Photos: (2) Arizona Wildcats dispatch (15) Long Beach State 85-65, NCAA West Region
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Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
- Updated
The Arizona Wildcats open the big dance with a second half surge against The Beach in a West Region 85-65 win in their first-round matchup in the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Up next, Dayton, who came back in the second half to upset Nevada in the day's second game.
Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) gestures for noise as the Wildcats start pulling away from Long Beach State in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) cuts through the Long Beach State defense in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Kylan Boswell throws down an unopposed dunk late in the second half against Long Beach State.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) pays the price for his drive to the basket against Long Beach State forward Aboubacar Traore (25) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) gets hacked by Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona center Oumar Ballo (11) is squeezed out of a rebound by Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1), left, and forward Aboubacar Traore (25) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
The Arizona bench celebrates guard Kylan Boswell’s (4) dunk late against Long Beach State in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Thursday in Salt Lake City.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) swims his way to a score over Long Beach State forward Aboubacar Traore (25) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) talks with one of the game officials during a break in play against Long Beach State their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (2) gets table-topped by Long Beach State guard AJ George (10) while hauling down a rebound in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona center Oumar Ballo goes airborne to defend Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud, who is trying to drive into the lane, in the second half.
Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1) drives between Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0), left, and center Oumar Ballo (11) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) intercepts the inlet pass intended for Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) gets interviewed in the locker room following their 85-65 win over Long Beach State in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (2) talks to reporters from the Wildcats’ locker room following their 85-65 win over Long Beach State in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (14) and Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1) scramble for the ball in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) takes a blow from Long Beach State guard Jadon Jones (12), but no foul was called, in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) slams into Long Beach State forward Lassina Traore (23) picking up the foul on his shot attempt in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) keeps Long Beach State guard Marcus Tsohonis (0) from getting cleanly into the lane in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) threads the needle between Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1), left, and guard AJ George (10) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Long Beach State guard Messiah Thompson (4) waits in the spotlight for his introduction before taking the court against Arizona in their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) snatches the pass right out of the hands of Long Beach State guard Marcus Tsohonis (0) trying to make a pass from the seat of his pants in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Long Beach State guard Jadon Jones takes a swipe but can’t stop the shot form Arizona guard Caleb Love in the first half of the teams’ matchup in first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Thursday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (14) gets a whole lot of Long Beach State forward Lassina Traore (23) in pursuit of a rebound in the first half of the teams' matchup in first round of the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Thursday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (14), left, and guard Jaden Bradley (0) swarm over Long Beach State forward Lassina Traore (23) trying to win the rebound in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) questions the call against him in the first half of their game with Long Beach State in the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (2) slips past Long Beach State guard AJ George (10), left, and guard Jadon Jones (12) in the first half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Long Beach State guard Marcus Tsohonis (0) loses the footrace to the ball to Arizona guard Kylan Boswell (4) in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Assistant coach Riccardo Fois gives Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) a pep talk before he subs in against Long Beach State in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd talks to one of the game officials during a time out in the game against Long Beach State during the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Nevada guard Kenan Blackshear (13) gets hit by Dayton forward Nate Santos (2) trying to get out of the backcourt during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024. Dayton came back from a double digit deficit to upset the Wolf Pack 63-60, setting up a second round match against Arizona.
Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II (15) gets off the pass between forward Jeriah Coleman (12), left, and Nevada forward Tre Coleman (4) during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton forward Isaac Jack (13) takes a shot to the chin trying to back down Nevada forward K.J. Hymes (42) during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks (6) streaks in to knock the ball away from Nevada guard Kenan Blackshear (13) creating a turnover during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks (6) scrapes the ball out of reach of Nevada forward Tre Coleman (4) during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Nevada guard Jarod Lucas (2) flings himself on the ball ahead of the rush from Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks (6), top and Dayton forward Nate Santos (2) during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton head coach Anthony Grant can’t believe the Flyers didn’t get the jump ball during a scramble late in the second half of their game against Nevada in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton players rush the court celebrating their come from behind 63-60 win at the buzzer over Nevada during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II (15) takes a bow to the Nevada band and booster after the Flyers held on to slip by the Wolf Pack 63-60 during the second half of their game in the west regional of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Conrad Martinez (55), left, guard Kylan Boswell (4) and guard KJ Lewis (5) line up for the national anthem before the Wildcats take the court against Long Beach State for a west regional game in the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson (3) looks for the bucket over Long Beach State guard Marcus Tsohonis (0) in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) takes a shot to the face from Long Beach State forward Aboubacar Traore (25) on his shot in the first half their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd gives Long Beach State head coach Don Monson a hug after the Wildcats defeated LBS in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Arizona forward Keshad Johnson (16) comes up a few inches short for a rebound against Long Beach State forward Amari Stroud (1) in the second half of their west regional game of the NCAA Basketball Championship, Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 21, 2024.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
As featured on
Second-seeded Arizona ran away with a 85-65 win over 15th-seeded Long Beach State in a first-round NCAA Tournament game at the Delta Center Thursday, but only after the Wildcats trailed the Beach for seven first-half minutes and led by just six at halftime.
Michael Lev: 5 takeaways from Arizona’s 85-65 victory over LBSU in NCAA Tournament openerMichael Lev column: Breaking through vs. the zone, Caleb Love finding a way, Kylan Boswell bouncing back and other observations from Arizona’s opening-round win over Long Beach State.
Seen and heard from Salt Lake City: Tommy Lloyd emotional after eliminating friend and mentor Dan Monson; Traores came to the Beach via some cold-weather stops.
