Gardner leads Wildcats in "ragged" exhibition

ERIC M. JUKELEVICS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA freshman forward Channing Frye attempts a layup last night against Nike Elite in McKale Center.

It wasn't pretty, but the Arizona men's basketball team pulled out an 89-83 victory over Nike Elite last night in McKale Center.

Fresh off wins over three top-25 teams, Arizona started the game like the No. 8 team in the country.

Junior guard Jason Gardner, who finished with a game-high 22 points in 26 minutes, connected on his first two three-pointers and fellow juniors Ricky Anderson and Luke Walton scored two points apiece as the Wildcats jumped out to a 10-0 lead 2:40 into the game.

Both Gardner and Anderson were replaced by freshmen two minutes later, and Nike Elite promptly jumped back into the game, tying the game at 16 behind forward Rick Hughes's bruising play.

Hughes finished the first half with 16 points.

The lead see-sawed back and forth and with 2:22 remaining in the first half, the Wildcats clung to a four-point lead.

It was short-lived, as Hughes scored six points during an 8-0 run that game Nike Elite a 47-44 halftime advantage.

The second half started much like the first for Arizona, only this time the freshmen led the charge that gave Arizona the lead for good.

Freshman guard Salim Stoudamire's three-pointer put the Wildcats ahead 53-51, and Arizona never trailed again en route to an 89-83 victory in front of 14,345 fans.

Head coach Lute Olson said he was pleased with the team's performance for the most part, and said he wasn't surprised that the younger lineup allowed the visiting team to bounce back.

"Anytime you sub as much as we did, you are going to have inconsistencies," Olson said. "Especially when you have four freshmen on the court. It is just not the same as having veterans out there."

KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA freshman guard Salim Stoudamire drives against a Nike Elite defender during the Wildcat's victory last night over the exhibition opponent.

Freshman Channing Frye took advantage of his extensive playing time, netting 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field.

Frye, who had been used off the bench behind freshman Isaiah Fox, started the second half after a strong showing in the first frame.

"If I come off the bench, it will be good for the team. If I start, it will be good for the team," Frye said. "Whatever Coach Olson says, I do. (Nike Elite) was quite good. They were old and had a lot of experience. They were very physical."

Stoudamire said he was pleased with the way he and fellow freshman Will Bynum played in the win.

"I thought I did all right," Stoudamire said. "(The exhibition) have us a chance to use different rotations."

Gardner said that although the game was just an exhibition, the hard-fought victory was a learning game for the freshmen.

"The game for a little ragged, but we got a lot of guys playing time," Gardner said. "We were trying to run different things. Every game is going to be a battle, and (the freshmen) are starting to understand that."

Arizona will now focus its attention on No. 4 Kansas, who lost 93-91 to Ball State in the Maui Invitational last week and will take on the Wildcats Saturday night in McKale Center.

"I told the guys not to be fooled with Kansas's loss in Maui," Olson said. "(Kansas's) frontcourt is as good as we will face this year."