TUCSON, Ariz. -- As Arizona coach Sean Miller said, "Nobody has less depth than us."

It is a high-wire act right now for the 19th-ranked Wildcats, who have seven available scholarship players and ran into a feisty Grand Canyon team on Wednesday night.

Freshman guard Kobi Simmons scored 13 points as Arizona overcame a season high in turnovers to win 64-54 in a hard-fought game.

"I thought it was a very physical game, and that's to Grand Canyon's credit," Miller said. "They are one of the hardest-playing teams we've faced in several seasons. When you look at them, they're small by height, but they more than make up for it with just dogged determination.

"They play as physical and tough-minded as any team we've run into in a long, long time."

Simmons made six free throws during an 8-0 run after Grand Canyon (5-5) rallied within 44-40 with 10:22 to go. The Antelopes came up empty on their next five possessions as Arizona regained a more comfortable margin, and the Wildcats led by double digits for most of the final eight minutes.

Arizona (9-2) won its 39th consecutive nonconference home game.

Three Wildcats scored 11 points -- wing Rawle Alkins, forward Lauri Markkanen and center Dusan Ristic. Alkins and Markkanen each had eight rebounds.

Antelopes guard DeWayne Russell, who entered averaging 25.4 points per game, scored 19 on 8-of-21 shooting. He was only 1 of 7 from 3-point range. Guard Oscar Frayer added 16 points for Grand Canyon.

The Antelopes certainly weren't intimidated; they opened the season at Duke, played Louisville tough and beat San Diego State in Phoenix.

"It's a steppingstone," Grand Canyon coach Dan Majerle said of the loss. "In this environment, we probably could have lost by 30, but we were able to hang with a really good team and a big program. I couldn't thank U of A and Coach Miller enough for playing us. It's big."

Arizona took advantage of the foul line, making 20 of 27 attempts. Grand Canyin was just 6 of 12 from the line.

The Wildcats, playing their fourth full game without starting point Parker Jackson-Cartwright, committed 19 turnovers -- 12 in the first half.

"We're a work in progress in a lot of ways," Miller said. "One of the disappointing things on our end tonight is the turnovers."

Arizona seemed to take control with a 19-3 first-half run, capped by point guard Kadeem Allen's 3-pointer for a 26-12 lead. The Wildcats made 7 of 8 shots during that stretch, started by Simmons' 3-pointer from straight away.

The Wildcats were sloppy, though, especially when Allen went to the bench with two fouls with 5:52 to go in the half. Arizona went scoreless in its final 10 possessions before the break and committed six turnovers in the final five minutes as Grand Canyon closed within 32-25 thanks to a 9-0 run.

"We have a tough team," Miller said. "We have a lot of hard-nosed guys who don't back down from a challenge."

NOTES: Antelopes F Darion Clark did not return after leaving the game with 9:01 to go with an apparent arm injury following a collision. He had seven points and eight rebounds. ... Arizona G Allonzo Trier remains out because of an undisclosed eligibility issue. Trier, who averaged 14.8 points as a freshman last season, has not played this season. ... ESPNU announcers Eamon McAnaney and Corey Williams called the game remotely from a studio in Bristol, Conn. The irony is that Williams, a former Arizona player, lives in Tucson. ... Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, who led Arizona to the 1980 national title as an All-American outfielder, sat courtside. ... Grand Canyon G Joshua Braun, the WAC preseason Player of the Year, missed his fourth consecutive game because of a knee injury. He will be out about another month, coach Dan Majerle said.