Nov. 10 vs. NJIT
Record — 9–14, 1–11 Big Ten
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Purdue
D’Marco Dunn, Penn State guard
6–5, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 0 starts; 6.3 points, 40.2 FG%, 36.2 3P%, 90.9 FT%, 2.0 rebounds
69–61 Tuesday loss vs. Minnesota — Didn’t start; 32 minutes, 18 points (game-high), 6–11 FG, 2–4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, -8
Season-highs — 18 points (also Jan. 15 at Michigan State), 6 rebounds on Tuesday vs. Minnesota
Record — 13–10, 3–9 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at UCLA, Big Ten Network
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward
6–11, 234 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts; 20.1 points (leads team), 51.0 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 75.2 FT%, 7.4 rebounds (leads team), 2.0 assists, 1.0 block
69–61 Tuesday win at Penn State — Started; 38 minutes, 19 points, 7–14 FG, 0–2 3FG, 5–7 FT, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, +7
Season-highs — 31 points, 3 blocks on Jan. 25 vs. Oregon; 14 rebounds Tuesday at Penn State; 4 3-pointers Nov. 6 vs. Oral Roberts and Dec. 29 vs. Morgan State
Record — 12–11, 4–8 Big Ten
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 23 Illinois, Big Ten Network
RyLee Grays, Virginia forward
6–4 | Sophomore | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 1 start, 2.0 points, 32.6 FG%, 65.4 FT%, 2.7 rebounds
101–68 Thursday loss vs. No. 25 Florida State — Didn’t start; 12 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 turnovers, -3
Season-highs — 6 points, 6 rebounds Nov. 29 vs. Washington State
Record — 12–12, 4–8 ACC
Next game — noon Sunday vs. Virginia Tech, ACC Network
Puff Johnson, Penn State wing
6–8, 205 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 17 games, 17 starts; 10.2 points, 54.3 FG%, 30.2 3P%, 81.0 FT%, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals
69–61 Tuesday loss vs. Minnesota — Didn’t play; hasn’t misses last five games with a hand injury
Season-highs — 20 points Nov. 12 vs. Saint Francis (Pa.); 10 rebounds Dec. 21 vs. Drexel
Record — 13–9, 3–8 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at UCLA, Big Ten Network
Deja Kelly, Oregon guard
5–8 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.7 points, 37.4 FG%, 14.9 3P%, 59.5 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals
79–61 Thursday loss vs. No. 14 Maryland — Started; 18 minutes, 2 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–2 FT. 1 foul, 1 block, 2 steals, -26
Season-highs — 21 points, 3 3-pointers on Nov. 6 vs. Nevada; 11 rebounds on Nov. 18 vs. Grand Canyon; 8 assists on Nov. 4 vs. California Baptist and Dec. 31 at Northwestern
Record — 16–7, 7–5 Big Ten
Next game — 4 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 1 UCLA
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS junior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 21 games, 21 starts, 11.4 points, 55.2 FG%, 23.1 3P%, 73.3 FT%, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.8 blocks
95–86 Sunday win at No. 13 Oklahoma — Started; 22 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Season-highs — 20 points Jan. 23 at Texas A&M; 13 rebounds Nov. 12 vs. Wofford, Nov. 26 vs. Arizona State, Dec. 9 vs. Queens and Jan. 2 vs. Mississippi State; 6 blocks Nov. 26 vs. Arizona State; 5 assists Nov. 4 vs. USC Upstate
Record — 19–2, 8–1 SEC; Rank — No. 11
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday at Ole Miss
Caleb Love, Arizona guard
6–4, 205 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 16.3 points (leads team), 39.1 FG%, 32.6 3P%, 86.9 FT%, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals
85–74 Tuesday win at BYU — Started; 38 minutes, 18 points, 6–16 FG, 4–9 3FG, 2–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, +16
Season-highs — 33 points, 5 3-pointers (also Saturday at Arizona State), 7 assists on Dec. 30 vs. TCU; 8 rebounds on Jan. 11 vs. UCF
Record — 16–6, 7–1 Big 12; Record — No. 20
Next game — 10 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 13 Texas Tech, ESPN
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 9.6 points, 37.8 FG%, 39.2 3P%, 84.8 FT%, 2.3 rebounds
86–75 Tuesday loss at No. 6 Florida — Started; 23 minutes, 5 points, 2–5 FG, 1–3 3FG, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 turnover, -2
Season-highs — 24 points, 6 3-pointers Nov. 22 vs. Seton Hall; 8 rebounds Nov. 10 vs. Southeast Missouri State;
Record — 16–6, 4–5 SEC
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at No. 6 Florida, SEC Network
James Okonkwo, Akron forward
6–8, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Season statistics — 22 games, 15 starts, 7.7 points, 55.1 FG%, 70.7 FT%, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks
81–73 Tuesday win vs. Ball State — Started; 17 minutes, 4 points, 2–4 FG, 0–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers
Season-highs — 17 points on Dec. 3 vs. Northern Kentucky and on Jan. 11 at Eastern Kentucky; 16 rebounds on Dec. 7 vs. Brockport and on Dec. 21 vs. Jackson State
Record — 17–5, 10–0 MAC (along in first place); 10-game win streak
Next game — 2 p.m. Saturday vs. South Alabama, ESPN+
Paulina Paris, Arizona guard
5–9 | Junior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 24 games, 20 starts, 8.7 points, 40.5 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 58.8 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals
56–47 Wednesday loss at Colorado — Started; 14 minutes, 0 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +3
Season-highs — 22 points, 8 assists Dec. 2 vs. Seattle; 8 rebounds, 3 3-pointers Nov. 20 at Northern Arizona; 5 steals vs. West Virginia on Jan. 25
Record — 14–10, 5–6 Big 12
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday at Arizona State, ESPN+
Anya Poole, Clemson forward
6–2 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 5 starts, 5.9 points, 58.8 FG%, 0–2 3FG, 68.2 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
74–55 Thursday loss at No. 10 Duke — Didn’t start; 16 minutes, 11 points, 4–5 FG, 3–4 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 1 block, -9
Season-highs — 14 points on Nov. 11 vs. Presbyterian; 8 rebounds on Jan. 2 vs. California; 4 blocks on Jan. 9 vs. Virginia
Record — 11–12, 4–8 ACC
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 13 North Carolina, ACC Network Extra
Will Shaver, UAB center
6–10, 260 pounds | Redshirt sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season statistics — 9 games, 0 starts, 41 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 block, 3 steals
64–61 Monday win vs. North Texas — Didn’t play
Season-highs — 2 points Nov. 11 vs. Auburn Montgomery; 3 rebounds Nov. 22 vs. Longwood
Record — 14–8, 7–2 American
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at East Carolina, ESPNU
Dontrez Styles, N.C. State wing
6–6, 210 pounds | Senior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 20 starts, 10.0 points, 42.6 FG%, 35.6 3P%, 65.6 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 block
74–62 Thursday loss at California — Started; 32 minutes, 6 points, 3–16 FG, 0–2 3FG, 10 rebounds (team-high), 1 foul, 1 turnover, 2 blocks (team-high), -6
Season-highs — 24 points, 6 3-pointers on Saturday vs. Clemson; 11 rebounds on Nov. 18 vs. Colgate
Record — 9–13, 2–9 ACC; 7 consecutive losses
Next game — 7 p.m. Saturday at Stanford, ACC Network
Kennedy Todd-Williams, Ole Miss guard
6–0 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts; 11.6 points, 36.0 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 82.7 FT%, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals
66–56 Thursday loss vs. No. 13 Oklahoma — Started; 34 minutes, 4 points, 1–8 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks, 3 steals, -14
Season-highs — 25 points, 5 3-pointers, 7 assists on Jan. 9 vs. Vanderbilt; 10 rebounds on Nov. 10 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 5 assists Nov. 14 at Delaware State; 5 steals on Jan. 2 at Auburn
Record — 15–7, 6–4 SEC
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday vs. No. 11 Kentucky, ESPN2
Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard
6–5, 200 pounds | Fifth season | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)
Season statistics — 22 games, 221 starts, 4.8 points, 39.0 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 80 FT%, 1.1 rebounds
73–59 Tuesday win vs. Baylor — Started; 11 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 1 assist, -3
Season-highs — 21 points, 7 3-pointers on Nov. 5 vs. Bethune-Cookman; 4 assists on Jan. 29 vs. TCU
Record — 18–4, 9–2 Big 12; Record — No. 13
Next game — 10 p.m. Saturday at No. 20 Arizona, ESPN
Ali Zelaya, UNCW forward
6–4 | Fifth season | UNC 2020–24 (4 seasons)
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 11.9 points, 39.5 FG%, 28.2 3P%, 80.6 FT%, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.2blocks
72–67 Friday loss at Delaware — Started; 30 minutes,16 points, 4–10 FG, 1–2 3FG, 7–7 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 6 turnovers, 4 blocks, +2
Season-highs — 26 points Feb. 1 vs. Stony Brook; 3 3-pointers on Nov. 29 vs. UMass-Lowell and Jan. 3 vs. Campbell; 19 rebounds, 5 blocks on Nov. 29 vs. UMass-Lowell
Record — 12–11, 6–4 CAA
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday at Drexel, FloCollege
Photo via @ArizonaMBB
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