No. 8 Arizona 94, Arizona State 82

Arizona ran through its nonconference schedule with one loss – to No. 12 Providence – despite playing eight games without 7-foot center Kaleb Tarczewski (foot injury) and six without junior guard Elliott Pitts (personal reasons). Many of them were targeting Arizona State DB Kweishi Brown, who seemed helpless as passes peppered him throughout the game.

Although Gabe York continues to be a three-point threat, his ability to score two-point buckets and play better defense have elevated his game. The teams have one common opponent – UNLV – this season.

Arizona State’s shooting took a big dip when Arizona turned up the defensive pressure, going more than five minutes without a point.

After the game, UA coach and fellow former point guard Sean Miller praised the Sun Devils for the grit that Hurley has quickly ingrained in them.

Sunday’s game was the sixth consecutive game with the Cats surpassing 80 points, and the third time this season they’ve scored 90 or more.

Anderson added 10 points and 10 rebounds after a slow start. On Sunday, he took things to the extreme in his first game against the Sun Devils’ rival Arizona.

Arizona State is allowing 31.1 percent shooting from deep and is forcing 13.5 turnovers per game.

The second half was a defensive battle early before Arizona kicked its offense into higher gear. Arizona made 13 of 14 free throws in the final 78 seconds to seal the victory. Forward Obinna Oleka had 17 points and forward Willie Atwood had 14 for Arizona State.

Duke fans know full well that Bobby Hurley is a coiled spring, a pit bull competitor who never quits or gives in. “I always want the spotlight to be on the performers, the guys in the game”, he said.

Hurley, in his first season at Arizona State, raised his arms to the crowd and pumped his first as he left with 59.6 seconds remaining. We would’ve hated to go all the way back home with an ‘L, ‘ said Dillon. “It should always be about the players”. Part of that may be the officials and coach adjusting to one another.

Arizona State’s Tra Holder (0) drives to the basket past Arizona’s Dustan Ristic during the …

Jordan Mathews added 14 points, hitting two late 3-pointers, and Tyrone Wallace had 10 points and six assists for the Golden Bears (12-3, 2-0 Pac-12). The next Wildcat possession also resulted in a bang-bang foul call, and Hurley promptly picked up another technical – and ejection – in protest. Only Thompson’s two free throws kept it from being a scoreless quarter as Arizona State opened a 26-9 edge with 1:20 to go.

Through the first half of play against the Sun Devils, the two streaks are still up in the air as the Wildcats were physically matched with ASU overall in the half. The Cougars lost to Southern California in the conference opener Friday night.