Cardinal dust Bears, face UCLA
LAS VEGAS — Stanford’s 18-14 record might not make it look like an NCAA Tournament team, but the Cardinal’s complete dismantling of Cal in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament on Wednesday afternoon hinted toward a different story.
Stanford arrived at T-Mobile Arena knowing it had to mount quite a run to get into the NCAA Tournament conversation, and the Cardinal’s businesslike 76-58 victory over Cal indicated they might be ready to do just that.
With the victory, during which it did not trail and led by as many as 27 points, Stanford has won five of its past six games and advances to the quarterfinals to play fourth-seeded UCLA (20-10) at
LAS VEGAS — Colorado on Wednesday won a threepoint shootout with Arizona State, 97-85, to advance to a Pac-12 tournament quarterfinal game against top-seeded Arizona (24-7) on Thursday.
The teams combined to go 26-for-53 from three-point range, tying the tournament’s three-point record Stanford and Arizona State set in a 2013 overtime game.
Eighth-seeded Colorado (17-14) was led by 20 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds from freshman guard McKinley Wright IV, and freshman guard Remy Martin’s 20 points paced ninth-seeded Arizona State (20-11), which lost 11 of 19 games after starting the season 12-0 and climbing to No. 3 in the national rankings.
Colorado head coach Tad Boyle apologized for his team’s closing-seconds alley-oop, an unsportsmanlike move that sparked a nasty scene at the end of the Pac-12 tournament’s opening game.
Leading Arizona State by seven points with seven seconds to play, and with the Sun Devils having indicated that they wouldn’t foul to extend the game, Wright lobbed a pass to Tyler Bey, who threw down a highlight-reel dunk.
Arizona State senior guard Tra Holder didn’t take too kindly to the gesture and raced in from the three-point arc to hit Bey with a crosscheck. Holder was ejected, and Colorado forward George King and Arizona State forward De’Quon Lake were whistled for technical fouls in the ensuing skirmish.
Colorado reserve Namon Wright and an Arizona State assistant coach were ejected for leaving the bench area, and Boyle needed help getting to the locker room after injuring his leg in an effort to break up the shoving.
“It felt like I got shot in the calf,” Boyle said on the Pac-12 Network telecast before entering the postgame news conference wearing a walking boot. “I hope it’s not the Achilles.”
Boyle said that he would be on the sideline for the Arizona game. “The doctor usually doesn’t give an injury report on the coach, but the doctor said I’ve either torn or strained a calf muscle” he reported. “It felt like somebody hit me with a golf ball or shotgun as I ran out, so I don’t know what happened — but it doesn’t feel too good.” No. 10 OSU 69, No. 7 Washington 66: Tres Tinkle made up for a 3-for-14 shooting night by making four free throws in the final 22 seconds to send the Beavers into the quarterfinals to play USC (21-10).
The game included 18 lead changes and 10 ties, including at 64-64 with 21.5 seconds remaining. That’s when Tinkle, who overcame a one-point first half to finish with 12 points and 10 rebounds, made two free-throw tries to put Oregon State (16-15) ahead.
Drew Eubanks, who had a game-high 19 points, extended the Beavers’ lead to 67-64 with a free throw with 10 seconds left, and after David Crisp went the length of the length of the court for a layup, Tinkle’s free throws closed the scoring with 2.5 seconds left. Crisp got a good look at a tying three-point try, but it caromed off the back of the rim.
Matisse Thybulle had 19 points and Noah Dickerson 15 points for Washington (20-12), which likely will not receive an NCAA Tournament bid.
Oregon State made 8 of 23 shots in the first half, including 1-for-7 from beyond the three-point arc. Washington was slightly better, going 11for-29 and 2-for-9 from three to lead 29-25.
Halftime adjustments freed up both offenses early before the defenses controlled the game again. No. 6 Oregon 64, No. 11 WSU 62: Mikyle McIntosh and Payton Pritchard each scored 18 points to lead Oregon (21-11) as the Ducks advanced to Thursday’s nightcap against No. 3 Utah. Oregon did not lead until late in regulation. Malachi Flynn scored 22 points and Robert Franks added 16 for the Cougars (1219). The Associated Press contributed to this report.