Arizona Dominates Eastern Washington to Close Exhibition Schedule
Arizona finished its exhibition schedule on Friday night with an 85-54 victory over Eastern Washington at ALKEME Arena at McKale Center, winning its three preseason contests by an average of 23.3 points. The Wildcats maintained a 30-point lead through the final 15:16 of the contest after building a 50-26 halftime advantage.
Arizona Dominates Eastern Washington with Pace and Size
Led by former Gonzaga coach Dan Monson, an overmatched Eastern Washington squad struggled to contain Arizona’s pace and physical stature. The Wildcats forced 19 turnovers, converting those mistakes into 20 points while securing a 48-32 advantage in points in the paint and a plus-14 rebounding margin.
Arizona shot 52.4 percent from the field overall and hit 9 of 23 attempts from 3-point range. Five different players connected from beyond the arc, marking the third exhibition game the team achieved that mark. The Wildcats also distributed 23 assists, surpassing the total number of field goals managed by the Eagles, who shot 34.5 percent.
Caleb Holt paced all scorers with 21 points, adding five rebounds, three steals, and two assists alongside five turnovers. Holt committed three of those turnovers within the opening six minutes of play but still managed 15 points prior to halftime. His production included a personal 7-0 run late in the first half featuring a layup, a steal on the ensuing inbound pass followed by another score, and a defensive rebound capped by a 3-pointer.
Motiejus Krivas contributed 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in just 17 minutes of action. Ugnius Jarusevicius also scored 12 points, while Ivan Kharchenkov and JJ Mandaquit each chipped in 11 points. No Arizona player logged more than 24 minutes on the floor.
The regular season for Arizona gets underway on Nov. 2, 2026, when the team faces old Pac-12 rival UCLA in Las Vegas. That matchup serves as the finale of a three-game series that featured a UCLA victory in Phoenix in 2024 and an Arizona win last November at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
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Game Thoughts: Arizona vs. Eastern Washingtonhttps://t.co/AtzQ4Uv1im