After a three year home drought against rival Arizona State, Arizona came away with a win at McKale Center with an 80-69 win over ASU on Saturday afternoon.
Derrick Williams led the Wildcats with 31 points and 10 rebounds, dominating the paint the entire game.
Williams proved to be too much inside for ASU, on many instances leaving the Sun Devils with no choice but to foul. The power forward went 15-for16 from the free throw line.
“”He’s emerged as one of the special players in college basketball, certainly in our conference,”” UA coach Sean Miller said. “”If you look at his free throw attempts, his rebounding, and consistency at which he does it.””
Williams, wasn’t the only member of the Wildcats front court to come up big against the Sun Devils, junior forward Jesse Perry was the Wildcats’ second leading scorer, providing a spark in the first half in which he scored 11 of his 13 points.
“”My energy level is all thanks to my teammates,”” Perry said. “”They feed off them and I feed off them, coming off two tough games against California and Stanford I thought I played well today.””
The Sun Devils jumped to an early 15-8 lead in the first five minutes but a long three pointer from sophomore Kevin Parrom made the score 15-11, leading the Wildcats to a 10-0 run and momentum shift.
After the Arizona took its first lead, it never trailed again, although the Sun Devils did make a push with late in the second half after an alley oop dunk by Carrick Felix made the score 60-55 with 7:31 remaining.
But from that point Williams was too much inside for the Sun Devils, getting to the free throw line and making eight free throws in the last minute.
“”I always done that,”” Williams said of getting to the free throw line. “”It’s just my teammates finding me. “” When I get collapsed on I have to kick it out. Today Jesse (Perry) was cutting to the baselines, getting open, and I could find him.””
Solomon Hill added 11 points and 4 rebounds for the Wildcats.
The Sun Devils shot 52 percent from the field but Arizona out rebounded the ASU 35-21, something that Miller was pleased with after the game.
“”Rebounding was big for us tonight,”” Miller added. “”Free throws and offensive rebounds were big for us tonight, did a lot to negate Arizona State’s 52 percent shooting.
Arizona will now prepare to travel to the northwest to take on the Washington and Washington State, with a chance to move into first place in the Pacific-10 Conference.
“”It may be early January, but these upcoming games are going to be crucial,”” Miller said. “”We are going to have to be at our best.””
