RAMIN RAHIMIAN/ The Daily Californian Arizona guard Jason Gardner drives past California guard Richard Midgley during the Wildcats' 13-point win in Berkeley last night. Gardner finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds.

No. 1 UA deadly from downtown in rout of No. 23 Cal on first leg of Bay Area road trip

BERKELEY, Calif. ÷ Call it a redemption game for Luke Walton.

After getting shut out in the Wildcats' last game against the Golden Bears in Tucson, the senior scored 20 points and made two clutch 3-pointers in Arizona's 88-75 victory in Haas Pavilion last night.

Arizona moved within one game of claiming the Pacific-10 Conference title and a victory against Stanford tomorrow could clinch it.

The No. 1 Wildcats (22-2, 14-1) were locked on the basket all night, making 52 percent from the field and a remarkable 53 percent from the 3-point line. California (17-9, 9-6) was 46 percent from the floor.

Walton and sophomore Salim Stoudamire each put up 20 points and managed to make big plays every time the Golden Bears, and the deafening arena, tried to close the gap.

"I felt real good tonight," said Walton, who went 7-of-9 on field goals. "I really wanted to give it something because of last time."

When Cal visited Tucson on Feb. 1, Walton scored zero points. He opened last night by going a perfect 5-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-2 from the 3-point line.

Walton sent Cal fans to their cars with three minutes left in the second half by sinking two free throws to widen the UA lead to 80-67.

The Bears sent Arizona to the line 32 times, making 26, compared with the 12 of 17 Cal was allowed.

Sophomore Channing Frye had another veteran-like performance underneath the glass, putting up 15 points and pulling down five rebounds.

The final serious run the Bears put together in the second half was silenced by a deep three from Stoudamire as it put UA up 71-61.

"Every time we made a run, Salim hit a shot," said Cal head coach Ben Braun of the sophomore. "They withstood every run we made."

Cal relied on senior Joe Shipp to keep it in the game, but Shipp was not the same in the second half, as his cold looked to be taking effect. After putting up 14 in the first, he only managed three in the second.

Shipp's role was not only to put up points but also to hold the Wildcats on offense.

"(Shipp) is a tough defender," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said. "The toughest thing for a defender is to play against a quick guard."

Jason Gardner had 15 points and a team leading seven rebounds.

"The leadership of the seniors is so vital," Olson said. "You're not going to shake them up."

A freshman made his presence felt in the first half when Andre Iguodala drove through the set Cal defense and went over 6-foot-10 inch Gabriel Hughes for a dunk, silencing the rowdy crowd.

Now the sights of the Wildcats are set on Palo Alto and Stanford.

"We've only lost one league game and that was to them," said Olson about tomorrow's 5 p.m. MST tip-off. "We know one thing for sure, it will be sold out and everyone will be excited about the game."

Game notes

Cal alumnus Kevin Johnson was in attendance, as well as musician Huey Lewis and Cal football coach Jeff Tedford · It wasn't Bill Walton in the stands rooting on Luke Walton this game but rather his other three sons. Chris Walton, who is redshirting this season at San Deigo State, was wearing a Luke Walton Arizona jersey · It was the Wildcats' first game without sophomore Dennis Latimore since he transferred on Tuesday · The UA bench was just six deep compared to the Golden Bears who had 13 players on their bench.