Feb. 24, 2005

Box Score

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS
Associated Press Writer

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Ivan Radenovic made a pair of free throws with 9 seconds left to lift No. 9 Arizona to a 57-56 overtime win over Washington State on Thursday night.

Derrick Low's 3-point shot for Washington State rimmed out in the closing seconds and Radenovic rebounded for the Wildcats (24-4, 14-2), who avoided being swept by the Cougars with their 17th straight win at Pullman.

It was the seventh straight win for the Wildcats since losing to Washington State in late January. They are in first place in the Pac-10.

The win gave Arizona coach Lute Olson 304 wins in the Pac-10, tied with legendary UCLA coach John Wooden for most wins ever in the league. Olson is 41-3 against Washington State.

Washington State (10-14, 5-10), fighting for one of eight spots in the Pac-10 tournament, employed a slow-down offense and the league's best defense held Arizona well below its season average of 80 points per game.

Cougars rank seventh in nation defensively, and best in Pac-10, giving up 57 points per game.

Thomas Kelati led the Cougars with 16 points.

In January, the Cougars broke a 38-game losing streak to Arizona with a 70-63 win in Tucson, one of the biggest wins in the program's recent history. But they have lost five of six games since.

Channing Frye led Arizona with 26 points, making 11-of-13 shots from the field. Radenovic and Hassan Adams added 10 each. Salim Stoudamire was held to eight, 10 below his average.

The score was tied at 49 at the end of regulation after Frye scored inside with 51 seconds left.

Stoudamire's two free throws gave Arizona a 51-49 lead. A 3-pointer by Kelati gave Washington State a 52-51 lead, but Adams' layup put Arizona ahead 53-52.

Two free throws by Low and two more by Kelati made it 56-53 for Washington State with 2:03 left. Mustafa Shakur replied with a layup for Arizona to close to 56-55.

Robbie Cowgill missed and Arizona got the ball back with 23 seconds left. Radenovic drove to the basket and was fouled by Chris Schlatter, making the tying and winning free throws.

At times playing four freshmen, Washington State led 32-30 after the first half.

Frye's slam tied the game at 32 early in the second. Two more baskets by Frye accounted for all the offense Arizona could muster in the first 11 minutes of the second half.

Two free throws by Frye tied the game at 42 with 7:52 left, and Frye's bank shot gave Arizona its first lead, 44-42.

After Frye powered in for a layup to tie the score at 49, Washington State turned the ball over and Arizona called a timeout with 13.8 seconds left.

Stoudamire dribbled inside as the clock ran down, but was striped of the ball by Kyle Weaver and the game went into overtime.