TUCSON, Arizona — Bennedict Mathurin had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Christian Koloko added 13 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks and Arizona blew a 16-point second-half lead before beating Wichita State 82-78 in overtime on Sunday night at the Roman Main Event.
Azuolas Tubelis scored 16 points and Kerr Kriisa had 12 points and six assists for Arizona (4-0).
Kriisa scored five consecutive points in a 9-0 run to open the extra period and the Wildcats held on from there. Wichita State (3-1) missed its first seven field-goal attempts in overtime.
Tyson Etienne, who missed Tuesday’s game due to an illness, scored a season-high 27 points for Wichita State. The 6-foot-2 guard, who was named the American Athletic Conference’s co-player of the year last season, was 9-of-27 shooting, hit 5 of 15 from 3-point range and made 4 of 8 from the free-throw line.
Wichita State trailed 54-38 with about 12 minutes left in the second half before the Shockers used a 17-2 run and, about four minutes later, a 10-1 spurt to take their first lead of the game at 65-64 about 10 minutes later. Tubelis converted a 3-point play to give Arizona a 69-66 lead with 24 seconds left in regulation but Etienne answered with a 3-pointer to force overtime.
Qua Grant scored 13 points and Craig Porter Jr. added 11 for the Shockers.
Arizona committed 22 turnovers and hit just 5 of 27 (18.5%) from 3-point range but made more free throws (29) than Wichita State — which shot 50% from the foul line — attempted (24).
