Arizona St. 65, California 64, 2OT
By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer
February 18, 2006
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) -- Bryson Krueger's 3-pointer with 10.5 seconds left in the second overtime led Arizona State to a 65-64 victory Saturday night, denying California a chance to take sole possession of first place in the Pac-10.
The last-place Sun Devils (10-14, 4-11) outhustled the Golden Bears for loose balls and made the big shots when they needed them to get the upset.
This marked the second time this season that Cal (16-7, 10-4) lost at home the game after moving into first place. After starting 3-0, the Bears lost last month to Oregon State. They vowed to avoid a similar letdown this time, but fell short.
It looked as if Cal had taken control in the second overtime when Ayinde Ubaka ended a nearly 8-minute stretch without a field goal with a basket with 2:25 remaining. He then fed DeVon Hardin for a dunk on the next possession, making it 64-60.
But Kevin Kruger scored to cut it to two with 1:01 left and Powe missed two free throws -- his only misses in 15 trips to the line -- to give Arizona State the chance.
Bryson Krueger then hit his 3 from the corner to give the Sun Devils the lead. Ubaka missed on Cal's final possession.
Bryson Krueger scored 19 points, Kevin Kruger had 16, Jeff Pendergraph had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Sun Devils, who lost by 30 points at home last month to Cal. Arizona State outrebounded Cal 41-31.
Powe led the Bears with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Hardin had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Ubaka scored 12. Cal had won six straight in the Pac-10 and 11 of 12 overall at home this season.
The game was close the entire first overtime, with Bryson Krueger's drive giving the Sun Devils a 58-57 lead with 1:15 remaining. Freshman Theo Robertson made one of two free throws with 1 second remaining to send the game into a second overtime.
After back-to-back scores by Hardin gave Cal a 47-46 lead with 2:44 remaining in regulation, Arizona State did not wilt. Antwi Atuahene answered with a basket to put the Sun Devils up 48-47. After a turnover by Cal, Atuahene scored in the lane to make it a three-point game and Powe was called for a loose-ball foul.
Craig Austen made one of two free throws and Pendergraph rebounded the miss and drew another foul on Powe. Pendergraph missed the front end of the 1-and-1 and Powe scored at the other end to cut it to 51-49.
After a miss by Bryson Krueger, Ubaka drove for the tying score with 22.7 seconds left -- Cal's last basket until midway through the second overtime. Kevin Kruger missed a long 3 at the buzzer for Arizona State, sending the game to overtime.
The Bears were coming off perhaps their best performance of the season, a 75-66 victory over Arizona on Thursday in which they shot 58 percent. They weren't nearly as efficient against the Sun Devils, turning the ball over 15 times and shooting just 39 percent.
After brothers Jordan and Omar Wilkes hit consecutive 3-pointers midway through the half to give Cal a 22-10 lead, the Bears didn't make another field goal for more than 9 1/2 minutes. Powe got a three-point play off an offensive rebound with 2.9 seconds left to give Cal a 27-21 lead at the break.
