Final
Johnson, Gordon carry Arizona past SDSU
Nov 15, 2013 - 8:00 AM San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Talk about a perfect inbounds play.Trying to fend off feisty San Diego State late, Arizona freshman Aaron Gordon cut through the middle of the lane and rose effortlessly before throwing down an emphatic dunk off a T.J. McConnell alley-oop pass from underneath the basket.
The raucous Aztec faithful suddenly became quiet and the Wildcats were never threatened again.
Nick Johnson had 23 points and Gordon added 16 points and eight rebounds as No. 6 Arizona defeated San Diego State, 69-60, on Tuesday night.
Xavier Thames had seven points during a 9-2 Aztecs flurry, which pulled the hosts within 62-58 with 1:52 left. Johnson then airballed a triple from the left wing, but the rebound was batted out of bounds by San Diego State with 1:22 on the clock.
Gordon then came flying down the paint and the Aztecs never got within less than four the rest of the way. Gordon, who was fouled on the play by Dakarai Allen, was unable to complete the three-point play.
"I've never seen anything like that before," McConnell said.
Arizona (3-0) was 5-of-6 from the foul line during the final minute.
Thames and JJ O'Brien netted 19 points apiece for San Diego State (1-1), which defeated UC Riverside in its season opener on Friday.
"They're good, they are very good, and they change shots," Thames said.
The Aztecs trailed by 14 midway through the second half, but Thames drained a left corner 3 to conclude a 9-2 Aztecs spurt, which whittled the deficit to 56-49 with 6:18 to go.
McConnell, though, knocked down a jumper and sunk a pair from the foul line to extend the Arizona margin to 60-49 with 5:34 to play.
Earlier, Gordon tallied 12 first-half points, while Johnson added 10 as Arizona took a 39-28 cushion into the locker room.
Game Notes
Arizona shot 44.6 percent (25-of-56) from the field, but was just 3-of-13 from beyond the arc ... The Wildcats outrebounded the Aztecs, 39-28 ... Winston Shepard netted 12 points for San Diego State.
- ARIZONA: 69
SAN DIEGO STATE: 60
Final
Nov 15 12:11 AM - 234
rootsRUWTbot Added 117 roots (Close Finish, Upset)
Arizona(6) 62, San Diego State 58 2nd - 1:51Nov 15 12:01 AM - 117
roots - 92
roots - 113
roots - ARIZONA: 39
SAN DIEGO STATE: 28
Halftime
Nov 14 10:51 PM - ARIZONA: 0
SAN DIEGO STATE: 0
1st Half - 20:00
Nov 14 10:06 PM
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