In a disappointing turn of events, the No. 17 Arizona Wildcats suffered their second consecutive defeat, falling 69-55 to No. 12 Duke at McKale Center. This marks the first instance of back-to-back losses under coach Tommy Lloyd, a stark contrast to the Wildcats’ previous streaks of bounce-back wins following tough games.
Arizona (2-2) struggled offensively throughout the contest, achieving only 39.6% shooting from the field and a dismal 26.1% from beyond the arc. The Wildcats faced multiple scoring droughts, going over two minutes without a bucket on at least four occasions. Moreover, they were outrebounded by 13 and committed 15 turnovers, allowing Duke to tally 19 points off those mistakes.
Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 18 points, while KJ Lewis contributed 12. Duke’s freshman star, Cooper Flagg, stole the spotlight with 22 points, including 14 in the second half, helping the Blue Devils avenge last year’s loss to Arizona. Duke showcased solid shooting with 42.6% from the field and effectively restricted Arizona to just six offensive rebounds, a significant drop from their previous games.
At halftime, the Wildcats found themselves trailing 34-27, with this being their lowest score at that point in a game since January 2023. Although Arizona briefly made a push in the second half, they were unable to overcome the scoring droughts that marred their performance.
In the closing stages, Duke regained control with timely three-pointers, thwarting Arizona’s attempts to close the gap. The Wildcats would manage only one field goal in the final five minutes, a glaring oversight in executing their offensive strategy.
The game was characterized by a physical style of play that favored Duke, who took advantage of a slow start from Arizona, which struggled to adjust to the game’s tempo. As Arizona prepares to shift its focus to the Battle4Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas next week, there remains hope. The opportunity to regroup and come back stronger against Davidson on Wednesday presents a new chance for the Wildcats to rediscover their rhythm and offensive potency.
Summary: Arizona faced a tough loss against Duke, marking their second consecutive defeat. Struggling offensively and in rebounding, the Wildcats fell short despite efforts from Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis. With upcoming games in the Bahamas, Arizona has a chance to bounce back and turn their season around.