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Sean Miller won 300 games with the Arizona Wildcats, and perhaps none have been more important to his future with the program.
Arizona led for the final 28 minutes, knocking out Pac-12 leaders USC 81-72 on Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center in Los Angeles to break the seventh-ranked Trojans’ seven-game winning streak. It was the Wildcats’ first road victory over a ranked opponent (when he was not himself ranked) since knocking out Washington State at Pullman in 2008.
James akinjo had 20 points and 7 assists, offsetting a 0-for-9 performance in the home loss to USC last month, while Azuolas Tubelis had 16 points and 15 rebounds and Jordan Brown added 19 and 13 on the bench. It was the first time Arizona had two players with double-doubles since Stone objects and Zeke Nnaji did so in Washington state last February.
The AU (15-8, 9-8 Pac-12) broke a two-game skid and won only for the third time in eight games, despite not making a basket during the final 6:09, instead of 14 of 16 from the foul line. Akinjo was 7 of 8 during that span as the Wildcats were 15 of 19 off the line in the second half after attempting just four free throws in the first period.
Arizona led 37-31 at halftime, but that advantage was gone a few minutes later. First-year student Evan Mobley, the projected 7-foot lottery pick who took just two shots in the first half, scored USC’s first eight points, including a 3-pointer to tie at 39 with 17:14 to play.
Mobley finished with 23 points, 19 in the second half.
A faster pace allowed the AU to come back to the front and take a 57-49 lead with 12:06 left of 3 in a row by Get down Terry, who hadn’t trebled since Jan. 30 and hadn’t made two baskets in the previous five games.
The Wildcats were up 60-52 on a pivotal series that could have turned things around in USC. Kerr kriisa put a 3 point in and out, then Christian Koloko walked after collecting the offensive rebound. On subsequent possession Ira lee dirty Isaiah mobley in the act of shooting, and at the end of the play, Koloko pushed the USC Chavez goodwin on the ground and was hit by a technical contact fault.
Isaiah Mobley made both free throws, but Noah Baumann missed both technical moves. USC (18-4, 12-3) retained possession and entered the double bonus, making 1 of 2 free throws, to move up to 60-55.
Still, Arizona didn’t fold, instead scoring 7 in a row with a Kriisa feeding Koloko in the pick-and-roll for a one-handed dunk to come up 12 with 6:09 to go. The Wildcats then maintained an advantage of at least eight points the rest of the course by nailing their free throws and taking care of the ball, committing just three turnovers in the final 22 minutes of play.
USC scored on their first three possessions, bringing up images of UCLA’s 73% shooting in the second half on Thursday. But Arizona held the Trojans scoreless for the next four minutes to take the lead and ended up holding it for most of the first half.
Akinjo and Tubelis’ 3 straight points put Arizona 27-21 with 6:28 left in the first half, then Jordan Brown’s layup on an Akinjo feed gave the Wildcats a 33- advantage. 25 with 3:59 remaining.
Miller’s 300e victory came in his 408e game in Arizona, the third coach in Pac-10/12 history to score 300 wins. Lute Olson and legendary Washington coach Hec Edmondson need 395 games, while John wooden required 425.
Arizona returns home for its final weekend of play, hosting Washington State at 9 p.m. MST on Thursday.
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