Arizona @ Colorado preview

Arizona at Colorado

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2017 ) Colorado 78, Arizona 92

Colorado has gained the reputation of a giant-killer with 16 wins over ranked foes in seven-plus seasons under coach Tad Boyle. Arizona is out to avoid becoming the next victim when the 16th-ranked Wildcats visit Boulder on Saturday afternoon.

Boyle’s Buffaloes shook off an ugly five-losses-in-six-game stretch and an early 15-3 deficit Thursday night when they charged back to upend No. 4 Arizona State 90-81 in overtime. It was Colorado’s first win over a top-five foe since 2003 and was its fifth victory over a ranked opponent in the last three seasons, including a 75-72 home win over No. 8 Arizona on Feb. 24, 2016. “To say we needed that win is probably the understatement of the year,” Boyle said to start his post-game news conference. “What a resilient ground we had. … We have a young group that’s growing up quick.” Boyle, though, also acknowledged that Arizona “presents a whole different challenge” and comes to Boulder having won nine straight following Thursday night’s 94-82 win in Utah.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT ARIZONA (12-3, 2-0 Pac-12): Deandre Ayton, a 7-foot-1 freshman and reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week, seemingly is growing more formidable by the game after posting a game-high 24 points and 14 rebounds Thursday for his 11th double-double of the season. After scoring 47 points and snaring 33 rebounds in his past two outings, Ayton now is averaging 20 points and a conference-best 12.1 rebounds while shooting a team-leading 62.3 percent from the floor. Guards Allonzo Trier (20.3 points) and Rawle Alkins (15.5) and center Dusan Ristic (10.1, 6.3 rebounds) also are averaging double digits for the Wildcats, who are shooting a Pac-12-best 51.4 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from 3-point range.

ABOUT COLORADO (9-6, 1-2): Boyle calls freshman point guard McKinley Wright his team’s “engine,” and the 6-footer led the way again Thursday with 19 points and five assists against the Sun Devils. Wright is pacing the squad with 16.2 points and 4.9 assists and has scored in double figures in 14 of 15 games and has dished out at least five assists in each of last five outings. Senior swingman George King (13.5 points, team-most 7.9 rebounds) and guard Namon Wright (12.1) are the only other players averaging more than 6.7 points for the Buffaloes, who rank last in the conference in field-goal percentage (44.6) and second-to-last in 3-point accuracy (33 percent).

TIP-INS

1. Arizona has won 11 of the 15 meetings since Colorado joined the Pac-12 in 2011, but the Buffaloes have won three of the five games played in Boulder during that span.

2. Arizona (7.3) and Colorado (5.1) are three of the five Pac-12 teams owning average rebound margins of 5.0 or better.

3. With a season-low-matching 7 points Thursday, Trier failed to score in double digits for only the third time this season, but he also has nine games with 22 or more points.

PREDICTION: Arizona 82, Colorado 70