COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT : Seton Hall Cuts Arizona Down to Size : West Regional: Pirates get big games from Avent, Dehere to spoil predictions of Wildcat-Rebel matchup, 81-77.

On the free throw that mattered most--the one that helped put the finishing touches on Seton Hall’s 81-77 victory over Arizona Thursday night at the Kingdome--the following conversation took place:

“Hey, Jerry,” Arizona forward Brian Williams said to Seton Hall forward Jerry Walker, “we’re going to pull this one out.”

Walker glanced at teammate Bryan Caver, who stood on the foul line, the score 79-77 in favor of the Pirates. A scant 19.3 seconds remaining. If Caver made at least one free throw, Arizona would need a three-point basket to tie. Without it . . . who knows?

“No, I don’t think so,” said Walker, who knew Williams from AAU competition.

Caver shot. And made it.

“Hey, Bryan,” Walker said, nodding toward Williams, “tell him to shut up.”

Caver couldn’t completely quiet the Wildcats--he missed the second free throw. Moments later, however, Arizona’s Matt Othick missed a wide-open three-point attempt with seven seconds left, Terry Dehere sank another free throw for the Pirates and second-seeded Arizona (28-7) was gone from the West Regional as third-seeded Seton Hall (25-8) remained.

So much for pre-tournament expectations of an UNLV-Arizona matchup. Now the Pirates will have to do.

“That’s what the predictions through the bracket have been,” Walker said of the expected Rebel-Wildcat game. “But predictions don’t mean nothing.”

Size, apparently, also doesn’t mean much. Arizona featured its Tucson Towers, the much-heralded Williams (6-10), center Sean Rooks (6-11) and off the bench, center Ed Stokes (7-0).

Seton Hall responded with 6-10 Anthony Avent. And, uh . . . Anthony Avent.

Guess what? The Pirates matched the Wildcats in rebounds, forced more turnovers, shot better and most important, neutralized Arizona’s front line. Williams scored 21 points, but Rooks made only five of 13 attempts and Stokes was one of four from the field.

“They made it tough for us to get the ball in,” Arizona Coach Lute Olson said.

Meanwhile, Avent was busy scoring 15 points and grabbing four rebounds. Walker did his part, too, as he played 31 minutes, a good deal of it when Avent was on the bench with foul trouble.

And then there was Seton Hall guard Dehere, who continued his tournament scoring assault with 28 points. Dehere has scored 82 points in the Pirates’ three West Regional victories.

“He had to work like hell,” Seton Hall Coach P.J. Carlesimo said of Dehere.

Carlesimo can thank Dehere for those 28 points and while he’s at it, he can thank Georgetown. The Hoyas, maybe without knowing it, prepared the Pirates for the oversized Wildcats. Remember, Georgetown is the team with Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo.

Seton Hall beat the Hoyas two out of three times this season. The Pirates are used to looking up.

“We’ve had preparation,” Avent said, “especially against Georgetown.” Dehere added: “I thought we were able to make the post entry pass rather easily.”

Of course, neither team will rush home and purchase the video of the first half. Heavy on sweat and mistakes, light on memorable performances, Arizona and Seton Hall took turns botching leads until the first 20 minutes ended in a 37-37 tie.

Arizona had its chances in the second half. The Wildcats wrested the lead from Seton Hall on plenty of occasions but couldn’t distance themselves, which was the Seton Hall plan: stay close.

“A tough team down the stretch,” Rooks said of the Pirates.

He would know. Now everyone does.