Senior guard Pelle Larsson of the No. 8 Arizona Wildcats is SRA’s PAC-12 Player of the Week after leading his team to a successful 2-0 road trip, securing wins over the Utah Utes and Colorado Buffaloes. In a thrilling triple-overtime showdown against the Utah Utes on Thursday, Larsson displayed exceptional resilience, playing a staggering 48 minutes. His stellar performance contributed significantly to Arizona’s 105-99 victory, as Larsson led the team with 27 points on an impressive 10-17 shooting. Additionally, he tallied seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
Photo Cred: The Daily Utah Chronicle
Undeterred by the grueling contest, Larsson showcased his endurance just two days later in a decisive 99-79 win over the Colorado Buffaloes, breaking Arizona’s five-game losing streak in Boulder. The senior guard remained efficient from the field, scoring 18 points on 7-11 shooting, including a 2-4 mark from beyond the arc. His contributions extended beyond scoring, as Larsson secured four rebounds, dished out two assists, and recorded three steals while committing only one turnover in 31 minutes of play.
Larsson’s remarkable 27-point performance against Utah marked a season high for the talented guard, who has now reached double figures in scoring in 19 games this season. Notably, Larsson has significantly elevated his scoring averages this year, averaging 13.4 points per game while shooting an impressive 54.6% overall and 42.6% from three-point range. This represents a notable improvement from his performance last season, where he averaged 9.9 points per game, shooting 47.2% overall and 35.6% from beyond the arc. Additionally, Larsson contributes 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season.
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Arizona’s successful road trip makes them the first team to sweep the mountain road trip in conference play, securing victories against both the Utes and Buffaloes. While Arizona State experienced a loss against Colorado on Thursday, they managed to salvage a win against Utah on Saturday. Notably, the Utes and Buffaloes boast a combined 25-3 record at home. With their recent victories, the Wildcats improve to 19-5 overall and 10-3 in conference play, positioning them at the top of the PAC-12 standings.
Currently riding a five-game winning streak, the Wildcats have demonstrated their prowess on the road with an impressive 5-3 record, including a notable victory against Duke in November. Looking ahead, Arizona aims to maintain their stronghold on first place in the PAC-12 as they prepare to host their struggling arch-rivals, the 12-12 Arizona State Sun Devils, next Saturday.
