The Pac-12 Tournament championship game will be Arizona versus rival UCLA for the third meeting between the conference's two-most storied programs. Both teams are coming off 10-point wins in the Semifinals to advance to the title game.
Even with being down a player in guard Kerr Kriisa, the Wildcats put on an offensive clinic by shooting 52% from the field and getting to the foul line 25 times, and shot 96% from the line.
The two leading scorers for Arizona were forward Azuolas Tubelis with a team-high 20 points and guard Justin Kier, with 13 points will filling in for Kriisa.
The Wildcats will face UCLA for the third time after the two teams split the regular-season series with both winning games on its home court.
In the last meeting against the Bruins, Arizona won 76-66, shooting 48% from the field and holding UCLA guard Johnny Juzang to 12 points on 6 of 15 shooting with three turnovers.
We'll do what we've been doing all year, look at the scouting report and game plan, Kier said when asked about the championship game matchup. "As you said, our coaching staff does a great job. We'll go back, get rest. Look at our scouts and be ready."
In the Bruins win over Arizona, UCLA's defense rose to the occasion and held the third scoring offense, who has averaged 84.6 points per game to a season-low 59 points where the Wildcats shot 31% from the field and went 7-for-28 from the 3-point line.
UCLA guards Jules Bernard and Juzang combined for 30 points and 10 rebounds in that game while shooting 45% from the field.
"Great opportunity for our team. Really gives us a good test for where we are proceeding into March," forward Jaime Jaquez said during the team's postgame press conference. "And it's going to be a fun experience. It's what we all work for, try to get that trophy and cut the nets down."
The match up will be the third time that Arizona and UCLA have faced off in the title game and oddly enough are 1-1 versus each other and are looking to split the record. The Wildcats lead the conference with seven Pac-10/12 tournament titles with UCLA having four.
Arizona will face UCLA Saturday at 7 p.m. (MST) on Fox
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