No. 4 Arizona defeats East Tennessee State by 20, 73-53

Wildcats overcome 18 turnovers to advance to next round of Diamond Head Classic

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In the first game of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, the Wildcats faced East Tennessee State and opened up a 25-8 lead in the first half, en route to a 20-point victory of 73-53.

For the second time this season, freshman forward Brandon Ashley led the team in scoring, with 16 on 5-of-8 shooting. No other Wildcat had more than eight points, and the team combined for 18 turnovers compared to 15 assists.

The Wildcats allowed ETSU to make a small run early in the second half, as the Buccaneers decreased the lead to just eight points, but Arizona was able to answer with a run of its own that erased the chance of a potential upset.

Arizona will play either Hawaii or the University of Miami in the semifinals at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

In improving to 10-0, the Wildcats are one of five remaining undefeated teams in the nation. Arizona’s victory, coupled with No. 3 Syracuse’s loss, means that there is a good chance that Arizona will move up a spot in the upcoming AP rankings.