There is a reason why Arizona coach Sean Miller wanted to move Kadeem Allen off the point guard position this season. The Wildcats needed him to save his energy for defense.

Allen, a senior playing at shooting guard, expended plenty of energy Thursday night in chasing Santa Clara guard Jared Brownridge all over the court as the eighth-ranked Wildcats held off the Broncos 69-61 in the Las Vegas Invitational.

Brownridge, who scored 44 in a 75-73 overtime loss to Arizona last season, scored 25 points Thursday night, but he needed 19 shots to get there. He went scoreless for nearly the first eight minutes of the second half, and Allen prevented him from delivering late daggers.

"Not only did he keep him from taking over the game, but defensively as a team, we always stress that Kadeem is our heart and soul," Arizona assistant coach Book Richardson said. "But we can't put him on an island. If you're in support, you have to make sure you're doing your job so Kadeem can do his thing and we can all flourish. But Kadeem did an awesome job."

Allen took only three shots and scored three points. Brownridge was 6 of 14 from 3-point range.

Lauri Markkanen scored 16 points and fellow freshman Kobi Simmons added 14 for Arizona. Simmons hit a key step-back 20-footer at the end of the shot clock to give Arizona a 66-61 lead with 2:25 remaining. The Broncos missed their next three 3-point attempts over the next two minutes and did not score again.

Simmons made all three of his attempts from behind the arc. Markkanen added nine rebounds.

Arizona (5-0) will play Butler on Friday night in the championship game. The Bulldogs defeated Vanderbilt 76-66 earlier Thursday night. Santa Clara (3-3) will play the Commodores.

"Every game right now is going to be a tough game for us," Miller said. "We have a lot of new faces in new roles. But we leave here 5-0, and tomorrow obviously will be a tough game."

Arizona entered play Thursday shooting 30.2 percent from 3-point range and used the long ball to defuse a zone used by Santa Clara almost the entire game. The Wildcats made 9 of 18 shots from behind the arc, including one by Markkanen for a 55-46 lead with 10:04 to go, Arizona's largest lead of the second half.

Brownridge hit a shot-clock-beating 3-pointer with 4:21 left to bring the Broncos within 59-58.

"It has nothing to do with the team we are playing or the name on the chest of the opponent," Brownridge said. "Every time I come out, I have killer instinct. Hopefully in the games coming up, I'll have the same approach. Coach Miller told me after the game it was a hard-fought battle. I congratulated him. We have a mutual respect for each other."

Santa Clara is 0-26 against AP-ranked teams since the 2005-06 season.

The Wildcats started hot, making nine of their first 12 shots, including four 3-pointers, to take a 22-12 lead with 11:57 left in the first half. Santa Clara was no slouch offensively, either, responding with a 7-0 run before Henrik Jadersten picked up his third foul with 8:29 to go on a three-point play from Arizona's Rawle Alkins.

Brownridge tied the game at 25 with his fourth 3-pointer of the half and finished with 16 points before intermission, but Arizona led 37-34 at the break.

NOTES: Arizona G Allonzo Trier was not with the team amid ongoing eligibility questions. School officials have not commented on the status of Trier, who has sat out all five games plus two exhibitions. ... Santa Clara first-year coach Herb Sendek went 4-8 against Sean Miller as the head coach of Arizona State until the 2014-15 season. ... The Broncos remain without starting PG KJ Feagin, who suffered a broken foot in the third preseason practice. He could return at some point next month. ... Pekka Markkanen, the father of Arizona PF Lauri Markkanen, traveled from Finland to attend the game at Orleans Arena. Pekka Markkanen played for the University of Kansas in 1989-90 and played professionally in Finland. ... Lauri Markkanen had a streak of 24 consecutive made free throws snapped with 7:02 left in the second half.