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NCAA Basketball Scoreboard: Recap

Recap | Box Score | Today's Scoreboard

Arizona 101, Eastern Illinois 76

Posted: Friday March 16, 2001 06:39 PM

Eastern Illinois Related Info: Team Page Conference Page City Page: • Champaign

Arizona Related Info: Team Page Conference Page City Page: • Tucson Message Boards: • Arizona • Pac-10

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Arizona began its run in the NCAA Tournament like the team that began the season at No. 1.

With a dominant inside game, the Wildcats rolled into the second round with a 101-76 win over 15th-seeded Eastern Illinois in the Midwest Region at Kemper Arena.

The starting frontcourt of Richard Jefferson, Loren Woods and Michael Wright proved too much for the undersized Panthers. Woods had 17 points, nine rebounds and six blocks, Wright contributed 17 points and eight rebounds and Jefferson added 12 points.

The Wildcats (24-7) trailed by four with 16 minutes left in the first half, but went ahead for good with a 24-6 run and moved to a 55-33 lead at the half. They led by as many as 36 in the second half and cruised to their 14th win in 16 games.

Gilbert Arenas went 9-of-13 from the field and scored 21 points for Arizona, which shot 59 percent (41-of-69), outrebounded the Panthers, 45-33, and outscored them, 64-26, in the paint. Gene Edgerson came off the bench for the Wildcats and shot 5-of-7 and scored 13 points.

Seeded second, the Wildcats will attempt to reach the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998 when they play Butler on Sunday.

Kyle Hill went 11-of-18 from the field and scored 32 points for Eastern Illinois (21-10), the Ohio Valley Conference champion. The Panthers lost in the first round in their only other NCAA Tournament appearance in 1992.

Hill scored 10 of Eastern Illinois' first 12 points, including a 3-pointer which gave the Panthers a 12-8 lead with just under 16 minutes left in the first half.

Arizona responded with a 24-6 run, including dunks by Jefferson, Gene Edgerson and Arenas. Lamont Frazier's jumper capped the surge with 10:12 remaining as Arizona built a 32-18 advantage.

The Wildcats continued their hot first-half shooting as they went on a 14-6 run, including six points by Wright, to extend the lead to 46-24 with 5:12 to play. They took their biggest lead of the first half with 1:22 to play as Wright sank two free throws to give Arizona a 55-32 cushion.

Woods scored 13 points in the first 20 minutes as Arizona shot a blistering 62 percent (23-of-37) en route to a 22-point lead at the break.

Arizona vanquished any opportunity of a comeback from Eastern Ilinois by opening the second half on a 16-2 run. Arenas sparked the surge with nine points and Edgerson's three-point play with 14:25 remaining gave the Wildcats a 71-35 cushion. Eastern Illinois never got any closer than 24 thereafter.

It has been a trying season emotionally for Arizona, which is seeking its second national title in five years.

The Wildcats were the preseason No. 1, but endured the suspension of Woods early in the year and the death of coach Lute Olson's wife on New Year's Day. They bounced back with a solid finish, including a victory at then-No. 1 Stanford on March 8, which allowed them to vault to second in the Pac-10 Conference behind the Cardinal.

Henry Domercant scored 20 points, but went just 5-of-17 from the field for Eastern Illinois. The Panthers made 11-of-23 3-pointers, but shot just 37 percent (27-of-73) overall.