Pac-10 Roundup : Arizona Holds Off Cal, 69-67

Forward Eddie Smith scored 20 points, including a free throw with five seconds to go, to lead Arizona to a 69-67 win over California Thursday night at Berkeley.

Cal’s Chris Washington hit a long jumper with 24 seconds left to pull the Golden Bears to within three points, 66-63, but Arizona guard Steve Kerr, who scored 16 points, connected on two free-throw attempts with 15 seconds to cinch the win that improved the Wildcats’ record to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-10.

The Wildcats threatened to make the game a runaway by jumping out to an 8-0 lead and building it to a 28-10 advantage midway through the first half.

But the Golden Bears got back into the game by using a swarming full-court press that caused several Arizona turnovers.

Cal’s high scorer was guard Kevin Johnson with 20 points, Washington finished with 18. Cal is 8-4 for the season and 0-2 in Pac-10 play. Arizona State 89, Stanford 74--Bobby Thompson scored a career-high 27 points, 15 in the first half, to lead the Sun Devils over the Cardinal at Stanford.

Stanford, trailing 63-52 early in the second half, pulled to within six points on a field goal by Andy Fischer and a three-point play by Novian Whitsitt.

But Thompson, a sophomore, then made two free throws and a field goal and Warren Everett added a jumper and a free throw to put Arizona State far ahead, 70-57, with six minutes left in the game.

Steve Beck scored 20 points for Arizona State (6-6, 1-1). Stanford (8-5, 0-3) was led by freshman Scott Meinhart’s 17 points.