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Here are my top five takeaways from the UA’s 93-65 victory over Akron in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Seattle:

1. Half-and-half

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won with ease despite playing a sloppy first half.

The Wildcats committed 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes and missed all five of their foul shots — a shocking stat when you consider that the UA was 15th nationally in free throw percentage (78.4%) entering the game.

Most of the turnovers were self-inflicted and not caused by Akron’s defensive pressure. If anything, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ needed to adjust to the lack of pressure after 23 hard-fought Big 12 games in a row.

The Wildcats were much more buttoned up in the second half. They put away the overmatched Zips in businesslike fashion.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ turned the ball over only four times and sank three of its five foul shots. The Wildcats outscored the Zips 52-34 after halftime despite emptying the bench with 2:28 to play.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 10 total free throw attempts tied its season low (West Virginia, Jan. 7). But it wasn’t because the Wildcats were settling for outside shots. They had 48 points in the paint. Akron just offered little resistance.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s size-and-strength advantage also showed up on the glass: The Wildcats had a plus-31 rebounding edge. That equaled their season best (Old Dominion, Nov. 9).

As Charles Barkley noted at halftime, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won’t be able to get away with lackluster play against better opponents. The deeper the Wildcats go in the tournament, the better the opposition will get.

But they seemed to get the message at halftime. If they play like that for a full 40 minutes, they can beat anyone.

2. Bryant’s block party

Enjoy Carter Bryant while you can because he probably won’t be a Wildcat for long.

The surging freshman put all of his prodigious talent on display against Akron. It was a 3-and-D masterclass.

Bryant had three of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s eight blocked shots, which were one off its season high. Bryant’s three matched his career best.

It isn’t just Bryant’s wing span that enables him to swat shots. It’s his timing and aggressiveness. He tries to block every shot he can. Sometimes that can work to his detriment; he’ll fall for shot fakes and commit fouls. Most of the time, it’s an asset.

Bryant also knocked down 2 of 4 3-point attempts. He’s made 50% over his past four games and 37.1% for the season. His catch-and-shoot form is practically perfect. He’s also shown he can make them over defenders in late-clock situations.

At 6-8, 225, with room to grow, Bryant is exactly what NBA teams are looking for in a modern-day wing. He profiles as a small forward but likely will be able to play the “four� in smaller lineups.

Bryant is regularly appearing in the first round of . His stock will only rise as ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s tournament run continues.

Whether he comes back will depend on the package the UA is able to offer him (revenue-sharing plus NIL) — and whether Bryant wants to return. He’s been a Wildcat fan for a long time. But that might not be enough the way he’s trending.

3. Going to Townsend

Five Wildcats scored in double figures. Jaden Bradley led the way with 19 points. Trey Townsend had 16 — his fourth game in double figures in his past five outings.

Townsend also is trending up late in the season after a disappointing campaign. But his success feels more matchup-dependent than Bryant’s.

Teams with length give Townsend problems. Akron had little if any. He therefore was able to have his way in the paint, where he scored the majority of his points.

Then again, the way Townsend played against the Zips should work against anybody. Aside from an early turnover, he didn’t force the issue. He was active on the glass (team-high four offensive rebounds) and ran the floor. His effort was rewarded early in the second half when Bradley found him for a breakaway dunk. The play began with Townsend getting a piece of a 3-pointer.

The only time Townsend didn’t reach double figures in the past five games came against Houston in the Big 12 Tournament finale. No one plays better defense than the Cougars.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s next opponent, Oregon, has more length and athleticism than Akron. Should they survive against the Ducks, the Wildcats likely will face the East’s No. 1 seed, Duke. We saw firsthand, at McKale Center, how much length and athleticism the Blue Devils have.

That doesn’t seem like a showcase for Townsend. But maybe he’ll prove me wrong. He was brought here for these March moments. He aced the first such opportunity.

4. Under the radar

About midway through the second half, I came to a startling realization: I had barely noticed or thought about Caleb Love. And, in a weird way, that was a good thing.

Love played so smoothly, so under control, that nothing he did jumped off the screen. Instead of forcing up shots (nine total attempts), Love stuffed the stat sheet: 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two made 3-pointers.

The only time the broadcasters talked at length about Love came late in the second half when appeared to be frustrated after getting knocked around on both ends of the floor without any fouls being called. He responded by sinking a 3-pointer.

It is an undeniably positive development for ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ if the Wildcats don’t need Love to play hero ball — and he doesn’t feel the need to go there.

Love didn’t register any “stocks� (steals plus blocks), but that belied his contributions on defense. Love was one of several Wildcats who helped limit Akron’s leading scorer, Nate Johnson, to 1-of-9 shooting.

One of the sneaky attributes this UA team possesses is that it has multiple players who can defend wing scorers. They include Love, Bradley and KJ Lewis — three guards who provide both strength and quickness — as well as Bryant.

After struggling to defend the 3-point arc on several occasions this season, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ did an excellent job against Akron. The Zips entered Friday averaging 10.9 made 3’s per game at a 36.4% clip. They made only 7 of 25 (28%) against ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, which more often than not forced them into uncomfortable 2-point attempts.

5. Taking the minutes

The best thing to come out of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s NCAA opener: It wasn’t taxing.

The Zips didn’t push the Wildcats, physically or mentally. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ cruised to the finish. Fatigue will not be a factor Sunday.

Only one Wildcat played more than 25 minutes. That would be Bradley, who played 35.

The last time only one Wildcat played 30-plus minutes in a game? Jan. 7 at West Virginia. It was also Bradley, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s Iron Man.

If there’s one factor you could cite for the Wildcats’ late-game struggles against Houston and others, it’s fatigue. Too many key guys playing too many hard minutes.

Love’s 25 minutes vs. Akron were almost nine below his season average. Since that West Virginia game, he’d played 31 or more in 19 of 20 games. Friday was practically a night off.

It was fun watching the bench at the end of the game when Emmanuel Stephen hit a turnaround jump hook and Grant Weitman knocked down a 3-pointer. I always appreciate it when the starters go nuts for the seldom-used reserves.

But there was more to it than joy and camaraderie. There was rest for the weary.

Oregon should be fresh too after obliterating Liberty. No Duck played more than 27 minutes.

It’s an old-school Pac-12 matchup Sunday night in Seattle.

Somewhere, Bill Walton is grinning.