Big men shine in easy win

To those people, center A.J. Bramlett has some news.

"We're doing the same things we did last year when we won a National Championship," the junior said after scoring 16 points to go with seven rebounds in UA's 99-60 first round win over Nicholls State last night at Arco Arena.

Bramlett, who was the leading rebounder in last year's NCAA Tournament, had quite a lot of help from his friends.

Senior Bennett Davison had 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Sophomore Eugene Edgerson came off the bench to score eight points and grab five rebounds and junior Donnell Harris came on in reserve to grab six rebounds in just 13 minutes.

"(The problem) is that most people look at our points," Harris said. "Our main job is rebounding and defense. If we score, great, but we've got other guys who can go out and light it up."

The big four post men combined to grab 26 rebounds in a game in which Arizona outrebounded Nicholls State 57-37.

"It was obvious early that our size was going to be a problem for them," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said.

Nicholls State's starting frontcourt produced just 28 points between them and grabbed 13 rebounds.

A recent problem for the Wildcat big men - Bramlett in particular - has been foul trouble. In the final weekend of Pacific 10 Conference play, Bramlett fouled out of at Southern Cal and sat most of the second half with four fouls at UCLA.

Last night, however the group was a bunch of choir boys.

Bramlett and Harris committed just one foul apiece while Davison and Edgerson stayed foul-free, despite 24 and 15 minutes respectively.

The four are indignant at any suggestion of inconsistent play.

"That was last year," Bramlett and Edgerson said in the boisterous UA locker room after the win.

Then Bramlett added that his interior teammates "have done a great job."

He will get no argument from Nicholls State.