UCLA Wins With a Twist

Will miracles ever cease?

Not Thursday night. Not for 24th-ranked UCLA, which pulled off an overtime victory over No. 8 Arizona, 79-77, before a packed-to-the-rafters Pauley Pavilion.

Fittingly, the ball wound up in the hands of center Dan Gadzuric--yes, the guy who was thought to be too hobbled to play--as the clock expired in overtime.

Gadzuric deserves his own chapter in the storybook ending. He suffered a badly twisted ankle Saturday in a victory over DePaul. He was not supposed to play Thursday, and didn’t practice all week.

But two hours before the game, Gadzuric showed up at the team shoot-around with his ankle taped and no hint of a limp.

What did he do next? He played 41 minutes, tied his career highs with 22 points and 17 rebounds and pulled down the decisive board.

“If I was an opposing coach, I would be suspicious it was a sandbag thing,” UCLA Coach Steve Lavin said. “The bottom line is, the kid just heals quickly.”

Said UCLA forward Matt Barnes, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds: “We’ve got to give credit to Dan. We were emotionally and physically in it the whole game.”

That showed in the do-or-die moments. Arizona’s Richard Jefferson had a chance to force a second overtime on his two foul shots with 1.6 seconds to play after being fouled by Gadzuric on a drive. But his first one clanked off the rim.

Jefferson intentionally missed the second shot in order to give his team a prayer of a putback and the ball wound up in his hands again. But he came up short at the buzzer, Gadzuric wrapped his arms around the ball and a huge victory was in the books.

Jason Kapono added 20 points for UCLA, which not only took sole possession of second place in the conference, but erased the sting of a 25-point loss at Tucson last month.

When the game ended, UCLA’s players sprinted from the bench in Jim Valvano-like jubilation. The student section--the same one that was chanting “We love Lavin” throughout--rushed the floor and joined in the revelry.

“It’s huge,” guard Earl Watson said. “The crowd. The win. Us being able to control our own destiny. From here on out, each game will play like a championship game.”

It was only the second time in eight games UCLA has beaten Arizona, and the Bruins did it with three of their stars--Watson, Kapono and Barnes--playing with four fouls in the extra period.

UCLA improved to 16-6 overall, 9-2 in Pac-10 play, with its third consecutive victory over a ranked Pac-10 team.

Gilbert Arenas scored 25 of his 30 points in the second half and in overtime for Arizona, which dropped to 17-7, 9-3.

Fueled by the inspired play of Gadzuric, Watson and Barnes, the Bruins took a 30-24 halftime lead into the locker room. It was reminiscent of the way the team played in the first half at Tucson last month, when the Bruins led by eight at the break before coming unglued in the second half.

Gadzuric got a standing ovation and raucous cheers when he was introduced as part of the starting lineup, then drew a similar response when he came out of the game for the first time with 10:49 remaining. He finished the half with eight rebounds to match his eight points.

UCLA appeared to have the game in hand with a 13-point lead midway through the second half.

But the Wildcats clawed back, thanks to Arenas. He had 13 points in a 24-8 run that put Arizona back in front, 59-56, with 4:20 remaining.

In overtime, Watson made a three-point shot and Gadzuric scored two big baskets, but the Wildcats still had a chance.

UCLA led, 79-77, when Jason Gardner fouled Gadzuric, whose first free throw was an airball. After a timeout, Gadzuric missed the second. That set up Jefferson’s foul shots.

The game was the second sellout of the season at Pauley, the first coming against North Carolina.

“I guess because it’s UCLA, every game is a must win,” Lavin said. “Obviously when you have a special season, there are some wins along the way that really stand out.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

PAC-10 STANDINGS

1. Stanford: 10-1

2. UCLA: 9-2

3. Arizona: 9-3

4. California: 8-3

5. USC: 7-4

6. Washington: 3-9

7. Arizona St.: 3-9

8. Wash. St.: 3-9

9. Oregon: 3-9

10. Oregon St.: 3-9

*

DON’T

CRY FOUL

A free throw with 5.5 seconds to play gave Washington State a win over Oregon. D13

*

THAT’S B-22

FOR TCU

Bingo Merriex scored 22 points as Texas Christian defeated No. 20 Fresno State, 102-88. D12

*

UC IRVINE

ROLLS ON

The Anteaters are 19-3, the best start in school history, after beating Pacific. D12