Stanford Stands Tall in Tucson

Stanford finally won one on Lute Olson Court, and Arizona’s coach wasn’t there to watch a painful season get worse for his team.

The No. 2 Cardinal’s balance was on full display in beating the 16th-ranked Wildcats, 85-76, Saturday for only their third victory at McKale Center in 27 tries and their first since 1996.

Stanford, 13-0 overall and 2-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference, didn’t get a point from its reserves, but the way the starters played, it didn’t matter.

Jarron Collins scored 22, Ryan Mendez a season-high 20, Jason Collins 19 and Casey Jacobsen 16 as the Cardinal ended Arizona’s string of 31 consecutive home-court Pac-10 victories.

“For the seniors, this meant a lot,” Mendez said. “We’ve never won here before. And just the way the Collins twins dominated inside was huge.”

Arizona (8-5, 1-1), ranked No. 1 in the preseason, was already struggling and now has had to deal with the loss of Bobbi Olson, the coach’s wife of 47 years who died of cancer on Monday.

Lute Olson has missed three games in a row, and his return date is not known.

“It was odd to look down the bench without seeing that imposing figure with gray hair down there,” Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery said of his counterpart. “It was very strange.”

A memorial service for Bobbi Olson is planned for McKale Center on Monday. She had been like a second mother to the current Arizona players and those before them.

“Arizona is a great basketball team, make no mistake about that,” Montgomery said. “I’m sure they’re not playing as well as they’re capable of playing. There’s a little bit of confidence lacking. There’s a little bit of an emotional drain. There’s no question about that.

“But to come in here and win and be in charge and not get backed off is pretty special. This is a real hard place to do that.”

Loren Woods scored 16 points for the Wildcats, who never led after the game’s first nine minutes. Michael Wright scored 14 and sat out the last 8:17 of the first half in foul trouble. Gilbert Arenas scored 13, Jason Gardner 12.

Arenas was only three of 14 from the field and one of seven from three-point range.

Arizona lost at home for the second time this season, the first time that has happened since 1995-96. The Wildcats hadn’t lost a Pac-10 home game since UCLA beat them, 66-64, on Feb. 13, 1997.

Stanford had lost five of six to Arizona, including both games last season.

The Collins twins dominated Woods and Wright inside as Stanford outrebounded Arizona, 42-32. Jason had 12 rebounds, six on offense. Jarron had nine.

“The Collins twins made the difference,” Montgomery said.

The Wildcats trailed by 10 at the half and were down by as many as 17 in the second.

Arizona rallied to cut it to seven, but could get no closer.

“I thought we were impatient offensively,” Arizona associate head coach Jim Rosborough said. “I think we had the ball on the floor too much. We have to wait for openings.

“This was a big game. This would have been a good one to get for Coach Olson and Bobbi.”

Mendez, who scored 14 in the first half, made two free throws after a technical foul was called on Gardner to cap an 8-0 run and give Stanford a 60-43 lead with 13:43 to play.