TUCSON, Ariz. — In an impressive display, Caleb Love led the Arizona Wildcats with 23 points, including 18 in a dominant first half, as they overpowered Samford with a final score of 96-64 on Wednesday evening.

Arizona established their control early, building a lead as large as 25 points. Other contributors included Anthony Dell’Orso and Trey Townsend, who each added 14 points, while Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis chipped in with 11 points apiece. Overall, the Wildcats showcased a strong shooting performance, hitting 58% of their shots and converting 25 of 31 free-throw attempts. They also excelled in fast-break opportunities, outpacing the Bulldogs 25-0 in that regard.

For Samford, Jaden Brownell led the charge with 13 points, supported by Trey Fort and Julian Brown, who both scored 11. The Bulldogs, ranked as one of the highest-scoring teams nationally with an average of 90.5 points per game, struggled against Arizona’s defense, managing to shoot only 37% from the field despite hitting 12 three-pointers out of 35 attempts. This defeat marked the end of a five-game winning streak for Samford.

Samford attempted to rally in the second half, initially outscoring Arizona 13-4 and narrowing the gap to 14 points. However, Arizona responded decisively, closing out the game with a 23-8 scoring surge, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Dell’Orso.

During the first half, the Wildcats capitalized on their fast pace, resulting in 26 points from fast breaks and establishing a 56-33 lead at halftime. They maintained their dominance, with their lead solidifying as they surged ahead by double digits with eight minutes left in the opening period.

Next, Samford will face Alabama A&M on Saturday, while Arizona will host Central Michigan on the same day.