TUCSON — Arizona senior guard Anthony Dell'Orso exploded for an Arizona career-high 22 points off the bench to help the Wildcats bounce back from consecutive losses with a crucial home victory over BYU at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena.
Dell'Orso nearly tripled his season average of 8.5 points per game, scoring 15 points in the first half alone.
The performance came at a critical time for Arizona, which was coming off back-to-back losses to Kansas and Texas Tech while missing two rotation players, including freshman star Koa Peat.
"He's gonna be ready to deliver when we need him, when we need him most, and obviously today there was a significant need and he stepped up," Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said.
The senior guard shot 8-of-15 from the field, including four 3-pointers, taking advantage of BYU's defensive strategy.
"You have to give Dell'Orso credit. You know, he hasn't had a great year statistically, he shot the heck out of the ball tonight," BYU coach Kevin Young said.
For Dell'Orso, the breakout performance was something he had been anticipating all season.
"I feel like I go into every game with a good mindset that that can happen all the time, and then some games, you know, it just doesn't go how you plan it," Dell'Orso said. "Other guys step up, the game, you know, presents different things. Tonight was my night."
Arizona senior Jaden Bradley praised his teammate's perseverance through a challenging season.
"I'm proud of him. You know, he's stuck with it, obviously he had a tough couple of games, but we all have confidence in him," Bradley said. "That's one of the best shooters in the Big 12, in the nation, and we believe that. And he showed that tonight."
The victory provided a much-needed boost for Arizona as the team navigated injuries and tested its depth during a crucial stretch of the season.
