No. 24 Arizona Rallies to Defeat No. 13 Oregon, 77-74

Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - By: The Associated Press

Courtsey: goducks.com

Freshman Chase Budinger had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Ivan Radenovic hit a go-ahead jumper with 6 seconds left and No. 24 Arizona rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat No. 13 Oregon 77-74 on Saturday.

Jawann McClellan's 3-pointer pulled the Wildcats to 66-64 before Budinger's jumper tied it. Marcus Williams' hook shot put Arizona ahead for the first time, 68-66, with 3:17 left.

The Wildcats (17-7, 8-5 Pac-10) stretched the lead to 73-66 on Budinger's 3-pointer. But Aaron Brooks hit two free throws with 57 seconds remaining to cut it to 73-71, and Tajuan Porter hit a 3-pointer to put Oregon (20-5, 8-5) up 74-73 with 22.2 seconds to go.

Right after the shot, Oregon coach Ernie Kent either fell or was accidentally knocked down. He was clutching his left arm when he was helped up, and afterward said it was likely a rotator cuff injury. Kent had surgery on his other arm before the season.

Arizona regained the lead on Radenovic's turnaround jumper, and Budinger hit two free throws for the final margin.

Williams and Radenovic each had 16 points and nine rebounds for Arizona, which has won three straight after losing five of six.

Bryce Taylor had 18 points and Maarty Luenen added 17 for the Ducks, who have lost four of six.

Oregon trailed 11-4 but pulled ahead 14-13 on Luenen's 3-pointer. After Mustafa Shakur answered with a jumper, Porter hit his own 3 to make it 17-15.

Arizona kept it close because of Budinger, who scored the Wildcats' next eight points for a 23-21 lead.

The lead was short-lived. The Ducks opened a 28-23 advantage on Taylor's dunk. Luenen and Taylor each hit 3-pointers to put Oregon up 36-26, and the Ducks led 38-28 at halftime.

Brooks, who led the Pac-10 with an average of 18.1 points coming into the game, did not score in the first half for the second straight game. He did contribute six rebounds, though.

Budinger had 13 points in the first half.

After Arizona coach Lute Olson took his red necktie off for the second half, the Wildcats narrowed it to 40-38 on Williams' 3-pointer.

Oregon stretched it out again, going up 47-38 on Malik Hairston's dunk, but Arizona again sneaked back up on the Ducks and cut it to 47-44 on Williams' layup.

Budinger's rebound basket and a pair of free throws from Williams closed the Wildcats to 52-51 with 12:18 to go.

Among those at the game were former Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad, who was known as Bobby Moore when he played running back for Oregon. They sat with Nike founder Phil Knight.

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