Kerr Kriisa's Top 5 Games at Arizona
It surprised me when Kerr Kriisa told the world he was entering the transfer portal.
I thought his leaving was a possibility, but if he did go I expected it was to play professionally overseas.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd has praised and defended him, while some in the media and in the Arizona fan base have sung a different tune.
Why would a point guard whose head coach has given him free rein the past two seasons leave?
Venomous fans?
Competition at point guard?
A reunion with Sean Miller?
Kriisa addressed his leaving on A Nameless Podcast. A show he does with Josh Kahn and teammate Pelle Larsson.
“Honestly I just think it was good for a fresh start for me and obviously for the program,” Kriisa said. “I’m very grateful and thankful for the three years I was here. Looking around nowadays college basketball, there’s not a lot of guys who would be in one place for three years.”1
Kerr has been the starting point guard for a team that had a regular spot in the Top 10 the past two seasons while also leading the Pac-12 in assists during that time.
Wherever he goes he will be welcomed with open arms.
Let’s take a look at his Top 5 games while he was an Arizona Wildcat.
5. Nov. 17, 2022
No. 14 Arizona 104 Utah Tech 77
Kriisa continued his scorching start to the 2022-23 campaign by drilling 6 of 7 from behind the 3-point line. He would finish with a career-high 24 points in Arizona’s third victory of the season.
4. Jan. 28, 2023
No. 6 Arizona 95 Washington 72
In a sold-out game in Seattle, Arizona trailed Washington 44-42 by two early in the second half. That’s when Kriisa got to work. His corner three to take the lead jumpstarted a 19-1 Arizona run. He would hit two more triples before the run ended. Kriisa would shoot 6 for 11 from behind the arc and finish with 18 points. He would also dish out six assists while only giving up one turnover.
3. Nov. 23, 2022
No. 14 Arizona 81 No. 10 Creighton 79
Kriisa’s court vision was top-notch in this game. His assist to Oumar Ballo for a dunk with 2:29 left was one of his best dimes of the season. He would finish with 13 points and added nine assists vs. one turnover. The victory gave the Cats the Maui Invitational Title for the third time in the history of the program.
2. Nov. 11, 2022
No. 17 Arizona 95 Southern 78
Kriisa’s 14 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds gave him the 11th triple-double in program history. He became the third Arizona player to record at least two triple-doubles, along with Loren Woods(2) and Andre Iguodala(3).
1. February 24, 2022
No. 2 Arizona 97 Utah 77
In the first half, Kriisa did the best shooting of his Arizona career when he was 7 for 8 from 3-point land. He even knocked down a half-court shot as time expired to give him 21 points at the half. Kriisa went scoreless in the second session but went to work on trying to get his first career triple-double. With 1:05 left, Kriisa grabbed his 10th rebound and became the seventh player in Arizona history to record a triple-double, and the first Wildcat to do it in 18 seasons. Kriisa finished with 21 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Ezra Miller, ‘Kerr Kriisa ‘at peace’ with decision to transfer from Arizona’, azdesertswarm.com, March 23 2023.