PACIFIC 10 ROUNDUP : No. 6 Arizona Holds Off Rally by Arizona State

Arizona, which had beaten rival Arizona State eight consecutive times, probably thought it had things under control after going on a 14-2 run to take a 10-point lead with 8:44 to play Thursday night at Tempe.

But the Sun Devils got back to within three points before sixth-ranked Arizona took charge again to win the Pacific 10 Conference game, 74-71.

The Sun Devils, trailing 39-33 at halftime, took a 55-53 lead on freshman Jamal Faulkner’s three-point basket with 12:49 to play. Ed Stokes tied the score with a jump shot with 12:33 left, and Matt Muehlebach’s three-point shot put Arizona ahead to stay with 12:12 remaining. It was the 18th lead change of the game--the 14th of the second half.

Stokes made two baskets before Matt Othick capped the run with a three-point shot to give the Wildcats (14-2 overall, 4-1 in the Pac-10) a 67-57 lead with 8:44 left.

Arizona State (11-4, 2-3) closed to 69-66 on Faulkner’s dunk with 4:08 to play, but Stokes made a free throw, Brian Williams made a jump shot and Muehlebach a driving layup with 2:05 left to give the Wildcats a 74-66 lead.

Matt Anderson’s jump shot with 37 seconds left and Faulkner’s three-point basket with five seconds left brought Arizona State to within 74-71, but Othick took the inbounds pass and dribbled out the clock.

Washington State 99, Oregon State 77--The Cougars started the second half with an 11-4 run and pulled away, leading by as many as 24 points late in the game at Pullman, Wash., in handing the Beavers their first conference loss.

Terrence Lewis and Neil Derrick each scored 21 points for Washington State (11-4, 3-2). The Cougars converted 18 turnovers into 23 transition points.

Oregon State (9-5, 3-1) was led by Will Brantley’s 20 points.

Washington 88, Oregon 86--Brent Merritt scored the go-ahead basket in overtime as the Huskies won at Seattle.

Merritt made his fifth three-point basket of the second half with 1:13 left in overtime to give Washington (10-4, 2-3) an 87-86 lead.

Doug Meekins led Washington with 26 points. Terrell Brandon, the Pac-10’s leading scorer, had 28 for the Ducks (7-7, 2-2).