Associated Press
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 25, 1997

Wildcats pluck Eagles; Kentucky rematch next

Associated Press Arizona's Mike Bibby (10) drives past Duane Woodward of Boston College during the first quarter of yesterday's game in the Maui Invitational.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) - Mike Bibby scored 22 points, 15 on 3-pointers, and had seven assists Monday as top-ranked Arizona beat Boston College 99-69 in an opening-round game of the Maui Invitational.

The defending national champion Wildcats (2-0) had no problem with the Eagles, taking a double-digit lead less than four minutes into the game. Boston College (1-1) pulled within four points midway through the second quarter, but that was as close as it got.

Arizona got 17 points from Michael Dickerson, who was 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and four other Wildcats were in double figures.

The Wildcats shot 62 percent (39-of-66) and finished with a 38-28 rebound advantage. Bibby was 6-of-11 from the field, Dickerson was 6-of-10 and Bennett Davison, who had seven rebounds, was 5-of-6.

Antonio Granger led Boston College with 21 points, 15 in the first half.

Arizona will meet No. 8 Kentucky (2-0) in today's semifinals at 7 p.m. Tucson time. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. The Kentucky Wildcats beat George Washington 70-55 yesterday. Today's game is a rematched of last year's NCAA championship game, won in overtime by Arizona. No. 3 Duke faces Missouri in the other semifinal.

Associated Press Arizona's Bennett Davison (21) dunks over Mickey Curley (14) of Boston College during the second quarter of yesterday's game in the Maui Invitational last night in Lahaina, Hawaii.

It didn't take the Wildcats long to take care of business against Boston College.

Miles Simon scored off the opening tip and the Wildcats were off and running, building up leads of 10, 11 and 12 points before taking a 45-38 halftime lead.

The Eagles rallied several times, but the closest they could get was 30-26 with 7:30 left.

A 12-2 run at the outset of the second half, capped by a 3-pointer by Simon, gave Arizona a comfortable lead the rest of the way. Also in double figures for the Wildcats were A.J. Bramlett and Simon with 11 points each, while Davison and Donnell Harris had 10 each.