California Ousts Oregon

Short on bodies, Oregon continued to make up for its lack of manpower with hustle and heart.

The seventh-seeded Ducks shrugged off the absence of their second- and fourth-leading scorers Friday night at Staples Center to extend third-seeded California into double overtime before finally coming up short, 91-87, in a Pacific 10 Conference tournament semifinal.

Oregon guard Chamberlain Oguchi, who had already set a Pac-10 tournament record with 14 three-point baskets, missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer in the closing seconds of the second overtime. The Ducks then fouled Bear guard Ayinde Ubaka, who made two free throws.

Leon Powe scored a career-high and Pac-10 tournament-record 41 points for Cal, which will meet top-seeded UCLA at 3 p.m. today for the championship. The Bears and Bruins split their two meetings during the regular season, each winning on the road.

Trailing by seven points with less than four minutes to play, Cal (20-9) sent the game into an extra period on Ubaka’s short bank shot with seconds remaining. After Oregon guard Brandon Lincoln missed a potential go-ahead turnaround jumper near the end of the first overtime, the Bears held on in the last five minutes.

Oregon (15-18) played without injured guard Bryce Taylor and suspended guard Aaron Brooks, who was forced to sit out one game after his ejection Thursday for knocking Washington’s Ryan Appleby to the floor with a forearm.

The Ducks were temporarily without another starter when junior guard Jordan Kent injured his left foot with 7:44 left and did not return until the last minute of regulation.

Lincoln had a career-high 22 points, Malik Hairston had 20 and Oguchi continued his bid for all-tournament honors with 15.