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2011 Pac-10 Tournament Quarterfinal Recap - Arizona vs Oregon State

(1) Arizona 78, (9) Oregon State 69

In many ways, it’s really hard to believe, but it’s true: A proud basketball program just won its first conference tournament game since 2008.

Yes, the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats dominated the second half to secure their first Pac-10 Tournament victory in three years, defeating Oregon State in the conference quarterfinals inside the home of the Los Angeles Lakers. Derrick Williams, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, looked every bit the part scoring 22 points on 5-of-6 shooting behind the three-point line. Head coach Sean Miller’s Wildcats hit eleven shots from long distance on the afternoon, burying the Beavers with an avalanche of offense.

It looked as if Oregon State’s Jared Cunningham was going to individually will his squad to a stunning upset and an unlikely semifinal berth during the first half. Cunningham scored each of Oregon State’s first 11 points and tallied 15 points in the first eight-plus minutes as the Beavers raced to a 22-15 lead. Though he didn’t remain on such an astoundingly elevated plateau, Cunningham finished with an impressive 22-point, 4- rebound, 4-assist, 6-steal stat line. Unfortunately for head coach Craig Robinson’s OSU crew, only one other Beaver scored in double figures; Arizona’s balance and diversity manifested itself in the fullness of time.

What’s noteworthy about this game for Arizona in addition to the snapping of the three-year Pac-10 Tournament losing streak is that it brought another negative trend to a halt. The program’s 2008 win in the Pac-10 tourney was a first-round win over Oregon State, since the Wildcats were the No. 7 seed in that year’s tournament. This win marked the first time since 2006 that Arizona has been able to escape the Pac-10 quarterfinals and reach the final four at Staples Center. One shouldn’t be too alarmed about the less-than-fully-convincing nature of this win, either. Top seeds have regularly struggled in the Pac-10 Tournament, winning the event only once since 2007 and only three times since 2002. This has proven to be a wide-open carnival of basketball drama, so any survive-and-advance victory should be a welcome sight for Arizona.

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By exorcising its recent Pac-10 Tournament demons, the Wildcats further demonstrated that they may very well be a dangerous squad come NCAA Tournament time. Arizona’s 26 wins are the most in six years and the folks in Tucson are preparing for an exciting March. With a player as dominant and resourceful as Williams, the best may very well be yet to come.

Next Game: Pac-10 Semifinal No. 1

(4) USC vs. (1) Arizona – 9:05 p.m. ET, FSN

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Staff Writer