No. 1 Arizona cruises past Utah 97-78 to remain undefeated

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Arizona forward Tobe Awaka, right, shoots over Utah forward Keanu Dawes, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

Arizona center Motiejus Krivas, right, posts up against Utah forward James Okonkwo, center, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate) — Arizona forward Tobe Awaka, right, shoots over Utah forward Keanu Dawes, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

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3:22 PM on Saturday, January 3

By MATTHEW COLES

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Tobe Awaka and Jaden Bradley each scored 18 points and No. 1 Arizona cruised past Utah 97-78 on Saturday to remain undefeated.

Brayden Burries had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Koa Peat also scored 17 and Ivan Kharchenkov 13 for the Wildcats (14-0, 1-0 Big 12 Conference), who extended their best start to a season since beginning the 2013-14 campaign with a 21-0 mark.

Terrence Brown scored 26 and Don McHenry and Keanu Dawes each scored 15 for Utah (8-6, 0-1).

Awaka also had 12 rebounds for his third double-double this season and 14th of his career. The Wildcats, who are ranked fourth in the country on rebound differential, dominated the undersized Utes 43-30 on the boards.

The Wildcats jumped out to a 27-10 lead with help from a 3-poitner and four offensive rebounds from Awaka — part of a surge that was aided by five Utes turnovers.

The Utes drew with 36-28 on a dunk from Dawes, but the Wildcats responded with a 10-0 run and finished the half with a 58-39 lead, the most points they have scored in a first half this season.

Arizona hit 7 of 18 from beyond the arc and held Utah to just five 3s. It saw its streak of winning by more than 20 points a game halt at eight, but the closest Utah got in the second half was 73-58.

The game marked nine straight with at least five players in double figures for Arizona, which came into the day as one of six teams in the country that is still undefeated. The Wildcats have held top spot in The AP Top 25 for four straight weeks.

Up next

Arizona: Hosts Kansas State on Wednesday.

Utah: Visits Colorado on Wednesday.

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