Wildcats run past Bruins to second place in Pac-10

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior center A.J. Bramlett (42) pulls down one of his 10 rebounds during Saturday's game at McKale Center while UCLA sophomore shooting guard Earl Watson (25) looks on. Bramlett had 14 points in his final game at McKale Center.

Just as word came that Terry had won the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Year award, he scored 19 first-half points as the No. 13-ranked Wildcats (22-6, 13-5 Pac-10) crushed the visiting No. 12 UCLA Bruins 87-70 at McKale Center Saturday afternoon to clinch sole possession of second place in the conference.

"This is a great way to close out at home," Terry said about playing his last game at McKale. "I wanted to go out with a lot of intensity."

Terry, who averages 22.1 points and 5.6 assists per game, was also named to the All-Pac-10 team along with fellow senior A.J. Bramlett, who leads the team with 9.3 rebounds per game and is second in scoring with 14.2 points per game.

1998-99 All Pac-10 team A.J. Bramlett C Arizona Jason Terry G Arizona Mike Batiste F Arizona State Eddie House G Arizona State Bobby Lazor F Arizona State Baron Davis G UCLA Arthur Lee G Stanford Mark Madsen F Stanford T. MacCulloch C Washington D. Tanner G Oregon State All-Freshman team M. Wright F Arizona R. Jefferson F Arizona Senque Carey G Washington Dan Gadzuric C UCLA JaRon Rush F UCLA Pac-10 Player of the Year Jason Terry, Arizona Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Michael Wright, Arizona Pac-10 Coach of the Year Mike Montgomery, Stanford

"We deserve it," Bramlett said. "This is a great feeling for us."

While the game ended as a blowout, it was close for the first 12 minutes with the score 25-25.

But after 6-foot-10 freshman center Jerome Moiso picked up his second foul, UCLA was forced to press and the Wildcats took control from then on.

Over the last eight minutes of the first half, UA went on a 27-11 run behind four three-pointers, five layups and five free throws to take a 52-36 halftime lead.

"They tried (to press) but we were too prepared," Terry said. "If they had gone with it more we might have won by 30."

UCLA would close the lead to 10 after a steal and lay-in by sophomore Baron Davis, but Ruben Douglas immediately extended the lead back to 15 with a three pointer and a fast-break slam dunk.

Overall, Douglas finished with 15 points, the third game in a row he has scored 15 or more. With Moiso in foul trouble and

UCLA freshman center Dan Gadzuric not playing because of a season-ending knee injury, the Wildcats easily held the rebounding advantage 46-31. Without an inside presence, UCLA was forced to take more outside shots. And with the exception of a first-half barrage of three-pointers by Davis, the Bruins shot poorly, finishing at 38 percent.

"It's difficult for them to play without Gadzuric," Olson said. "We did a great job on Moiso. He's quick, but he's not a low post guy."

The Bruins' inside depth was so depleted - forward Ray Young also did not play because of a bruised hip - they were forced to start 6-foot-7, 215-pound freshman forward JaRon Rush at power forward against 240-pound Michael Wright, who was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year Saturday.

While Wright only played 20 minutes due to foul trouble, scoring nine points to go with six rebounds, the effects of his departure were tempered by the defensive intensity of junior Eugene Edgerson.

While only gathering five points and five rebounds, Edgerson's off-the-ball defense on Rush and his timely rotations to help against penetration from Davis and Earl Watson were "invaluable," Olson said.

"The fans were rowdy and boosted our energy," Edgerson said. "I figured if I'm going out, I'm going fouling out."

While Rush did put up 16 points and 10 rebounds, he didn't get any help inside with Moiso, Travis Reed, Matt Barnes and Sean Farnham combining for only 12 points on 3 for 12 shooting.

Though a ceremony after the game celebrated the ending of the home careers of Terry, Bramlett and Jason Stewart, Terry didn't seem overly emotional after the game.

"We've got a long way to go," Terry said, referring to Friday's game with Oklahoma in the NCAA Midwestern Regional's first round at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. "It feels like we have some unfinished business."

Seth Doria can be reached at Seth.Doria@wildcat.arizona.edu.