Arizona Comes Alive After a Sluggish Start

Finally, the Arizona Wildcats looked like the team they’re supposed to be.

Maybe it was the video clips Coach Lute Olson showed them of top-ranked Duke’s defense and second-ranked Michigan State’s rebounding. Whatever the reason, the 10th-ranked Wildcats shook off a sluggish start and beat previously unbeaten Louisiana State, 88-75, Wednesday night at Tucson.

Arizona (6-3) outscored the Tigers, 44-28, in the second half.

“This is a coming out game for a lot of us,” point guard Jason Gardner said. “I think you will see a different team now.”

Olson benched Gilbert Arenas and Loren Woods at the start of the game because he didn’t like their effort in practice. Both played big roles in the second-half surge.

Arenas scored the first 10 points during a decisive 17-2 run. He scored 16 of his season-high 24 points in the second half after going two of 12 in Arizona’s loss to Illinois last Saturday.

The Wildcats avenged an 86-60 loss at LSU last season, the worst defeat in Olson’s 18 seasons at Arizona.

“I was really pleased with our defensive effort in the second half,” Olson said. “We contested every pass.”

Five players scored in double figures for the Wildcats. Woods scored 17, Gardner 16, Michael Wright 13 and Richard Jefferson 12.

Torris Bright was five of five from three-point range and scored 17 in the first half for LSU (6-1). He took only one shot, and made it, in the second to finish with 20.

Ronald Dupree had a team-high 21 points for the Tigers, who shot 57% in the first half (16 of 28) and 32% (eight of 25) in the second. Arizona shot 58% in the second half (18 of 31), including six of eight three-pointers.

LSU was eight of 11 from three-point range in the first half, but 0 of 6 in the second.

No. 17 Alabama 64, Northern Iowa 56--Sophomore guard Rod Grizzard scored a career-high 29 points as the Crimson Tide (8-0) remained unbeaten with a tough victory over the Panthers (2-5) in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic at Bayamon.

The Crimson Tide advanced to today’s semifinal against Washington, which beat American University of Puerto Rico, 67-47.

Grizzard, whose previous high was 26 points against Florida last season, was 10 of 22 from the field on a night when his team shot 32% (21 of 65).

No. 18 Oklahoma 96, Southwest Texas 48--Aaron McGhee scored 26 points and the Sooners (8-1) broke the game open with a 27-3 first-half run to beat the Bobcats (4-5) at Norman, Okla.

No. 22 Cincinnati 74, Youngstown St. 65--Jamaal Davis, Field Williams and Antwan Jones each scored 16 points as the Bearcats (6-2) won their opener at the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

Youngstown State fell to 5-5.

The Bearcats advanced to today’s semifinal against Clemson, which beat Florida Atlantic, 94-81.

No. 25 Arkansas 115, Northwestern St. 47--Jannero Pargo and Brandon Dean scored 20 points apiece at Fayetteville, Ark., and the Razorbacks (7-2) were never threatened by the Demons (3-3).

OTHER GAMES

Shawn Redhage scored 18 points to lead Arizona State (6-2) to a 59-42 victory over Mercer (5-4) at Tempe, Ariz. . . . Brent Darby scored seven of his 15 points in a 27-2 first-half run as Ohio State (8-2) stretched its winning streak to six in a row by beating Robert Morris (1-10, 88-46, at Columbus, Ohio.