California holds off Utah in quarters

The California Golden Bears were embarrassed the last time they played Utah, a 30-point loss that put a dent in their NCAA tournament aspirations.

Using that loss as motivation, the Bears got a little payback and may have pushed their season back toward the NCAA bubble.

Jabari Bird had 26 points and scored on a key threepoint play with 14 seconds left, helping California hold off Utah, 78-75, on Thursday in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals at Las Vegas.

“Up at their place, they really got into us. They brought the game to us and we didn’t respond,” Bird said. “And today, we remembered that game. It was only a week ago, and we came prepared for battle and it showed.”

Cal (21-11) led by 11 with 2:17 left, but Utah (20-11) charged back, pulling to 7372 with 29 seconds left. Bird followed with a hard drive and was fouled, but Kyle Kuzma hit a three-pointer to make it a one-point game again.

Bird hit two free throws and Utah’s Sedrick Barefield missed a wild threepointer at the buzzer, sending the Bears charging from their bench.

No. 5 Oregon 80, Arizona State 57: The Ducks had a hard time stopping Torian Graham in the first half, allowing the Sun Devils to keep it close. Oregon still didn’t have an answer for Graham in the second, but the Ducks shut down everyone else to earn a spot in the semifinals.

Dillon Brooks scored 22 points, Tyler Dorsey added 21 and Oregon pulled away in the second half.

Oregon (28-4) tightened up defensively after a close first half, holding Arizona State (15-18) to eight-for-33 shooting in the second. That set up transition baskets and allowed the Ducks to pull away from the eighthseeded Sun Devils.

No. 7 Arizona 92, Colorado 78: Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points, Allonzo Trier added 19 and the Wildcats pulled away in the second half for a victory over the Buffaloes in the quarterfinals.

Arizona (28-4) had a hard time shaking the Buffaloes in the first half before stretching the lead to 17 in the second.

The Pac-12 co-champions shot 56%, made 10 threepointers and held nearly everyone except Derrick White in check on defense.

White finished with 31 points and Xavier Johnson had 20, but Colorado (19-14) had no answer when Arizona hit the gas in the second half.