Arizona 74, Oregon State 69

[March 06, 2014]  CORVALLIS, Ore. — No. 3 Arizona 74, Oregon State 69: Nick Johnson recorded 25 points, six rebounds and four assists as the visiting Wildcats held off the upset-minded Beavers.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 13 and Gabe York had 12 – all on four 3-pointers – for Arizona (28-2, 15-2 Pac-12), which scored 10 of the game’s last 15 points. Kaleb Tarczewski collected 12 points and nine rebounds while T.J. McConnell added eight assists for the Wildcats.

Roberto Nelson led the way with 25 points while Devon Collier had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Oregon State (15-14, 7-10), which last led at 62-61. Hallice Cooke chipped in with 10 points and Eric Moreland grabbed 12 rebounds for the Beavers, who have lost six of their last eight.

Arizona trailed by two before running off 17 of the next 23 points, capped by an alley-oop dunk by Johnson, to take a 31-22 lead with just under four minutes left in the first half. Johnson scored 14 in the opening 20 minutes and Nelson had 13, including six late as the Beavers pulled within 36-33 at intermission.

The Wildcats put together a 10-1 run to take a seven-point lead before the Beavers fought back to tie it at 58-58 on Moreland’s basket with 8:13 to play. The game was tied at 64 before Hollis-Jefferson scored inside and the Beavers turned the ball over three straight possessions as Arizona sealed it with a 7-0 run.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Wildcats have won the last seven meetings, including a pair this season. … Nelson has 1,685 career points and needs 10 to pass A.C. Green for fourth on Oregon State’s all-time scoring list. … Oregon State had a 43-34 edge on the boards, only the sixth time in 30 games this season the Wildcats did not win the battle on the boards.

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