No. 1 Arizona manhandles Cincinnati, improves to 19-0

Field Level Media|published: Wed 21st January, 23:57 2026

Jan 21, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Freshman Brayden Burries logged 12 point, 10 rebounds and four assists as the No. 1 Arizona stayed unblemished with a 77-51 walloping of Cincinnati on Wednesday in Tucson, Ariz.

Motiejus Krivas totaled 17 points and nine rebounds, and Ivan Kharchenkov had 14 points as the Wildcats (19-0, 6-0 Big 12) wore down the Bearcats. Arizona's leading scorer on the season, Koa Peat, managed 13 points and six boards.

The Wildcats shot 42.9% from the field but held Cincinnati to 30.4% in grinding out an impressive win.

Arizona held a massive 48-14 advantage in points in the paint.

After beating then-No. 2 Iowa State in their previous outing, the Bearcats (10-9, 2-4) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end as Baba Miller had 14 points and six rebounds. Shon Abaev netted 13 points.

Arizona was hot over the first 2 1/2 minutes, connecting on 4 of 5 shots from the floor and getting four points each from Peat and Kharchenkov for a 10-4 lead.

However, the Bearcats trimmed it to 15-12, and they did it by making 5 of 11 shots and limiting Arizona to just two field goals in nine attempts after the fast start.

Fouled on a 3-point attempt, Abaev made all three free throws to put the squad up for the first time 17-16 midway through the half, all while the Wildcats were trapped in an 0-for-10 shooting slump.

The half closed with a 5-2 run that left the Wildcats with a 33-27 advantage.

Burries' follow-up of a miss with 17:06 remaining gave the Wildcats breathing room at 38-31.

As the frame reached the 13-minute mark, the Bearcats continued to hang in behind the play of the 6-foot-11 Miller, who was a matchup problem for Arizona as was 7-foot-2 Krivas for the Bearcats.

The Wildcats created their biggest lead at the time, 48-38, behind Tobe Awaka's strong putback with 11:52 to go while the visitors were caught in a 1-for-11 skid from the field.

Arizona played its best in the final six minutes and moved to 6-0 all-time and 2-0 in Big 12 play vs. the Bearcats.

--Field Level Media

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