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Arizona State closes road trip looking for bragging rights

Jan 21, 2009 - 11:21 AM No. 16 Arizona State (15-3) at Arizona (11-7), 9:30 p.m. EST

TUCSON, Arizona (Ticker) -- Coming off its biggest win of the season, No. 16 Arizona State is hoping to avoid a letdown and claim bragging rights when it visits Arizona on Wednesday.

The Sun Devils (15-3, 4-2 Pac-10), who are finishing up a three-game road trip, rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to beat then-No. 7 UCLA, 61-58, in overtime on Saturday.

One game after scoring a career-low four points in a loss to Southern California, James Harden scored 24 points in the win for Arizona State, which beat a ranked team for the first time this season. Jeff Pendergraph added 18 in the victory.

Though Arizona made its 24th straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season, Arizona State swept the season series for the first time since 1995.

The Wildcats (11-7, 2-4) have struggled this season and are coming off back-to-back losses at UCLA and USC.

In a tie game, Jamelle Horne committed a senseless foul near midcourt and Daniel Hackett made the first free throw to give USC a 65-64 victory on Saturday.

Jordan Hill is averaging 17.8 points and 11.4 rebounds and Chase Budinger is scoring 17.2 per game to lead Arizona.