Arizona not only beat Stanford 70-54 at McKale Center, but the Wildcats longer-term future also looked considerably better Sunday night.
Guard Brandon Williams played off the bench for the Wildcats after missing the previous six games with his right knee injury, while the team's leading scorer Brandon Randolph had his first double-digit scoring game this month.
In addition, center Chase Jeter had his best game since returning from a back injury that cost him two games last month, collecting 14 points and four rebounds in just 21 minutes before he fouled out.
The Wildcats managed to minimize Stanfordβs ability to drive inside and get to the free-throw line, holding the Cardinal to 41.7 percent overall while Stanford made 8 of 11 free throws.
MORE: Wildcats ease some of their pain as Brandon Williams returns in win over Stanford
Up by eight points at halftime, the Wildcats shot 52.9 percent from the field over the first 12 minutes in the second half to stay ahead while Stanford also heated up. The Cardinal hit 9 of 14 shots to that point in the second half, but turned the ball over seven times in that span.
The win improved UA to 16-12 overall and 7-8 in the Pac-12 entering a trip to Oregon this week, while Stanford dropped to 14-13 and 7-8, having now lost 19 straight games to the Wildcats.
The Wildcats took a 31-23 halftime lead, having bolted out to a 14-3 lead at the start by making 6 of its 10 first shots. Stanford then gradually moved all the way back within three points, holding UA to just 2-of-8 shooting after its initial 6-for-10 start, but couldn't get any closer while shooting just 30 percent and making only 2 of 12 3-pointers.
Williams went scoreless with two assists while playing eight minutes in the first half, finishing with two points and three assists over 17 minutes while testing the knee, which has kept him out since he returned from Arizona's trip to Los Angeles last month with pain in his knee.Β
Williams and UA have treated his right knee carefully, since it appeared to be related to a congenital issue that prompted Williams to undergo surgery in January 2017. Williams stayed off the court for 10 months, but returned to play most of his senior season in high school.
The Wildcats were 1-5 in the absence of Williams, who had been their leading scorer in conference games.
Stanford standout forward KZ Okpala also returned Sunday after missing the Cardinal's game at ASU on Wednesday with what the school has called an upper-body injury. But Okpala was limited to just 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting and did not take a single free throw, after scoring 29 points on the Wildcats while going to the free-throw line 12 times on Jan. 9 at Stanford.
Meanwhile, acting UA assistant coach Austin Carroll will miss tonightβs game for family reasons after his father, John, was hospitalized.
Now an assistant coach at Rhode Island,Β John CarrollΒ was Kaleb Tarczewskiβs travel-ball coach and mentor.
