Arizona improves to 3-1 in the conference with a 67-57 victory over Stanford. Senior forward Jamelle Horne has his best game of the season — and one of the best of his career — with 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.
Arizona is in second place in the Pac-10 behind Washington (4-0).
The Cats are off until Saturday afternoon when they play host to Arizona State at McKale Center at 12:30 p.m.
Check back for more later …
* * *
MoMo Jones with his Nic Wise impersonation with a driving double-pump layup in the final minute. He misses the free throw, but it all looks good for Arizona, which leads by 10 with 41.2 seconds left.
* * *
Jamelle Horne … you can’t stop him, you … well, you know the rest. He hits another 3-pointer from the left corner for a 65-56 lead.
* * *
Getting interesting. Arizona was up by as many as 15, but Stanford whittled that to a 59-54 deficit with about four minutes to go. Jeremy Green has been hot down the stretch for the Cardinal, as UA’s inability to guard good perimeter scorers re-emerges.
But the star of the game — Jamelle Horne — makes a huge 3-pointer from the corner to push the lead to 62-54 with 3:39 left.
Of course, as I’m typing that, Josh Owens shakes free underneath for Stanford, putting in the basket and getting fouled. He’ll be going to line after the timeout, with his team down 62-56 with 3:21 to go.
* * *
Stanford has twice cut the lead to 10 in recent minutes but Arizona has responded with points each time. The Wildcats lead 58-45 with 6:46 left.
* * *
Arizona trying to put this one out of reach with another 3-pointer by Derrick Williams (he banked this one in; didn’t call it) and an inside basket by Solomon Hill for a 52-37 lead. Overall, one of the most impressive games of the year for the Wildcats … but there is still 10:39 to go.
* * *
Today’s attendance: 14,374.
* * *
Stanford was coming off a game Thursday night against Arizona State in which it allowed a mere 41 points. Arizona has 47 points 11:40 to play and leads by 10. Jamelle Horne is on his way to a double-double. He has 10 points and a season-high eight rebounds.
* * *
Derrick Williams spots up to make a 3-pointer. Your latest updated stats on Williams: 16 of 23 from behind the arc this season.
* * *
Arizona comes out cold in the second half (isn’t this becoming a trend?) and doesn’t score until Brendon Lavender makes two free throws with 16:30 to go in the second half. That nine-point halftime lead is safe, though. Stanford also has only two points this half.
* * *
Arizona finishes the half on a 10-0 to take a 39-28 lead over Stanford. Jamelle Horne puts the finishing touches on the half with a soaring one-handed dunk at the buzzer off a missed 3-pointer by Kyle Fogg. Before that, 3-pointers by Kevin Parrom and Fogg fueled the hot streak.
Horne has a team-high 10 points. Jeremy Green has seven to lead the Cardinal.
At this rate, Horne will regain the starting spot he lost recently to Jesse Perry.
* * *
Arizona is 5 for 10 on 3-point attempts late in the first half. Typical of its shooting balance, four different players have made shots from behind the arc for the Cats.
* * *
It’s taken until 3:35 left in the half before Derrick Williams gets his first free throw attempts. He had a school-record 22 attempts Thursday against Cal.
* * *
Arizona had an 11-2 run at one point to take a 29-22 lead, but a couple of Stanford baskets — and back-to-back traveling violations by Stanford — has tightened the game. The Wildcats, led by Jamelle Horne’s eight points, lead 29-26 with 3:52 to go before halftime. Both teams are shooting well; better than 50 percent combined. Good offense or bad defense?
* * *
Derrick Williams, who was shaken up (eye injury) while going for an offensive rebound with about 12 minutes left in the half returns to the game with 9:51 to go.
* * *
A flurry of activity since the last timeout as Arizona takes a brief lead before Stanford ties it up at 18. Jamelle Horne, coming off a good game off the bench against Cal, comes in to grab an offensive rebound and bury two 3-pointers. It’s not usual that Horne has good back-to-back performances, but so far so good.
* * *
Stanford missed its first two shots, then hits its next five to take a 12-6 lead at the first media timeout. Arizona, as it often has this season, is having trouble defending the interior. Stanford’s offense includes a three-point play on a drive by forward Dwight Powell and a jump hook from Josh Owens.
* * *
McKale Center observed a moment of silence for the victims of Saturday’s shooting that killed six and critically wounded U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
University of Arizona president Robert Shelton spoke briefly to the crowd, thanking Stanford officials for their cooperation in postponing the game from Saturday. He also offered thanks to those who attended to the tragedy Saturday, including the first responders, and those who have supported the community.
* * *
Amid the somber circumstances of the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona will take on Stanford in basketball this afternoon, in a game rescheduled from Saturday.
The Cardinal is 2-0 in the Pac-10, while the Wildcats are 2-1 following their Thursday victory over Cal.
Our Javier Morales has the breakdown of the Arizona-Stanford matchup, and he picks the Cats to win by 14.
FYI: We won’t be blogging as much as much during the game because of web traffic problems that are causing TucsonCitizen.com to crash. But, as always, feel free to have your say in the comments section … and we’ll have more after the game.