COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL : Arizona Gets a Quick Trim From Miami : Midwest: Wildcats lose in first round for third time in four years, 71-62.

Everywhere Arizona’s front line turned, there was Devin Davis--dreadlocks flopping, mouth running, legs churning toward the basket.

It’s a sight the 15th-ranked Wildcats will remember for a long time. Davis took advantage of Arizona’s depleted front line for 24 points, helping Miami of Ohio to a 71-62 upset Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Miami (23-6), located less than an hour’s drive away, fed off the home crowd and Davis’ daring for its first NCAA tournament victory since 1978. The Redskins had lost their last four first-round games, but they will face Virginia on Saturday.

Davis got Miami rolling toward a 10-point lead midway through the second half by slashing past Arizona’s big men for easy baskets. He sent Arizona (23-8) home by scoring five points in the final 29 seconds.

The Wildcats, a Final Four team last year, point to Davis as the reason they lost in the first round for the third time in four years.

“Davis was tough for any of our guys to handle,” Arizona Coach Lute Olson said. “He played very strong and hard and was very quick to the ball, much quicker to it than our guys.”

What was left of their guys. Arizona was playing without center Ben Davis, suspended for an NCAA rule violation. Two other front-liners--Joseph Blair and Corey Williams--each got three fouls in the first half and had to play cautiously. Blair also was slowed by a sore ankle.

Damon Stoudamire, the Wildcats’ All-American guard, called himself “reborn” after sitting out the final regular-season game because his father violated an NCAA rule on accepting gifts. However, he looked more rusty than reborn Thursday, scoring 18 points on six-of-18 shooting.

Miami made sure Stoudamire--who averaged 23 points a game--never got an open shot at the basket.

“They did a pretty good job,” Stoudamire said grudgingly. “They kept me in front of them and I wasn’t hitting my shot.”

Miami’s Davis, a 6-foot-7 forward known for his quick temper and wild hair, had a career-high 15 rebounds as the Redskins held a 47-38 edge on the boards.

“This guy carried us through like he has all season,” Coach Herb Sendek said.

When he wasn’t weaving through Arizona’s front line, Davis was exchanging words with them--he and Ray Owes had words at one point--or pumping up his teammates by yelling at them.

He chastised several teammates during Arizona’s final run, which cut the Redskins’ lead to 64-62 with 1:46 to play.

“I thought we were sloppy on a couple of things,” Davis said. “I’m an emotional player sometimes--it’s not a bad thing, just the way I get. I wanted to make sure they knew what was going on out there. We couldn’t have any slip-ups.”

There were none down the stretch. After Arizona turned the ball over on a charge, Davis made a close-in basket with 29 seconds left and Kevin Beard dunked off a steal to seal it.

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A Further Look at the Pacific 10

* ARIZONA STATE: Ron Riley scored 24 points as the Sun Devils opened up a 23-5 lead and went on to defeat Ball State, 81-66, to advance to the second round in the Southeast Regional against Manhattan. Story, C7.

* OREGON: The Ducks, in their first tournament game since 1961, made only seven of 33 three-point attempts and shot 38% from the field in a 90-73 loss to Texas. Oregon hasn’t won a tournament game since 1960. Story, C6.

* STANFORD: The Cardinal will try to win its first NCAA tournament game since its championship year of 1942 when it plays North Carolina Charlotte in an East Regional matchup today in Albany, N.Y.