MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In an impressive display, KJ Lewis achieved a personal best, tallying 21 points as Arizona triumphed over No. 21 West Virginia with a score of 75-56 on Tuesday night, marking their fifth consecutive victory.
Jaden Bradley contributed with 15 points, while Anthony Dell’Orso added 10 to help the Wildcats improve to a record of 9-5 overall and maintain a perfect 3-0 in the Big 12 conference.
Javon Small was the standout for West Virginia (11-3, 2-1), leading the team with 17 points. The Mountaineers, who recently entered the AP Top 25 for the first time in two years, struggled offensively and recorded their lowest scoring total of the season.
This victory allowed Arizona to avenge a prior defeat, an overtime loss to the same Mountaineers on November 29 during a nonconference matchup in the Bahamas.
During the game, Dell’Orso experienced an injury when he collided with a chair on the sidelines early in the second half. Fortunately, he was able to return after receiving treatment in the locker room.
**Takeaways**
For Arizona, the team is experiencing a resurgence after a rocky start to the season, which saw them at 3-4. They successfully concluded a lengthy road trip with a 2-0 record, having previously defeated then-No. 16 Cincinnati on Saturday.
On the other hand, West Virginia was without Tucker DeVries for the sixth consecutive game due to an upper-body injury. DeVries had made a significant impact in the earlier matchup against Arizona by scoring 26 points, but this time, the Mountaineers were unable to find other scoring options, with Small being the only player to reach double figures.
**Key moment**
After West Virginia made a commendable effort by sinking three consecutive 3-pointers to close the gap to five points, KJ Lewis responded effectively. He scored seven points during an 11-0 run, generating a wider gap in the score to 64-47, despite top scorer Caleb Love being on the bench at that time in the second half.
**Key stat**
The Wildcats capitalized on their speed and West Virginia’s defensive mistakes. This allowed them to execute 13 layups throughout the game with relative ease.
**Up next**
Arizona is set to host UCF this coming Saturday, while West Virginia will travel to face Colorado on Sunday.
