TUCSON, Arizona — Ivan Kharchenkov scored 20 points, Caleb Holt added 17 and No. 12 Arizona rolled to a 90-59 victory over Northern Arizona on Tuesday night.
The Wildcats (2-1) used their size advantage to overpower the Lumberjacks (0-3), building a 24-point halftime lead and stretching it with an 18-3 second-half run.
Arizona shot 62% from the floor, had a 52-20 advantage in the paint and 26 assists on 37 field goals for its second straight blowout win since a season-opening loss to No. 9 UCLA.
Kharchenkov added seven rebounds and seven assists. Moteijus Krivas had 16 points and seven rebounds.
Chris Komin led NAU with 17 points and Ryan Abelman added 14.
The Wildcats played their third straight game without forward RJ Godfrey, who’s still waiting to learn his eligibility fate.
It didn’t matter against NAU.
With the Lumberjacks collapsing on Krivas in the paint, Arizona worked the ball around for open looks, making most of them.
The Wildcats shot 17 of 26 from the floor, went 5 for 12 from behind the 3-point line and had a 20-8 advantage in the paint to lead 46-22 at halftime.
NAU was 4 of 16 from 3 and went scoreless over the final 3:21 of the first half.
Arizona didn’t let up in the second half, hitting five of its first eight shots to stretch the lead.
Bryce James, son of NBA star LeBron James, fired up the crowd with a blocked shot on Lucas Toukam’s dunk attempt and followed with a 3-pointer that put the Wildcats up 55-29.
