Arizona invited some next-door neighbors over to McKale Center for the first time in 17 seasons Tuesday, but hospitality was not included.
Instead of greeting their century-old former rival from the Border and Western Athletic conference days with a down-to-the-wire showcase, or even a game that resembled something competitive, Arizona simply blew out New Mexico 77-46 before 14,008 fans at McKale Center.
This one was over within minutes, and you could argue it was even over before it started, because one of New Mexico’s two best players, guard Elijah Brown, didn’t even start while the Lobos fell behind 12-0 and missed their first 11 shots from the field.
Arizona had five players score in double figures, with freshman guard Rawle Alkins collecting his first double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore center Chance Comanche had a career-high 14 points. Lauri Markkanen added 13 points and nine rebounds.
It was bad timing for the Lobos to be inept, too. The Wildcats, finishing out their nonconference season at 11-2, showed some passion in trying to redeem a few lapses in their 67-63 win over Texas A&M on Saturday in Houston.
In that game, the Wildcats gave up a late 18-0 run to the Aggies in what could have been a blowout, while Comanche found himself the verbal target of coach Sean Miller, and guard Kadeem Allen went 0 for 6 and appeared worn down on both sides of the ball.
So guess what happened Tuesday? The Wildcats never let up the entire game, starting out 12-0 and never letting the Lobos cut the lead to single digits from there, while Allen had a near flawless line of 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and no turnovers.
Then there was Comanche, who responded to several frustrating weeks with a career-high in scoring, many of which came off dunks.
“I just really cleared my head and told myself to play basketball, that this team needs you,” Comanche said. “They saw me when I was open, and they got me the ball, and I just tried to capitalize.”
He did. Comanche was 6 for 6, and while he had three turnovers, also collected eight rebounds.
In all, Arizona crushed the Lobos on the glass, out-rebounding them 49-30, limiting them to just 16 free throws taken (10 of which they made) and then there was that defense.
New Mexico shot just 26.2 percent overall and made only 2 of 14 three-pointers, never giving itself any hope of pulling out of its early hole.
New Mexico didn’t score until forward Tim Williams made a jumper nearly six minutes into the game, to make it 12-2.
Arizona shot 50 percent from the field and finished the game playing all four of its walk-ons, first with Alkins and then with forward Keanu Pinder.
“We didn’t come out and compete at a high level tonight,” New Mexico coach Craig Neal said. “I thought we were prepared. I thought our guys were ready but we looked a little shell-shocked. I don’t know if it was their size, their physicality, but when you get down 11-0, it’s tough to get going. I think we played a really good basketball team tonight.”
That’s pretty much what UA coach Sean Miller said, too. When asked of Neal’s curious starting lineup, which featured only one regular starter in forward Tim Williams, he said Neal knows his team better than he does and that “sometimes in nonconference you have to figure some things out.”
Then Miller spoke of the various tests the Wildcats have had throughout their nonconference season and the many obstacles they’ve had to overcome them. Arizona has played most of the nonconference season with only seven active scholarship players, having lost guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright for the past six games because of a high ankle sprain and Kadeem Allen for another game because of a knee sprain.
And then, of course, there’s the NCAA issue that guard Allonzo Trier has been facing all along, with Trier showing up but not playing again, having missed all 13 games.
After the game, Miller spoke again about the upside his team might have heading into conference play if it “could get some good health and good news moving forward.”
When he finished with that remark, Miller was asked if he was expecting some good news.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I can’t comment on that.”
