Caleb Love contributed 19 points as Arizona, seeded second, secured its second Sweet 16 appearance in three seasons, defeating No. 7 seed Dayton 78-68 in the NCAA Tournament’s second round on Saturday.
The Wildcats (27-8), who reached the regional semifinal in 2022 under coach Tommy Lloyd’s leadership, will face either Clemson, the No. 6 seed in the West Region, or third-seeded Baylor in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson each posted 13 points and seven rebounds for Arizona. Larsson also notched six assists, while Jaden Bradley added 12 points off the bench. The Wildcats shot 53% from the field and connected on eight 3-pointers.
DaRon Holmes II led the Flyers (25-8) with 23 points and 11 rebounds, seeking their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2014. Koby Brea contributed 14 points, and Kobe Elvis scored 13 for Dayton, which trailed by 17 points in the first half but kept the game within reach until the end.
Arizona halted a potential Dayton rally when Bradley’s 3-pointer capped a 10-0 run, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 66-51 with 6:51 left. Dayton’s comeback attempt was further hindered by two missed front-end free throws by Holmes.
Despite Dayton’s efforts to narrow the gap, coming within 71-64 on Nate Santos’ free throws with 55.1 seconds left, Arizona sealed the game by making seven of eight free throws in the final minute.
Dayton initially struggled against Arizona’s fast-paced offense and defensive length, scoring only two baskets over a 10 1/2-minute period in the first half. The Flyers missed 15 of 17 shots, falling into a significant deficit.
Dayton also faced difficulty containing Caleb Love, who contributed significantly to Arizona’s lead. Love scored 13 points in the first 12 minutes, including two 3-pointers, sparking a 10-2 run that put Arizona ahead 30-16 with 7:37 left in the first half.
Although Arizona led by 17 points at one stage, Dayton’s tightened defense caused problems for the Wildcats. The Flyers forced four turnovers in a two-minute stretch, fueling a 10-0 run that reduced Arizona’s lead to 40-33 at halftime. Holmes and Brea hit 3-pointers during this run.
Despite shooting 64% from the field in the first half, Arizona committed 11 turnovers, allowing Dayton to close the gap before halftime.
