Julian Strawther made a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 9.5 seconds remaining as No. 8 Gonzaga escaped with a 75-74 victory against BYU in a West Coast Conference game Thursday night in Provo, Utah.
The Bulldogs (15-3, 4-0 WCC) rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 5:03 for their third consecutive narrow road victory by a combined total of eight points. Drew Timme had 21 points and 13 rebounds.. Anton Watson scored a season-high 18, grabbed eight rebounds and got a hand on a last-second 3-point attempt by BYU’s Spencer Johnson.
Johnson scored 18 points for the Cougars (13-7, 3-2) and Gideon George and Jaxson Robinson added 17 apiece.
It was Gonzaga’s 92nd consecutive victory against an unranked opponent and its 35th straight in the month of January.
No. 7 UCLA 68, Utah 49
Tyger Campbell recorded 17 points and seven assists to lead the Bruins to an easy victory over the Utes in Pac-12 play at Los Angeles.
Adem Bona added 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting and collected eight rebounds for the Bruins (15-2, 6-0 Pac-12), who won their 12th consecutive contest. Jaylen Clark added 11 points, five rebounds and three steals, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. had eight points, 12 rebounds and six assists for UCLA.
Rollie Worster scored 12 points to pace the Utes (12-6, 5-2), who lost their second straight game. Utah’s Branden Carlson missed the game with a non-COVID illness. Carlson leads the Utes in scoring (15.7 per game) and rebounding (7.4).
No. 9 Arizona 86, Oregon State 74
Azuolas Tubelis had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and two teammates also posted double-doubles, as the Wildcats withstood a late Beavers run for a victory in Corvallis, Ore.
Oumar Ballo had 15 points and 14 rebounds for Arizona (15-2, 4-2 Pac-12), while Kerr Kriisa paired his 13 points with 11 assists for his double-double. The Wildcats drained seven 3-pointers in the first half to help them take control and eventually build a 24-point lead in the second half.
But the Beavers (7-10, 1-5), who trailed by double digits for the final 30 minutes, provided a scare by rallying within 72-62 when Jayden Stevens split defenders for a fast-break layup with 5:04 left. Tyler Bilodeau and Michael Rataj paced the Beavers with 18 points apiece. Jordan Pope added 14 points.
–Field Level Media