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Arizona State knocks off No. 6 Arizona

Feb 8, 2015 - 1:23 AM Tempe, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Bo Barnes scored 18 points and Arizona State led for the final 23 minutes in an 81-78 upset of No. 6 Arizona on Saturday.

Tra Holder and Savon Goodman each added 15 points and Gerry Blakes scored 14 for the Sun Devils (12-11, 4-6 Pac-12), who overcame a seven-point deficit in the first half with a series of runs.

T.J. McConnell had a game-high 25 points to lead Arizona (20-3, 8-2) but the Wildcats were never able to take the lead after halftime despite pulling within two on several occasions.

Stanley Johnson added 16 points in the loss, which snapped Arizona's six-game winning streak. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 14 points and Brandon Ashley had 13.

Arizona State made 22 of its 28 free throws while the Wildcats went 8-of-14 at the line.

Barnes hit the game's biggest shot, a 3-pointer with 54 seconds remaining that stretched the Sun Devils' lead from four points to seven.

"Bo had such an iron will today," said Arizona State coach Herb Sendek. "It looked like it was on target but until it went through the net, we held our breath. It was a huge shot."

Arizona had a seven-point lead with 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half but was outscored 23-9 the rest of the way before the break.

Arizona State used a 9-0 to move ahead. Holder scored five points during the flurry, which was punctuated by a Goodman dunk.

Later, an 8-0 burst gave the Sun Devils the lead for good. Barnes scored the first five points during that burst and Arizona State eventually led 41-34 at the break.

Goodman's layup to open the second half gave Arizona State the largest lead by any team.

Arizona first pulled within two points on Johnson's dunk with 12:50 remaining, but Jonathan Gilling followed with a 3-pointer for the Sun Devils.

The Wildcats were within two as late as 4:35, but Gerry Blakes countered with a 3 at the other end.

It remained close, with Arizona drawing within four on Ashley's three-point play with 11 seconds remaining. Barnes made two free throws for Arizona State with seven seconds left and McConnell's late 3-pointer in the final second accounted for the final margin.

Game Notes

Both teams were playing for the first time in eight days ... Arizona routed Arizona State 73-49 to open Pac-12 play on Jan. 4. The Wildcats lead the all- time series 146-82 ... Arizona plays Washington on the road on Friday ... Arizona State is at Washington State on Friday.