Arizona's Kevin Parrom screens Oregon State's Roberto Nelson's inbound pass
By Tony Solorzano
(Los Angeles) – Top-seeded Arizona advanced to Friday’s semi-finals after dispatching ninth-seeded Oregon State, 78-69 Thursday afternoon at Staples Center during the second day of action in the Pacific Life PAC-10 Tournament.
The Beavers spent the majority of the first half in control of the game, taking an early 8-2 lead three minutes into the game. Despite Arizona’s early efforts to stay close, they were not able to make a move until midway through the half when they took the lead on a 12-2 run. However, the Beavers cut the lead to one on a three by Jared Cunningham with 2:26 left in the half. However, the Wildcats’ Jesse Perry and Devon Collier sank key baskets in the last two minutes to give the Wildcats a 40-37 halftime lead.
In the second, Joe Burton cut the lead to one point on a layup to start the half, but the Cats responded with three straight three-pointers from Lamont Jones and Derrick Williams. The Beavers kept gnawing at the lead, and each basket was answered in kind. However, midway through the half, Burton landed an elbow to Kevin Parrom under the basket that sent him sliding across the floor. Burton was ejected from the game and the Wildcats responded with an 8-0 run to put the game in hand.
“We’d certainly much rather be playing tomorrow. For a while I was excited about what was going on in there,” said Beavers head coach Greg Robinson after the game. “But a stretch there where they banged three threes and it seemed we couldn’t get past the 10-point stretch.”
Cunningham led all scorers with 23 points in the losing effort while Ahmad Starks was the only other Beaver in double figures, getting 17 points. Williams led the Wildcats in scoring with 22 points while both Jones and Parrom each contributed 13 points. Williams also broke his career high by going five for six from three-point range. Defensively, Solomon Hill pulled down a career high 11 rebounds in the game.
Head Coach Sean Miller credited both Williams and Parrom as the keys to their victory.
“These two guys were very responsible for our win tonight,” Miller said during post-game comments. “We came out of the gates in the beginning of the second half and made those three threes. To me that was the separation we really never relinquished.”
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