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

ASU defeats Arizona

Arizona State’s Ty Abbott shoots over the defense of Arizona’s Derrick Williams.  (Associated Press)
Associated Press

Ty Abbott scored 28 points, two shy of his career-high, and Arizona State shot 67 percent in the second half to beat Arizona 73-69 at Tucson, Ariz., on Sunday and move within a half game of first-place California in the Pac-10.

The Sun Devils (19-8, 9-5) have won three in a row and five of six while Arizona (13-13, 7-7) dropped its second straight at home and lost for the fourth time in five games overall.

Rihards Kuksiks added 17 points as Arizona State shot 52 percent overall after shooting 30 percent in its 77-58 home loss to the Wildcats on Jan. 23. The Sun Devils have won three straight in Tucson for the first time since 1983.

Nic Wise scored 18, Derrick Williams 15 and Kyle Fogg 13 for Arizona.

Jerren Shipp helped Arizona State put the game away, scoring all eight of his points in a 3 1/2 -minute span late in the first half, including a pair of 3-pointers. His layup put the Sun Devils ahead 69-60 with 3:20 to play.

Arizona cut the lead to 69-64, then Momo Jones stole a bad pass from Abbott, but the Wildcats’ freshman stepped out of bounds at the other end of the court, one of several untimely Arizona turnovers.

Kevin Parrom’s two free throws cut it to 69-66 with 23.4 seconds left, but Derek Glasser and Kuksiks each made two free throws to seal the victory.