Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball extended its impressive home streak against non‑conference opponents with an 80-69 win over the Auburn Tigers on Friday night at Neville Arena. The victory marks the second consecutive year the Wildcats have ended a long home run by a non‑league foe.

Key performances

Senior forward Caleb Holt delivered a breakout game, scoring 24 points on 4‑of‑6 shooting from beyond the arc after a rough start to the season. He also pulled down nine rebounds and recorded five steals, energizing the crowd with his all‑around play.

Teammate Ivan Kharchenkov contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, while Motiejus Krivas posted a double‑double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. The Wildcats out‑rebounded Auburn by 12 boards and finished with 16 points in the paint despite 12 blocked shots.

Team statistics

Arizona shot 44.4 percent overall and 50 percent in the second half, while Auburn managed 34.8 percent shooting. The Tigers made 11 three‑pointers but attempted 31, and were just 12‑of‑35 from inside the arc.

The Wildcats turned the ball over 12 times, double the number they recorded in a recent win over NAU, but limited Auburn to 12 blocked shots, six of which came from Auburn center Narcisse Ngoy.

Coaching adjustments

Head coach Tommy Lloyd made a lineup change, inserting transfer guard JJ Mandaquit for Bryce James. Mandaquit scored six points, all from free throws, in 31 minutes of play. Backup center Ugnius Jarusevicius also did not see action, and the bench contributed only four points.

Game flow

Arizona opened the second half with a 10‑0 run, taking a 14‑point lead early in the period. Auburn responded with a 10‑2 spurt to narrow the gap to 48‑42. A series of lead changes followed, but a crucial steal and dunk by Holt restored the Wildcats’ advantage.

Late in the game, Kharchenkov hit a decisive jumper with 1:32 remaining, and Mandaquit’s four free throws sealed a 74‑65 lead with just over two minutes left. The Wildcats finished strong, scoring nine straight points to push the final margin to 11.

Looking ahead

The win sets up a home matchup against No. 4 UConn on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. Arizona’s defense of UConn’s 36‑game non‑conference home win streak last November remains a point of pride for the program.

Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.