Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. (11/12/2026) — Caleb Holt scored a game-high 24 points and the Arizona Wildcats used a dominant rebounding edge and balanced offensive production to defeat the Auburn Tigers 80-69 at Neville Arena on Thursday, handing Auburn a tough home loss in front of 9,121 fans.
How It Happened
The opening minutes were sharply contested, with the lead changing hands eight times and the score tied nine times before the final buzzer. Auburn struck first — Caleb Williams drained a 25-footer 90 seconds in to open a 3-0 lead — but Holt answered immediately from the same range to tie it at 3-3. The two teams traded baskets throughout the first half, with Auburn edging ahead at 7-6 on a George Kimble III jumper before Arizona responded with Derek Dixon layup and a Holt three-pointer to push back in front.
Thomas Dowd kept the Tigers within striking distance by going 3-for-4 from three-point range in the first half, hitting back-to-back triples at 12:32 and 11:29 — the second of which, off a Kolby King assist, briefly gave Auburn a 17-14 lead. But Arizona reasserted control in the final minute of the half. Holt punctuated the half with a 26-foot three-pointer off a Dixon assist with 51 seconds remaining, pushing the Wildcats into the locker room with a 36-32 edge.
Arizona accelerated out of the break. Holt converted a driving layup just 15 seconds into the second half for a 38-32 lead, and the Wildcats proceeded to reel off a 10-0 run — capped by Bukky Oboye's finish at the rim off a Tahaad Pettiford feed with 16:38 left — to stretch their advantage to 46-34.
Turning Point
Auburn mounted a determined rally in the second half, outpacing Arizona in assists and tightening the game to a single possession. Kimble III hit a 24-foot three-pointer at 12:41 to trim Arizona's lead to 51-48, and Adam Olsen followed with his own three-ball at 11:38 to make it 53-51. The Tigers were within two, and Neville Arena found its voice.
Dowd then delivered the moment that briefly tilted the game Auburn's way — a 25-footer with 7:46 remaining that gave the Tigers a 58-57 lead, their first advantage since early in the first half. What followed decided the contest. Ivan Kharchenkov answered in 15 seconds with a driving layup to restore Arizona's lead at 59-58, and with 5:20 on the clock, Kharchenkov stepped back and buried a 26-foot three-pointer to push the Wildcats ahead 68-61. Auburn never recovered, as Arizona hit free throws and controlled possessions the rest of the way to close out the 11-point victory.
Star of the Game
Caleb Holt was Arizona's engine from tip to buzzer. His 24 points and 9 rebounds came at critical junctures throughout — he hit three-pointers in the final minute of each half and answered Auburn's second-half surge with a dunk at the 8:45 mark that kept the Wildcats in front. Holt's versatility made him difficult to guard, and his shot-making in key moments prevented Auburn from gaining real momentum during its comeback runs.
Kharchenkov provided the decisive blow with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Motiejus Krivas posted a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double and distributed 4 assists — giving Arizona three players with 15 or more points and consistent interior production that Auburn could not match. The Wildcats finished with 49 rebounds to Auburn's 37.
What It Means
The road victory reinforced Arizona's offensive depth and rebounding identity. The Wildcats shot 44 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range, while Arizona's 12-rebound advantage provided second opportunities and stymied Auburn's transition opportunities throughout the second half.
For Auburn, Dowd's 15-point, 9-rebound effort and Olsen's 12 points off three-point shooting highlighted genuine individual production, but the Tigers' 35 percent field goal shooting and inability to hold the defensive glass proved costly when Arizona pushed the pace. The loss presents a challenge Auburn will need to address as the 2026 season continues.
