By the numbers: How Arizona managed to out-rebound, beat Washington in Saturday's home finale

Arizona staved off a second-to-last-place Washington team, 75-74, at McKale Center on Saturday. Freshman forward Azuolas Tubelis’ late-game heroics lifted the UA to victory when he canned a baseline jumpshot with six seconds remaining.

The Wildcats’ win over the Huskies marked the first time all season Arizona swept a Pac-12 weekend series at home.

How did the UA do it? These numbers tell explain how Arizona pulled off the win on Saturday:

26Tubelis’ game-winning shot decided Arizona’s fate on Saturday, but the bulk of the Wildcats’ scoring came from James Akinjo. The point guard recorded a career-high 26 points while also tabbing seven assists and three rebounds. He turned the ball over just twice.

More importantly, Akinjo also assisted Tubelis for the game-winning basket.

Over the last four games against the Washington and L.A. schools, Akinjo has averaged 21.5 points and 5.3 assists.

“If we didn’t have him — we’re 17-8 — I think we’d be 8-17. We might even be 5-20. That’s how much he means to our team,” said UA coach Sean Miller. “Today, he dominated the game from our perspective. He’s learning to be a true floor general, but his big heart, his perseverance, his ability to both score and distribute, the toughness that he displays.”

Added Miller: “My peers — the coaches in this league — when they start with Arizona, they start with him. He’s our heart and soul, and he’s had a fantastic season.”

2Tubelis posted 16 points and 15 rebounds, his second double-double of the season and made 6 of 7 free throws. Tubelis said after the game that he’s settled in with Arizona’s personnel.

“I feel more comfortable on this team and they can find me, I can find them,” he said.

Akinjo has also noticed Tubelis’ confidence grow over the entire season.

“I’ve seen him get more physical and more confident with himself in late-game situations like this,” said Akinjo. “We don’t even look at him as a freshman. I think Azuolas is an important piece to this team and that’s what it is. We need him to play, and he’s grown up and gotten better.”

Tubelis said he was motivated to play well on Saturday. It was his mother’s birthday.

“I needed to go hard and win the game,” Tubelis said.

2Washington had two players foul out, forwards Hameir Wright and Nate Roberts. Wright was one of five Huskies to score in double figures and tallied 18 points.

8Saturday was Senior Day, and Miller rewarded senior forward Ira Lee with a start.

It was Lee’s eighth time in Arizona’s starting lineup.

13Freshman wing Bennedict Mathurin finished Saturday with a career-high 13 rebounds, the most boards since his 24-point, 11-rebound performance in the Wildcats’ double-overtime win at Washington State in January. Mathurin also added 10 points to give him his second double-double of the season.

18One could make the case rebounding was the primary reason Arizona held off Washington. The Wildcats outrebounded the Huskies 41-29 and dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds compared to Washington’s 3.

Arizona finished the game with 18 second-chance points compared to Washington’s three.