National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Arizona 73, East Tennessee St. 53
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 22, 2012
Where: Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu, Hawaii
Officials:
Attendance: N/A

No. 5 Arizona 73, East Tennessee State 53: Brandon Ashley had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Wildcats in their opening game at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

Ashley, a 6-8 freshman forward, was the only player to score in double figures for Arizona (10-0). The team’s leading scorer on the season, senior guard Mark Lyons, was plagued with foul trouble and finished with eight points. Kaleb Tarczewski also scored eight for the Wildcats.

Jarvis Jones scored a career-high high 21 points for East Tennessee State (2-8). The senior guard missed the first seven games this season because he was academically ineligible. Lester Wilson failed to score in double digits for the first time this season, finishing with nine points for the Buccaneers.

Arizona scored the game’s first 11 points and held a 38-17 lead at the half, despite going seven minutes between field goals during one stretch. East Tennessee State shot 22.2 percent from the field during the opening half (6-for-27) and 31 percent for the game (18-for-58).

Arizona had six of its 18 turnovers during the first five minutes of the second half, helping the Buccaneers trim the lead to 14. The Wildcats buckled down and went on a 17-5 run over the next seven minutes and advanced to Sunday’s semifinal against Miami.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The last time Arizona and East Tennessee State met was in the first round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament, when the 14th-seeded Buccaneers upset the third-seeded Wildcats. … The Wildcats are off to their best start since winning their first 12 games in 1987-88. … The Buccaneers have lost their last five games, losing by an average of 22.2 points.
Top Game Performances
 
Arizona   East Tennessee St.
Brandon Ashley 16 Scoring Jarvis Jones 21
Mark Lyons 4 Assists Jarvis Jones 3
Brandon Ashley 10 Rebounds John Walton 5
Brandon Ashley 6 Free Throws Made Jarvis Jones 6
Mark Lyons 2 Steals Jarvis Jones 3
Grant Jerrett 2 Blocks N/A
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Arizona 73 42.4 9-26 14-17 15 46 3 5 18
East Tennessee St. 53 31.0 6-23 11-12 5 24 0 6 13