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Terry leads UA to another close win

From The Associated Press
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 22, 1999
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[Picture]

Associated Press
Arizona Daily Wildcat

Arizona sophomore forward Justin Wessel (30) and senior point guard Jason Terry (31) double-team Oregon guard Frederick Jones during the first half at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., last night. Terry scored 37 points in the No. 9 Wildcats' 85-83 win over the Ducks.


Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. - Practically everything Jason Terry put up hit the mark against Oregon last night. Even a few choice words for a jittery freshman at the free throw line.

Terry scored a career-high 37 points as No. 9 Arizona held off Oregon for an 85-83 victory yesterday in another close game for both teams.

"The veterans on this team are not used to losing," said Terry, the leader on a team that starts three freshmen. "So when the game is on the line, we take it upon ourselves to win the ballgame."

Terry, who didn't score over the final 6:38, used some guile to help his team fend off a late charge.

Arizona had an 84-83 lead, but a long three-pointer by Terry rattled out with about 30 seconds left, giving the Ducks a chance to take the lead.

With the clock winding down, freshman Frederick Jones drove the lane and was fouled on a wild jumper. After Terry and teammate A.J. Bramlett spoke to him briefly, Jones missed both free throws badly.

"I told him, 'You're a freshman; you're going to miss these shots,'" Terry said. "But I was just joking. I didn't think he'd miss them both."

Arizona's Richard Jefferson came up with the rebound and was fouled with 2.6 seconds left. He made one of two to give the Wildcats an 85-83 lead.

After a timeout, the Ducks' A.D. Smith flung a baseball pass to midcourt, but the ball was tipped, and time ran out before Oregon could get off a desperation shot.

"There is one reason we won this basketball game: Jason Terry," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said. "He did everything that could possibly be done, not only in scoring but steals as well."

THE BOX

No. 9 ARIZONA 85, OREGON 83

ARIZONA (13-2)

M.Wright 2-5 10-10 14, Jefferson 4-5 3-4 12, Bramlett 5-8 2-4 12, Douglas 2-6 0-0 6, Terry 11-21 10-10 37, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Wessel 0-0 2-2 2, Edgerson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 25-50 27-30 85.

OREGON (10-6)

Smith 5-11 2-2 12, Scales 5-11 1-1 14, Carson 6-10 2-3 14, D.Wright 3-5 3-3 10, Jones 4-8 3-7 13, Harker 0-0 0-0 0, Rosemond 3-6 0-2 9, Quinine 0-1 1-2 1, Brown 2-7 4-4 10, McShane 0-1 0-0 0, Hartenstein 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 28-63 16-24 83.

Halftime-Arizona 39, Oregon 35. 3-Point goals-Arizona 8-13 (Terry 5-9, Douglas 2-3, Jefferson 1-1), Oregon 11-25 (Rosemond 3-5, Scales 3-6, Jones 2-3, Brown 2-5, D.Wright 1-3, McShane 0-1, Smith 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Arizona 26 (M.Wright 6), Oregon 39 (Smith 9). Assists-Arizona 7 (Terry 3), Oregon 18 (D.Wright 13). Total fouls-Arizona 20, Oregon 23. A-9,087.

Terry had 21 first-half points on 6-of-9 shooting, but the rest of the Wildcats were just 6-of-13, and Oregon was within 39-35 at halftime. In all, Terry was 5-of-9 from three-point range and 10-of-10 from the free throw line. He also had five steals.

His previous career high was 30 points, set Jan. 9 against Washington. He entered the game leading the Pac-10 in scoring at 20.6 points per game.

The 37 points were the most by an Arizona player since Damon Stoudamire scored 40 in a double-overtime game against Washington State in March 1995.

It was the fourth straight close game for Arizona (13-2, 5-1 Pac-10). The Wildcats beat Washington on a last-second tip-in Jan. 9. Last week, Arizona beat Arizona State 74-73 before losing at New Mexico 79-78 at the buzzer.

It was also the fourth narrow loss for Oregon (10-6, 2-5) in the last two weeks. On Jan. 7, Southern Cal's Adam Spanich hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to win 85-84, then the Ducks lost 65-63 to UCLA. Last week, Oregon beat Washington State 87-83 in three overtimes before losing 86-76 in overtime at Washington.

"We've lost some tough ones down the stretch. Tonight we really let one man kill us," said Oregon's Darius Wright, who had 13 assists.

Alex Scales and Mike Carson each had 14 points to lead six Oregon players in double figures.

Michael Wright added 14 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats.

Terry scored nine straight points for Arizona at one point, and his four free throws gave the Wildcats a 75-70 lead with 6:38 left.

A three-pointer by Oregon's Wright cut Arizona's lead to 81-79 with 3:27 left, and the Ducks tied it on a short jumper by Jones at the three-minute mark.

On the next possession, Bramlett was fouled but missed his second free throw. At the other end, Oregon's Flo Hartenstein missed a wide-open lay-up after a lob pass by Wright.

"He was too off-balance to dunk it," Oregon coach Ernie Kent said. "He should have just made it. I counted half a dozen shots we missed at point-blank range."

Arizona's Wright was fouled and hit two free throws, giving the Wildcats an 84-81 lead with 1:45 left. Oregon's Wright was fouled with 1:03 left and made both, cutting it to 84-83, but the Ducks didn't score again.

Arizona, which leads the Pac-10 in rebounding and rebounding margin, was beaten 39-26 by the Ducks, but was 27-of-30 from the free throw line.