Arizona Tumbles at Cal

Amit Tamir scored a season-high 21 points, including five three-point baskets, and Leon Powe had 21 points and 12 rebounds to help California defeat No. 12 Arizona, 87-83, on Thursday night at Berkeley.

Richard Midgley scored 18 points, including two free throws with 19 seconds left to secure the victory for the Bears, 10-9 overall and 6-4 in the Pacific 10, who ended a 10-game losing streak to the Wildcats.

Andre Iguodala scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Arizona (14-5, 6-4), which lost for the second time in eight days. The Wildcats, who opened the season ranked No. 4, have lost three of their last six.

The Bears also made a season-best 10 three-point baskets, eight in the first half to help build a 51-46 lead.

But it was the Bears’ free-throw shooting that proved most pivotal in the second half, when California went nine minutes without a field goal and made only three baskets over the final 16:57.

Despite shooting a conference-worst 39.1% from the foul line coming in to the game, the Bears never flinched down the stretch, making 18 of 23 attempts in the second half.

No. 2 Stanford 81, Arizona State 51 -- Rob Little had 17 points and six rebounds, and the Cardinal won big at Palo Alto despite being short-handed.

Stanford (19-0, 10-0) has won 13 in a row over Arizona State (8-11, 2-8) and six in a row at Maples Pavilion.

Stanford was without two players. Matt Haryasz, a 6-foot-10 sophomore forward, sprained his right ankle during practice Tuesday. He was supposed to start in place of injured power forward Justin Davis, out at least three weeks because of a bruised bone and partially torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Haryasz was on crutches and is doubtful for Saturday’s game against No. 12 Arizona.

“We knew we had two key guys down and we had to step up,” senior guard Matt Lottich said.

“We got out defensively and set the tone early.”

Nick Robinson started instead, finishing with six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Lottich and Josh Childress added 11 points apiece and 11 different Stanford players scored.

Ike Diogu scored 14 points for Arizona State, which lost its third in a row. Diogu was whistled for two offensive fouls, picking up his third personal only 24 seconds into the second half. Moments later, he was called for goaltending, giving Little two points.

“We just got a little stagnant in our zone and they took advantage,” Diogu said. “But we hold ourselves accountable. We should have played better than this. I feel that we’re tough. We just need to put together a solid 40-minute game. We haven’t done that all season.”

The Cardinal are one of only two remaining undefeated Division I teams along with third-ranked Saint Joseph’s (19-0).

If Stanford beats Arizona on Saturday, the Cardinal will match the best winning streak in school history, accomplished by the 2000-01 team that began 20-0.