Arizona freshman Caleb Holt delivered a standout performance in his home state, guiding the No. 12 Wildcats to an 80-69 victory over Auburn at Neville Arena, according to reports from Yahoo Sports.
The Huntsville native recorded season-highs with 24 points, nine rebounds, and five steals during the contest, as noted by ClutchPoints.
Holt shot 8-of-19 from the field, including a successful 4-of-6 performance from three-point range, the outlets reported.
The win marks the third consecutive victory for Arizona following an opening loss to UCLA, per recent team coverage.
Arizona fended off a late rally from Auburn behind key contributions from teammates JJ Mandaquit, Motiejus Krivas, and Ivan Kharchenkov, according to Yahoo Sports.
Following the game, Holt expressed the personal significance of the win in his home state during a postgame interview, as documented by SportsCenter.
Holt stated, “Winning in my home state means everything.”
He added that his teammates provided crucial support throughout the matchup, as reported by ClutchPoints.
Holt noted, “I got all these guys behind me. They knew I was coming to my home state, and they had my back.”
The 18-year-old guard, who is currently averaging 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, credited his defensive mindset to his experience playing football, according to Yahoo Sports.
Holt explained, “I feel like I’m a free safety on the defensive side. I just try to read the floor and try to be on the offensive guy’s mind.”
Arizona is scheduled to face Connecticut this Wednesday, per ClutchPoints.