Arizona Has the Answers

Hassan Adams and Brandon Roy lived up to their billing Saturday: They were their teams’ best players, in a taut, top-flight game that demanded nothing less.

Adams scored a career-high 32 points -- including eight points and consecutive three-point baskets in the two overtimes -- to trump Roy’s career-high-tying 35 as Arizona rallied to a 96-95 victory over No. 7 Washington in a Pacific 10 Conference game.

The nation’s longest homecourt winning streak ended at 32 games when Kirk Walters, displaced in the starting lineup by freshman Marcus Williams, made a free throw with 5.1 seconds left.

That -- along with Mustafa Shakur’s 23 points -- gave Arizona (9-3, 2-0) its seventh consecutive win after trailing by 13 at halftime.

“Oh, man. That was a great game,” said Walters, who finished with three points. “We’ll see if it’s on ESPN Classic soon.”

The Huskies (11-1, 1-1) saw their best chance to win end when Roy fouled out with 54 seconds left. That’s when Williams gave Arizona a 95-94 lead with a free throw. Washington’s Jamaal Williams, a 56% free-throw shooter, tied it with 38 seconds left before Walters answered with his winner.

Without Roy, Washington was left with Ryan Appleby’s long, desperation three-pointer at the final buzzer. It fell well short. Appleby had made a three-pointer from well beyond the top of the key to end the first half.

After the game, Adams stomped on the court and pulled at “Arizona” across the front of his jersey. It was a defiant exclamation of the Wildcats’ second win over Washington in seven tries -- and of unranked Arizona’s return to national prominence.

“Man, this was big. It was emotion. It wasn’t boasting,” the Pac-10’s scoring leader said. “That’s my role on my team. My team, my coaches put that confidence in me.”

It ended the Huskies’ best start since 1975.

“This was probably the best game I’ve ever played in where my team needed me to do so much at both ends of the floor,” said Roy, who had set his career high Thursday while rallying Washington past Arizona State.

Adams and the Wildcats had a nightmare of a first half. Adams had nine points at halftime while Arizona shot only 28% -- including one for 15 from three-point range -- to fall behind 40-27.

Arizona Coach Lute Olson became the 15th coach in NCAA history (all levels) to win 750 games.