Tommy Lloyd turned 50 on Saturday, a milestone that can be depressing for some. Winning by more than your age can help ease the pain a little.
Arizona blew out Central Michigan 94-41 to wrap up its nonconference slate, winning consecutive games for the first time since starting the season 2-0. Every win for the Wildcats (6-5) has come by at least 29 points.
Caleb Love had a big first half for the second game in a row, dropping 20 of his 24 before halftime and making 9 of 15 shots, while KJ Lewis had 13 and Tobe Awaka 10 including his first career 3-pointer and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes.
Arizona shot 54.5 percent, 61.8 percent in the second half, and made 10 of 29 3s as it shot them early and often to soften Central Michigan’s zone before getting inside, outscoring the Chippewas (5-6) 48-22 in the paint. The Wildcats had a season-high 28 assists on 36 baskets.
Central Michigan shot 25.9 percent and turned it over 17 times, leading to 25 points for Arizona, which had just 10 turnovers.
Arizona was almost exclusively a perimeter team for the first six minutes, with nine of its first 10 attempts coming from 3 as Central Michigan sagged in its zone. Back-to-back triples from Love and three free throws from him after getting fouled on another provided a 15-6 cushion and the opportunity to start going inside, which the Wildcats did in droves after that.
A 14-2 run was almost entirely made of dunks, layups and free throws, putting Arizona up 29-12 with 7:36 to go in the first half. The Wildcats would later add a 7-0 run to end the first half up 21.
The UA only turned it over three times in the first 20 minutes but then gave it away twice in the first 2:02 of the second half. Central Michigan got within 46-28 before Arizona scored 27 of the next 31 points, turning what was already a lopsided affair into a full-on laugher.
A 3 by Conrad Martinez put the Wildcats up 63-30 with 12:33 remaining, part of a 10-0 run, and there was 10:07 left on the clock when Emmanuel Stephen came in. The freshman finished with six points, six rebounds and an assist after going for two points and a rebound over the final 2:38 against Samford on Wednesday.
The UA is off until Dec. 30 when it begins its first season of Big 12 play at home against TCU (6-4).