Arizona Wildcats beat San Diego State with strong rebounding
On October 16, 2026, the Arizona Wildcats secured a win over San Diego State at the McKale Center at Alkeme Arena, relying on double-figure scoring from six players and a dominant rebounding performance by forward Ivan Kharchenkov, tucson.com reported.
Kharchenkov Helps Arizona Recover from Early Deficit
Arizona opened the contest by jumping out to an early 19-9 lead. San Diego State answered with a 19-3 run to pull ahead 28-22 with 6:19 remaining in the first half, during which the Wildcats hit just one of 10 field goal attempts. Arizona responded with a 16-2 run to close the opening period, capped by a running jumper from Kharchenkov with five seconds left on the clock.
Kharchenkov finished the first half with six points and 10 rebounds. For the game, he overcame a 1-for-6 night from 3-point range by driving forcefully to the basket, converting five of 11 two-point attempts, grabbing 10 defensive rebounds, handing out four assists, and picking up two steals.
Along the way, Kharchenkov nearly collided with a baseline cameraman, taking the brunt of the impact when he hit the floor.
At first I thought it was a chair, but then my own camera guy told me, “Yo, Ivan, I’m sorry.”
Kharchenkov said after the game. His response to the floor-level collision was straightforward:
I’m like, “Yeah, it’s OK.”
Freshmen and Bench Players Provide Scoring Depth
While the team’s returning contributors set the tone, six different Wildcats reached double figures in scoring. Freshman guard Caleb Holt contributed 15 points, point guards Derek Dixon and JJ Mandaquit each added 12, and freshman forward Maksim Brnovic chipped in 10 points off the bench.
Brnovic posted the team’s most efficient offensive outing, connecting on four of six field goals, including two of three attempts from beyond the arc, alongside one turnover and one steal.
It feels really good.
Brnovic said.
When I came in the first time, I just brought the energy on both ends on the floor.
The Continuity of Grind-It-Out Play
The Wildcats shot 33.3% from the floor in the first half and finished the game shooting 36.1% in the second half. That offensive rhythm echoed Arizona’s 68-45 victory over San Diego State in Phoenix the previous December, when the Wildcats shot 36% before halftime and made just one of 10 3-point shots. Ball security showed improvement from last year’s meeting, however, as Arizona committed only 10 turnovers in the first half against San Diego State last season compared to just two first-half turnovers on October 16.