Arizona basketball makes history with stunning OT upset of Iowa State
01/28/2025 09:27 AM
Unranked Arizona basketball scored a massive win on Monday night in thrilling fashion. On the verge of losing to the No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones, the Wildcats got a big shot in the arm when senior guard Caleb Love made an unbelievable 3-point shot from behind halfcourt at the buzzer in the second half to send the contest into overtime.
Arizona basketball made sure to capitalize on the opportunity, as the Wildcats poured in 15 points in overtime while allowing just four points to Iowa State to escape with an 86-75 victory at McKale Memorial Center in Tucson.
Arizona’s display in the fourth quarter also set a tied school record.
“Arizona outscored Iowa State 15-4 in overtime. The Wildcats’ 11-point margin of victory tied their largest in an OT game in program history,” according to ESPN.
Love, who transferred from the North Carolina Tar Heels to Arizona basketball following the 2022-23 season paced the Wildcats against Iowa State with 22 points on 8-for-22 shooting from the floor. He hit four of his 13 attempts from behind the arc, including that memorable heave that gave the Wildcats life.
“You just got to give it up to God at that point,” Love about his miraculous shot following the game. “We practice half-courters in shootaround, you know, that’s the fun of it. We do that shot at practice, and like I said, you got to give it up to God, and that was all him,” Love added.
Also stepping up for Arizona was Tobe Awaka, who eked out a double-double of 17 points and 12 boards while Carter Bryant and KJ Lewis both came off the bench and scored 14 points apiece and combined for 11 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and two steals.
Arizona basketball continues to flex in Big 12 play
Arizona’s win over Iowa State is another product of the Wildcats’ elite offense. It was the team’s third game in a row posting an adjusted offensive efficiency of 118.0 or better, per Barttovik. On the season, Arizona basketball is 15th in the national with an adjusted offensive efficiency of 120.3, per KenPom’s metrics. But being that good offensively against a top-five team like Iowa State further shows how dangerous the Wildcats are despite a proper start to the season.
Arizona has looked different since the beginning of Big 12 play. The Wildcats are 8-1 against conference rivals and 14-6 overall. They are only trailing the No. 6 Houston Cougars (8-0 vs. Big 12) in the conference standings.
Coming up next for Arizona is a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Saturday against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The post Arizona basketball makes history with stunning OT upset of Iowa State appeared first on ClutchPoints.
