TUCSON, Ariz. - With a renewed defensive focus, the ACU men's basketball team forced the No. 1 team in the country to turn the ball over 19 times, and stayed within a respectable margin for much of the night in a 96-62 loss to the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats on Tuesday night.
The 19 turnovers are the most by far that Arizona has committed this season. Their previous single-game high was 15. Those 19 turnovers match the most ACU has forced against a Division I team this year, and the Wildcats wearing purple and white cashed in with 15 points off turnovers -- just one shy of their season-high of 16 against UTSA.
"I told the guys that this was the night we start taking chances," ACU head coach
Brette Tanner said about his team's aggressive defense during his postgame interview with
Grant Boone on the ACU Sports Network.
"I think we've been good defensively, but it's time we take the next step and why not do it against the number one team in the country? A lot of people that don't know what they're talking about will look at this score, but the people who actually know will be proud of our guys tonight. This was an awesome opportunity."
This was ACU's first-ever game against a top-ranked Division I squad, and just the third versus the Top 10. Before Tuesday, the Wildcats' last game against a Top 10 team was during the 2021 NCAA Tournament when ACU's defense put a stranglehold on seventh-ranked Texas, and slugged out a 53-52 win.
"I'm so proud of our guys and how they handled [this game]," said Tanner. "A lot of teams would have been pointing fingers, but we're encouraging each other and lifting each other up. That gives me a lot of hope for this season."
Cbo Newton, who returned to the starting lineup for the first time in three weeks, again tied his career-high as he led ACU with 17 points for the second straight game. Newton shot 7-of-10 from the field, which breaks his career-high for made field goals.
Joseph Scott was 5-for-9 shooting, and added 15 points, two assists, and three steals.
Back-to-back three-pointers from
Bradyn Hubbard and Newton pulled ACU within 14 at the 5:50 mark of the first half. Arizona extended its edge to 51-31 at halftime, and the margin remained in the mid-20s until the last 10 minutes. Wylie High School graduate
Isaiah Carrillo sank his first career 3-pointer in the final 65 seconds.
"Our whole key is to stay positive, stay focused. We can take a lot from this, and learn a lot."
The Wildcats will add to their history against ranked opponents in their next game -- Friday night at No. 10 BYU with national cable TV coverage on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. The last time ACU played on a Turner family network? Also, that famous March Madness run in 2021 with games against Texas and UCLA.
Tipoff on Friday is at 8:30 p.m. CT from the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah. Brian Anderson, hall of fame player Grant Hill, and Andy Katz will call the action on the TV broadcast.
Grant Boone will deliver play-by-play on the ACU Sports Network.
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