PULLMAN, Wash. β Rawle Alkins made a successful return for Arizona on Wednesday, but the Wildcats could have easily survived even if his foot was still sore.
Thatβs because, in Arizonaβs 100-72 win over Washington State, Deandre Ayton racked up a double-double before halftime en route to 25 points and 11 rebounds while Allonzo Trier added 24 points on near-flawless shooting.
Ayton was 11 of 12 from the field while Trier was 8 for 9 while hitting all four 3-pointers he took and 4 of 5 free throws.
Alkins, meanwhile, scored 16 points, including three 3-pointers during a 13-0 first half run when Arizona began to pull away from the Cougars in the Wildcatsβ lopsided victory.
Arizona, which shot 60.9 percent from the field while outrebounding WSU 42-23, moved to 19-4 overall and 9-1 in Pac-12 play. WSU dropped to 9-12 and 1-8.
Up 53-34 at halftime after shooting 66.7 percent in the first half, UA kept pouring it on early in the second half. The Wildcats kept WSU without a field goal for six minutes and 15 second while going on a 20-2 run and taking a 75-40 lead with 12:58 remaining.
The Cougars crept back somewhat with a 12-2 run midway through the second half but the game was never in doubt again.
UA coach Sean Miller emptied his bench and even played Tucson native Talbott Denny for only the second time all season. Denny had four points in UAβs season opener against NAU but has not played since.
In the first half, Trier poured in 15 points, Ayton had 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Alkins had 11 while Arizona.
Trier hit 5 of 6 shots from the field, including both 3-pointers he tried, while Alkins hit all four shots he took after missing his first.
The Wildcats were playing for only the second time in their past five games with Alkins and UA coach Sean Miller started Dylan Smith in his place. Alkins entered the game at the first media timeout and initially struggled, picking up two quick fouls and badly missing a midrange shot, but soon found his rhythm.
Alkins fed a lob to Deandre Ayton for an inside bucket and hit 3-pointers on three consecutive UA possessions later in the first half to give the Wildcats a 36-22 lead.
WSU had stayed competitive for the first 10 minutes of the first half, and tied the game at 20 with 11:51 left when Carter Skaggs hit a 3-pointer. But UA then went on a 13-0 run to take a 33-20 lead and kept in control for the rest of the half.
Arizona was already up by 20, 45-25, with four minutes left. At that point, the Wildcats were shooting 64.3 percent from the field and had made 6 of 8 3-pointers. WSU was shooting just 34.8 percent although it had made 4 of 9 3-pointers.
