Oumar Ballo looked unstoppable in the paint Saturday night, bullying his way to 22 points and 12 rebounds as No. 12 Arizona demolished Oregon State 89-61 at McKale Center. The blowout extended the Wildcats’ home winning streak to 17 games and sent a clear message to the rest of the Pac-12.
The 7-foot senior was surgical against an overmatched Beavers frontcourt, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and controlling every possession around the rim. His dominance set the tone early — the Wildcats never trailed after the opening minutes, building a commanding 44-28 halftime lead behind crisp ball movement and relentless interior presence.
Depth on Full Display
Tommy Lloyd’s squad showcased the balanced attack that has them eyeing a conference title, with five players reaching double figures. Caleb Love was smooth from all three levels, adding 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. But it was freshman KJ Lewis who stole the show off the bench, dropping 14 points with the kind of fearless shooting that has coaches around the league taking notice.
“We wanted to establish our presence early,” Love said after the win. “Oumar was fantastic down low, and when he’s playing like that, it opens up everything for the rest of us.”
The numbers tell the story of complete domination. Arizona shot 52.3% from the field and buried 11 of 29 three-pointers, overwhelming Oregon State (10-9, 2-4 Pac-12) with size, athleticism, and depth. The Cats outrebounded the visitors 42-28 and scored a ridiculous 46 points in the paint.
Beavers Hit the Wall
Oregon State entered averaging 67.8 points per game but looked completely lost against Arizona’s length and pressure. The visitors managed just 35.7% shooting, with senior guard Jordan Pope — their leading scorer at 16.1 per game — held to a quiet 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
The killer blow came midway through the first half when Oregon State went ice-cold for 4:38, allowing the Wildcats to turn a competitive game into a laugher. Coach Wayne Tinkle burned timeouts trying to slow the bleeding, but his team simply couldn’t match Arizona’s physicality.
“They’re a really good team with size and depth,” Tinkle admitted afterward. “We knew it would be a challenge coming in here, but we didn’t execute our game plan well enough.”
Conference Race Heating Up
The victory keeps Arizona (16-3, 5-1 Pac-12) in striking distance of Washington State, which remains unbeaten in conference play at 6-0. After that puzzling loss to Stanford on January 4, the Wildcats have won four of five and look every bit the contender many expected in the preseason.
Ballo’s emergence has been crucial to that turnaround. The West Virginia transfer is posting his third double-double in four games and establishing himself as one of the premier big men in the conference. His 13.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game on 59.2% shooting have given Lloyd the anchor he desperately needed.
Perhaps more importantly, the bench is starting to deliver. Arizona’s reserves outscored Oregon State’s 31-15, with Lewis leading the charge. The four-star recruit from California has become a legitimate weapon with his ability to stretch the floor and create his own shot.
Road Test Looms
The real test comes Tuesday night in Boulder, where Colorado (11-8, 3-3 Pac-12) has been frisky at home all season. The Buffaloes shocked then-No. 21 Utah earlier this month and won’t be intimidated by the Wildcats’ ranking.
With 12 conference games remaining, Arizona controls its own destiny in what’s shaping up to be the most competitive Pac-12 race in years. Their first regular season title since 2018 is within reach — if they can maintain this level of dominance on the road.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” Lloyd said. “Colorado’s going to be a tough environment, but we feel good about where our team is right now.”
The kind of statement win that builds championship confidence.
