LAS VEGAS — Fourth-seeded Oregon overcame a 14-point, first-half deficit and an early injury to N’Faly Dante to eliminate sixth-ranked Arizona 67-59 in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament on Friday night.
Jackson Shelstad scored 21 points and Jermaine Couisnard added 20 for the fourth-seeded Ducks (22-11), who surged to a 13-point lead before hanging on against the top-seeded Wildcats (25-8).
Arizona posted a season-low point total.
The Ducks led 63-59 entering the final minute, and the Wildcats’ Caleb Love missed a 3-point attempt with 38 seconds left. Shelstad made two free throws with 26.7 seconds remaining before Arizona’s Pelle Larsson was off the mark on a 3-point attempt.
Oregon’s Kario Oquendo added two foul shots for the final margin.
The Ducks advance to play Saturday night against the winner of the second semifinal between second-seeded Washington State and third-seeded Colorado.
Dante, an All-Pac-12 center, missed about 12 minutes of game time in the first half after taking a hard fall after the first minute and not being able to put pressure on his right leg as he was helped to the locker room. He returned to action and finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in 27 minutes.
Shelstad and Couisnard combined for 30 points in the second half, when Oregon shot 50 percent from the field.
Oumar Ballo had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Arizona, posting his 12th double-double in his past 13 games. However, the Wildcats’ offense stalled after an impressive first half.
Arizona committed 14 turnovers and shot only 38.3 percent for the game, including 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc. Love, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, finished with six points on 2-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-7 accuracy from 3-point range.
Oregon led 61-50 before Oquendo was called for a blocking foul on a drive by KJ Lewis with 4:11 left, and then the Ducks’ bench was assessed a technical foul for arguing the call. Arizona made four throws to cut the deficit to seven.
Larsson’s 3-pointer after a steal cut Oregon’s lead to 61-57 before Dante’s tip-in and blocked shot on the other end helped the Ducks hang on.
The Ducks ended Arizona’s bid for a third consecutive Pac-12 tournament title.
–Anthony Gimino, Field Level Media