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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

No. 5 Wildcats roll over Ducks in Pac-12 title game

Ashley
Ap

LAS VEGAS – Brandon Ashley scored 20 points, Stanley Johnson added 14 and No. 5 Arizona crushed Oregon 80-52 Saturday night to win its first Pac-12 tournament title in 13 years.

Top-seeded Arizona (31-3) rolled over Oregon in a dominating first half, building a 15-point lead with a flurry of 3-pointers and baskets in transition.

The Wildcats let up a little defensively in the second half, but were even better on offense to polish off their first Pac-12 championship since Lute Olson was coach and Luke Walton was tournament MVP in 2002.

T.J. McConnell had 12 points and six assists for the Wildcats, who shot 54 percent.

Oregon (25-9) was out of it almost from the start after Arizona went on two big first-half runs. The Ducks played better offensively in the second half, but had no chances of catching the racing Wildcats.

Joseph Young scored 19 for Oregon.

Arizona has been in this spot before; the Wildcats were playing in their fourth Pac-12 championship game in Sean Miller’s six years as coach.

Winning it has been another story. Arizona’s Pac-12 title drought included a loss to UCLA in the championship game last season.

The Wildcats won the regular-season title and got to this year’s championship game by beating California and UCLA.

Oregon had a strong finish to the regular season, then beat Colorado and Utah to strengthen its NCAA tournament chances.