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It took nearly 40 minutes for Caleb Love to get going, but when he finally did, Arizona rolled against #3 Iowa State

After a 4-5 start to the season, Arizona has rattled off 10 of its last 11, with its best win coming last night at home against Iowa State. The Wildcats won 86-75 to defend their home court, but how they got there puts this game in the upper tier of ones I’ve seen this season.

A 7-0 run for Iowa State with five minutes to go in the first half gave the Cyclones a 25-18 lead, forcing Tommy Lloyd to use a timeout. Jaden Bradley and Carter Bryant hit back-to-back triples. KJ Lewis converted an and-one, then Bryant hit another. Arizona’s lead grew to nine after Caleb Love threw one down to get the crowd going absolutely ballistic and Bradley got a tip-in after an offensive rebound. Tamin Lipsey would answer for Iowa State with a three at the halftime buzzer, but the home team had all the momentum and led 34-30.

There’s a reason Iowa State is thought of as one of the top three teams in the country though, and the Cyclones made up lost ground to start the second half. Trailing by four at the break, Iowa State scored seven of the half’s first nine points to regain the lead. Iowa State would take a 47-43 lead before the game truly became back-and-forth.

After a Keshon Gilbert bucket with 2:23 to play, Iowa State lead 68-65 and had control going into the late stage of the game. After some free throw antics late, Joshua Jefferson had a chance to ice the game with two made free throws for Iowa State. He missed the first, and even after making the second, Arizona had a chance.

And it was a chance they had, Caleb Love tossing one up from around the opposite three-point line. Love was 1-10 from behind the arc at this point in the game, having one of those games where nothing would fall for him. Except this shot. The desperation heave dropped straight through, tying the game at 71-71 and sending the game to overtime.

Watching on TV, you could feel the energy in the McKale Center and the energy in Love completely change. Before the overtime period even tipped off, you could sense what was coming.

75-75 with 2:36 to go in overtime, and Love got another look after his miraculous shot was the only reason the game was still being played. He hit the open look, then got another after a Bryant forced a turnover. The second dropped in just as easily as the one a moment earlier, and now it was 81-75 Arizona. After another Iowa State turnover, Bryant got his chance at a look, burying it and virtually ending the game with still over a minute to go.

Love would sink two free throws to cap a night that will be unforgettable for many, as he struggled for so long, but came up in the biggest moments for his team as they pulled off an upset over the #3 team in the country. Love’s final stat line wrote 22 points, two steals, 8/22 from the field, 4/13 from three.

The ultimate hot or cold guy, if Love could only garner some consistency, this Arizona team could become a legitimate threat at the top of the Big 12. The Wildcats now sit at 8-1, second place in the conference, but the schedule picks up tremendously as they move into February.

Other Things to Note:

• Cooper Flagg goes for 28 to lead #2 Duke past NC State 74-64 in strange night at Cameron Indoor
• #7 Michigan State looks to stay undefeated in Big Ten play with red-hot Minnesota in town (8:00 ET, Peacock)
• #12 Kentucky looks to stop skid in Knoxville against #8 Tennessee (7:00 ET, ESPN)
• #15 St. John’s, #9 Marquette face road tests in Big East play on FS1 doubleheader (6:30 ET, 8:30 ET, FS1)
• #13 Texas A&M looks for season sweep of Oklahoma in rematch from January 8 (9:00 ET, SECN)