Adams hits 20 again, Frye notches fourth double-double of year
A career day for Ivan Radenovic fueled a rejuvenated UA men's basketball team's return to a familiar spot among the nation's elite.
Scoring 90 points for the fourth straight game came relatively easily for the Wildcats, who dropped Oregon 90-66 yesterday in McKale Center, solidifying Arizona (13-3, 5-2 Pacific 10 Conference) as the nation's top-scoring squad.
"I said before the year started that last year we led the country in scoring, and that I felt this team would be a better offensive team," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said.
Behind the Serbian freshman Radenovic's 19 points and eight rebounds, Arizona was able to improve to 9-1 at home this season and second overall in the Pac-10.
With Arizona clinging to a three-point lead midway through the first half, Radenovic caught fire, scoring 11 of the Wildcats' next 13 points, igniting an 18-0 Arizona run that pushed Arizona's lead to 21.
Radenovic's two free throws closed out an emotional first half that saw junior center Channing Frye knocked to the floor, sending Arizona to the locker room with a 52-27 lead.
Despite the offensive outburst, the 6-foot-10 Serbian power forward gave the credit to his defense.
"We did a great job defensively," Radenovic said. "I'm proud that I am getting better."
Arizona rattled the sharp-shooting Ducks early in the game, forcing Oregon into 13 first-half turnovers ÷ six by the Ducks' leading scorer, Luke Jackson. Arizona turned the ball over just once in the game's first 20 minutes.
Radenovic was one of four Wildcats who scored in double figures. Sophomore forward Hassan Adams tied Jackson's 20 points to match the game high. It was Adams' third consecutive game scoring 20 or more points.
Oregon played better in the second half, outscoring the Wildcats 39-38, but Arizona's firepower proved more than the Ducks could handle. Frye, who showed no ill effects from his first-half flooring, posted his fourth double-double of the season, complementing 11 boards with 18 points.
"The good thing about our team is that someone always steps up for us each game," Frye said. "Other than the turnovers and defensive lapses, I think we played a great game."
Arizona's second half was highlighted by three alley-oop dunks. After Adams threw down a long pass from Mustafa Shakur, the freshman point guard took a lob from sophomore forward Andre Iguodala and slammed it home to give Arizona its biggest lead of the game at 26. Shakur returned the favor nine minutes later, setting up two of Iguodala's 14 points.
The Wildcats took pride in being able to dominate Oregon, a team that has given Arizona trouble in the past and that leads the nation in 3-point shooting.
"Oregon is kind of a rivalry game for us," Iguodala said of the Ducks. "The last couple of years, our games have been close and gone down to the wire. We try to play our best game against Oregon."
One of the keys to the win was the Wildcats' ability to control the boards and hold Oregon to under 10 offensive rebounds, Olson said. Arizona was able to meet the Hall of Fame coach's goal by limiting the Ducks to just seven offensive boards ÷ the same number that Frye grabbed for the Wildcats.
The win was Arizona's last home game until mid-February, when Southern California and UCLA travel to Tucson. The Wildcats' next four games come on the road, starting Thursday when Arizona heads to the Evergreen State to take on Washington and Washington State.