Inside The Wildcats

Anthony Dell'Orso Erupts in Arizona's Thrilling Victory Over UCLA

The Wildcats avenged their 2024 loss, outscoring the Bruins by 9 points in the final moments.
Nathaniel Martinez|
Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) fights for a rebound against UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) fights for a rebound against UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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Arizona Wildcats

Although No. 5 Arizona Wildcats and the No. 15 UCLA Bruins may compete in different conferences following the folding of the Pac-12 in 2024, the rivalry between the two storied programs will never die, and this most recent game further proved that.

Arizona faced the Bruins in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome, the second neutral-site game of the Wildcats' young season and the 115th meeting between the two teams.

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Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) drives to the basket against UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) during the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

While it was the speed and agility of the young underclassmen that helped Arizona get past the Florida Gators, it was the experience of the upperclassmen that kept the Wildcats in this competition.

Anthony Dell'Orso came off the bench and led the team in points with 20, going 4-for-7 from behind the 3-point line. Jaden Bradley followed closely with 15 points. Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka were forces in the paint and combined for 18 rebounds.

Bill Walton was honored before tipoff and much like his enigmatic character, this game was anything but an ordinary one as both teams went on long scoring runs to gain leads at different points of the game.

By the end of it, it was Arizona who came out on top with a 15-6 run to win by a 69-65 score in yet another electric game of arguably the best rivalry on the West Coast.

UCLA jumped out to a fast start five minutes into the game, jumping right to an 11-5 lead before the first media timeout. Arizona struggled from the field in those first minutes of the game, going 1-for-7.

Lloyd was then forced to take a timeout following a 9-0 run, which put the Bruins up 15-5 with 13 minutes to go in the first half.

Dell'Orso managed to break the Wildcats' four-minute scoring drought with a 3-point shot, making it 15-8. UCLA then turned the ball over, which gave Awaka an opportunity to score one more basket before the Bruins once again turned it over on the inbound. Cronin was forced to take a timeout following Arizona's 5-0 run.

Dell'Orso, coming off the bench, grabbed the lead for Arizona, using the hesitation move to breeze past Booker to make it a 19-18 game after Bradley's defensive rebound.

UCLA took advantage of a block and a turnover and went on a 4-0 run to make it 22-19, but the Arizona offense would not be intimidated by the physical defense of Cronin's squad

The score was deadlocked at 24-21, UCLA, before Awaka's layup off a turnover made it a 24-23 game. Dell'Orso, who was a force in the first half, scored the following five points to put Arizona up 28-24 with a minute remaining.

Trent Perry nailed 1-of-2 free throws to put UCLA within three points with 57 seconds remaining, but failed to score another basket after that. The Wildcats went into the locker room holding a 28-25 lead over the Bruins.

It was a gritty first half that saw both teams combine for 20 turnovers, much due to the physical style of defense both teams were playing. Dell'Orso led all Wildcats in scoring with 13 points. Awaka led in rebounds with seven and led in assists with two.

The Wildcats found themselves up 45-40 until a 9-0 run by the Bruins put them in the hole 49-45 with less than 11 minutes remaining.

Arizona and UCLA traded buckets following that run, but the Wildcats were able to gain the upper hand by going on a 7-1 run, giving them a one-point lead at 60-59. It was once again the clutch shooting of Dell'Orso behind the 3-point line that put momentum back in Arizona's favor.

Bradley scored two consecutive buckets to put Arizona up 67-63 with 28 seconds remaining. Dell'Orso made two free throws at the end of the game to make it 69-65 by the final buzzer.

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Nathaniel Martinez
NATHANIEL MARTINEZ

Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.