Arizona's Zane Johnson, left, and teammate Alex Jacobson squeeze in on Loyola Marymount's LaRon Armstead during the first half at McKale Center.

DAVID SANDERS / arizona daily star

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The numbers flew out of the box score, screaming for interpretation.

Zane Johnson, benched for two entire games this season, scoring a career-high 17 points to lead Arizona in an 84-57 victory over Loyola Marymount? Jordan Hill bending his sore back enough to collect 17 rebounds over 30 minutes after playing 40 minutes just two days earlier?

How about Chase Budinger, who was needed only for 10 points in 27 minutes? Or the 7-for-11 three-point shooting the Wildcats managed in the second half? And what about the 39 points from a bench that scored just one on Sunday against NAU?

All of it happened Tuesday night at McKale Center. It may not mean a whole lot, because the Lions (0-7) are one of the lowest-rated teams in Division I.

But this was, perhaps, really all that mattered: For a team that is about to encounter much more rugged competition ahead, starting Friday at Texas A&M, it was an ideal sendoff.

Not only was UA interim head coach Russ Pennell able to keep his starters' minutes at 30 or fewer, but he was also able to give double-digit minutes to seldom-used reserves such as Johnson, Brendon Lavender and Alex Jacobson.

That, Pennell hopes, is the kind of experience that may pay dividends some day. Maybe not in the upcoming swing against Texas A&M, San Diego State, Gonzaga, UNLV and Kansas, but some day.

"It's so important that our freshmen get some game experience," Pennell said. "I really believe down the line we're going to need each and every one of them at some point. I've found in my coaching career that most seasons have scenarios where you have to use somebody that maybe you didn't think you were going to. These are the types of games that are really good for that" preparation.

They are also the types of games that are good for the soul. Probably more than just Hill and his back were able to take it easy when he sat down for good with 10:19 left, because the psyches of guys such as Johnson, Jacobson and Lavender benefited.

Jacobson, a redshirt freshman center, had four points and two rebounds in 10 minutes. Lavender had five points, two assists and no turnovers in a career-high 15 minutes. And Johnson's 17 points on 5-for-9 three-point shooting stole the show.

"I've got to see how much you guys blew up Zane's head tonight," Pennell told reporters after Johnson sat down for a post-game interview. "So I know what I'm up against tomorrow."

Although Johnson said the game helped his confidence, the easygoing sophomore guard also put it in perspective. LMU coach Max Good said Johnson took advantage of the gimmicky defense the Lions used — a triangle-and-two to start the game — and Johnson knew he had been guarded closer before.

"I wasn't used to being so wide open, with no one guarding me," Johnson said. "But it felt real good."

By the time Johnson fired in his first three-pointer with 15:16 left in the first half, LMU had already built a 12-8 lead in part because of its triangle-and-two. After the teams exchanged three-pointers, the Wildcats went on a 24-2 run to take a 35-17 lead with 4:21 left in the first half.

They led 41-24 at halftime and built a 32-point lead in second half.

"We did a real good job of moving the ball in this game," Hill said. "If we keep moving the ball around, we can find real-open shots, just like we found Zane. He was wide open, and he took advantage of it. We just gotta keep doing that, and playing as a team."

After Hill left the game, with Arizona ahead 60-33 at the 10:19 mark of the second half, Pennell inserted a four-reserve lineup of Lavender, Kyle Fogg, Johnson and Fendi Onobun along with starter Jamelle Horne. That group outscored LMU 11-8, and then Pennell replaced Horne with Jacobson.

Meanwhile, Johnson kept nailing threes, one with eight minutes left and another with three minutes left. He blew away his previous career high of five points to lead Arizona, having played only the second half of last season after he sat out intending to redshirt and did not appear in two games earlier this season.

Things were so good for Arizona that former walk-on David Bagga scored his first points of the season, on a three-pointer with 1:30 to go.

Pennell said he thought Fogg and Lavender logged good minutes, and even that the "Big Tree" — Jacobson — showed signs of better things ahead.

"The thing with Alex is, he works as hard as anybody on the team, and I think he is a guy who can play a big role later in the season," Pennell said. "As we get into Pac-10 and get up against bigger guys, I think Alex can give us some minutes."

Actually, the Wildcats (5-1) need help now, with the second half of their pre-conference schedule notably tougher than their first six games.

"Our schedule takes a big upturn, and we know that," Pennell said. "That's what's gonna be good about these next few games. It's going to be a real telltale sign of this team the next couple of weeks."