TUCSON, Ariz. — Mark Anderson scored 21 points, Kaleb Tarczewski had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 18 overpowered Washington for a 99-67 victory Thursday night.
Playing their first game without star freshman Allonzo Trier (hand), the Wildcats (14-3, 2-2 Pac-12) traded baskets with the athletic Huskies in an entertaining first half before running them over in the second.
Arizona had a 43-26 advantage on the glass against the Pac-12’s top rebounding team and shot 60 percent to extend its home winning streak to a nation-best 48 games.
Arizona’s Parker Jackson-Cartwright had 11 assists with one turnover and Kadeem Allen scored 13 points.
Washington (11-5, 3-1) played without a key backup on the front line and was no match for the beefier Wildcats inside.
Noah Dickerson had 17 points and Marquese Chriss 13 for the Huskies. Andrew Andrews, the Pac-12’s leading scorer, battled foul trouble and scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting.
The young Huskies arrived at McKale Center as the surprising leaders of the Pac-12.
Picked to finish 11th, Washington and its seven freshmen opened conference play with three straight victories behind Andrews and Dejounte Murray, who have accounted for 53 percent of its scoring.
Arizona returned home in need of a lift.
The Wildcats had a lost Southern California weekend after being swept by UCLA and USC, and lost Trier for at least a month after he was injured in the quadruple-overtime loss to the Trojans.
Washington was missing a key player of its own; freshman forward Devenir Duruisseau, a backup forward, suffered a concussion in Monday’s practice and didn’t make the trip.
That left the Huskies thin up front and the Wildcats took advantage by pounding the ball inside with a lineup that at times included 7-footers Tarczewski and Dusan Ristic at the same time.
Anderson was the beneficiary, scoring 15 points and Arizona used an 8-2 run to lead 44-41 at halftime.
Washington struggled with foul trouble and Andrews rolled his right ankle late in the first half, yet the Huskies used their athleticism to keep up with the Wildcats. Chriss had 11 points and Washington made 17 of 33 shots in the first half.
Arizona threw the first punch in the second half and the Huskies had no answer.
The Wildcats went on 12-4 run to go up 56-45 and extended the lead to 22 points on consecutive inside baskets by Anderson.
Washington’s good shooting dried up against Arizona’s pressure in the second half.
The Huskies made 10 of 33 shots and Andrews had to sit after picking up his fourth foul at 13:02. By the time he returned, Arizona was well on its way to the victory.
TIP-INS
Washington: Washington was 2 for 12 on 3-pointers in the second half.
Arizona: Junior guard Elliott Pitts missed his ninth straight game due to unspecified personal reasons. … The Wildcats have won 22 straight Pac-12 games at home. … Arizona has scored at least 80 points in nine straight games, its longest streak since 11 straight in 1997-98.
UP NEXT
Washington plays at Arizona State on Saturday.
Arizona hosts Washington State on Saturday.
