ARIZONA PULLS AWAY VS. CAL BEARS AVOID BLOWOUT, BUT WILDCATS WILL PLAY FOR TITLE ARIZONA 90, CAL 78.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

Of all the teams it could have faced in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament, Cal most wanted a shot at Arizona and a chance to prove its 46-point loss to the Wildcats less than a week ago was nothing but an anomaly.

Cal showed improvement early in a semifinal game Friday night at Staples Center but trailed Arizona 70-60 with nine minutes remaining the second half.

Jason Gardner scored 15 points in the first half to lead the Wildcats to a 47-39 halftime lead, but the Bears stayed in the game thanks to 17 points from Joe Shipp.

The Wildcats pulled away with a seven-point run that gave them a 61-46 lead seven minutes into the second half. Cal went seven minutes with scoring a field goal as Arizona all but put the game away by the halfway mark of the half.

In the teams' previous two meetings, including a 99-53 Arizona victory last Saturday, the Bears were burned by Arizona's third-leading scorer, Rick Anderson, who averaged 16.5 points. Cal held Anderson in check Friday night (he had just two points at halftime), but the Wildcats pulled ahead early with a balanced attack led by Gardner.

Gardner scored five points in the first two minutes as Arizona led 10-4, but Cal scored seven of the next nine points to keep the game close. A seven-point run, punctuated by a dunk from reserve center Channing Frye, put Arizona up 19-11.

With the Bears in danger of losing control of the game, Shipp emerged and scored eight of Cal's next 12 points, but Arizona still held a 30-22 lead midway through the first half. But points did not come as easily for the Wildcats, who struggled to maintain an offensive rhythm and prevent Shipp from getting easy looks near their basket.

But every time the Bears got close in the first half, the Wildcats increased their margin. Three times the Bears closed to within two points and trailed just 35-33 with 4:50 remaining in the half, but the Wildcats scored the next six points, including two running jump shots by Gardner.

Cal forced three turnovers in the final two minutes of the half but the Bears were unable to get closer than five points before halftime. Shipp's layup with 1:05 closed the deficit to 42-37 and the teams exchanged baskets before Arizona reserve guard Will Bynum hit a 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer for an eight-point halftime lead.

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Photo:

Jason Gardner (22) of Arizona slips through Cal defenders to score a layup at Staples Center. Defending for the Bears is Amit Tamir.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer