Arizona Survives Close Call

Just a month ago, No. 3 Arizona had crushed Arizona State, beating its state rival by 28 points.

The Sun Devils’ prospects for Saturday, when the two teams met in Tempe, were even worse. Arizona State had only nine players in uniform, seven on scholarship.

But the results were much better.

The Sun Devils, 16-9 overall and 6-6 in the Pac-10, played well enough to surge into a six-point lead with 13:14 to play before Arizona rallied to win, 83-82.

Miles Simon scored 23 points and A.J. Bramlett got all 11 of his over the final 16 minutes to help the Wildcats avoid the upset.

Jeremy Veal had 24 points for Arizona State.

It was the 15th consecutive victory for Arizona (22-3, 12-0), unbeaten since Dec. 23 at Florida State.

Saturday’s loss was Arizona State’s sixth in a row to Arizona and the 25th in 30 meetings between the two.

Washington 62, Oregon 61 -- Donald Watts scored 22 points at Seattle to help Washington (15-7, 8-5) survive a late rally by the Ducks (11-11, 6-7), who had won four in a row.

Todd MacCulloch’s two free throws with 1:50 left made it 62-60 and were the winning points.

Washington held a 59-49 edge with 4:13 left, but the Ducks tied the game at 60 with an 11-1 run capped by a Henry Madden three-point basket with 2:05 left.

Washington State 80, Oregon State 68--Kab Kazadi and Kojo Mensah-Bonsu scored 16 points apiece at Pullman, Wash., helping Washington State (9-15, 2-11) snap an eight-game losing streak.

The Beavers (12-13, 2-11) lost their eighth consecutive game at Pullman.

Washington State played without leading scorer and rebounder Carlos Daniel (sprained ankle) and Oregon State’s Corey Benjamin, the Pac-10’s leading scorer, played only five minutes before straining an abdominal muscle.