Akinjo, Arizona hold off UTEP for 69-61 win
TUSCON, Ariz. -- — James Akinjo scored 18 points and cold-shooting Arizona held on for a 69-61 win over UTEP on Saturday.
Akinjo made just 2 of 11 from the field but made all his 14 free-throw attempts. Bennedict Mathurin added 13 points and Jemarl Baker Jr. scored 11 for Arizona (5-0).
Baker scored seven points during a 17-6 run that gave Arizona the lead for good and made it 33-23 late in the first half. Azuolas Tubelis made a layup that gave the Wildcats an 8-point lead with 5:05 to play but they went 0 for 5 from the field thereon. Akinjo and Terrell Brown Jr. each went 2 for 2 from the free-throw line in the final minutes to seal it.
Souley Boom — who went into the game averaging 26.0 points (No. 6 nationally) — led UTEP (2-2) and 16 points and Bryson Williams scored 10. The duo combined to shoot 8 of 25 from the field while the rest of the Miners shot 48% (14 of 29).
Arizona shot 39.3% (22 of 56) from the field, including 0 for 9 from 3-point range. The Wildcats, who had made at least 12 3s in each of the last two games, had their streak of 410 consecutive games with at 3-pointer snapped.
UTEP was outrebounded 46-25 and was outscored 25-12 from the foul line despite shooting 80%. Arizona missed just three of its 28 free-throw attempts.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Verne Harris
- Larry Spaulding
- Mike Reed
2023-24 Conference USA Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Sam Houston | 13-3 | - | 21-12 |
Louisiana Tech | 12-4 | 1 | 22-10 |
Western Kentucky | 8-8 | 5 | 22-12 |
Liberty | 7-9 | 6 | 18-14 |
UTEP | 7-9 | 6 | 18-16 |
Middle Tennessee | 7-9 | 6 | 14-19 |
New Mexico State | 7-9 | 6 | 13-19 |
Jacksonville State | 6-10 | 7 | 14-18 |
Florida International | 5-11 | 8 | 11-22 |
2023-24 Pac-12 Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Arizona | 15-5 | - | 27-9 |
Washington State | 14-6 | 1 | 25-10 |
Colorado | 13-7 | 2 | 26-11 |
Oregon | 12-8 | 3 | 24-12 |
UCLA | 10-10 | 5 | 16-17 |
Utah | 9-11 | 6 | 22-15 |
Washington | 9-11 | 6 | 17-15 |
California | 9-11 | 6 | 13-19 |
USC | 8-12 | 7 | 15-18 |
Arizona State | 8-12 | 7 | 14-18 |
Stanford | 8-12 | 7 | 14-18 |
Oregon State | 5-15 | 10 | 13-19 |