MENS BASKETBALL

Oregon 67, Arizona 59

MARK ANDERSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS - Jackson Shelstad scored 21 points, Jermaine Couisnard had 20 and Oregon shut down No. 6 Arizona for a 67-59 victory in the Pac-12 Tournaments semifinals.

N’Faly Dante had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Oregon (22-11), overcoming a tough early fall.

Oumar Ballo had 14 points and 12 rebounds for top-seeded Arizona. It was his 18th double-double this season.

Pelle Larsson added 11 points, but Pac-12 Player of the Year Caleb Love was held to six points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Oregon threatened to run away in the second half, taking a 61-48 lead before Arizona stormed back with a nine-point run. Four points came on one possession — a blocking foul and a technical on the Ducks’ bench protesting the call.

But Arizona’s rally fizzled from there.

The Wildcats (25-8) appeared on the verge of blowing open the game in the first half, going on an 11-point run to take a 27-13 lead with 6:52 left. They didn’t make a basket again until 3:01 into the second half — a stretch of 9 minutes, 53 seconds. Arizona also had 5:52 stretch in the second half without a basket.

Oregon nearly lost center Dante, a two-time first-team all-conference player, to an apparent back injury just 1:02 into the game. He fell over Ballo before the Arizona big man dunked for the Wildcats’ first points. Dante, who missed 14 games this season to injuries, was helped to the locker room. He returned with 7:41 remaining in the first half.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Oregon athletics press release

March 15, 2024