By BOB BAUM
Arizona forward Stanley Johnson (5) drives and scores during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oakland, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
If No. 3 Arizona’s had any problem so far this season, it’s been getting off to a slow start.
For the second game in a row, that certainly wasn’t the case.
Freshman Stanley Johnson matched his season high with 18 points and Wildcats wrapped up their nonconference home schedule with a 101-64 rout of Oakland on Tuesday night — a blowout that follows their romp over Michigan last Saturday.
“I feel like we’re starting out in a more aggressive fashion that truly represents who we are,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said.
The Wildcats (11-0) jumped out to a 26-4 lead and were up 33-8 with 7:14 left in the first half.
Brandon Ashley and Gabe York added 15 points apiece for the Wildcats.
“This season, one of our main problems has been the fact we get off to such slow starts,” Ashley said, “So one of our main focuses as of late is to get off to better starts, play better defensively but also get those stops that can lead to those transition baskets and everything.”
Kahlil Felder scored 20 points for Oakland (4-7).
Grizzlies coach Greg Kampe was ejected after drawing a second technical with 11 1/2 minutes to play. He stormed out of the tunnel at McKale Center with his arms flailing.
Miller talked to Kampe afterward.
“He’s fine,” Miller said. “That’s not the first time he’s been thrown out. … He knows what he’s doing and he’ll be fine.”
Kampe, in his 31st season as Grizzlies coach, lamented the awful start to the game.
“For Oakland basketball, the first 12 minutes of that game was probably as bad as I’ve ever seen us play,” he said. “We didn’t handle the moment of playing the No. 3 team in the country.”
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 13 and Kaleb Tarczewski 12 for the Wildcats. T.J. McConnell had 10 assists.
The 101 points were the most in regulation for Arizona in Miller’s five-plus seasons in Tucson.
Arizona held Oakland to a season-low 35.6 percent shooting. The Wildcats dominated on the boards 50-22, led by Ashley’s eight rebounds, and in points off turnovers 21-4.
“Coming in to play the No. 3 team in the country, a lot of guys mentally just weren’t ready and you could see it all tonight,” Grizzlies center Corey Petros said. “They are just a great team.”
Arizona put this one away in a hurry. Oakland missed 16 straight shots after Jalen Hayes’ opening basket as the Wildcats blew open a 24-3 lead. York’s two free throws gave Arizona its biggest lead of the half, 33-8, with 7:14 left in the half.
Oakland mounted a 12-3 run but still trailed 36-20 after Tommie McCune’s driving layup 3:31 before the break.
McConnell’s steal and layup on a goal-tending call, followed by Ashley’s tip-in, put Arizona back up 41-20 and the Wildcats led 45-25 at the break.
The Grizzlies, from Rochester, Michigan shot 26 percent in the first half (8-for-31), making six of their last 14 after their 1-for-17 start.
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TIP-INS
Oakland: The Grizzlies have lost 10 of their last 11 nonconference road games. … They are 2-37 against ranked teams. … Kampe is in his 31st year as Oakland coach, third-longest in NCAA Division I behind Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim (39) and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski’s (35).
Arizona: The Wildcats have won 29 straight at home. … They wrapped up a season-long five-game homestand. … The Wildcats have outscored its last three opponents (Utah Valley, Michigan and Oakland) by a combined 268-173. … Wildcats’ next home game is its Pac-12 opener against Arizona State on Jan. 4. … Ashley scored seven of team’s first nine points. … Arizona’s next wo games are its first true road games of the season.
UP NEXT:
Oakland: at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Arizona: at UTEP Friday night.