3/10/2005

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Channing Frye scored 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting and No. 8 Arizona routed California 88-63 Thursday in the opening game of the Pac-10 tournament.

Frye was perfect until missing a 15-footer with 13:05 remaining in the game. He sat down for good moments later, only because the Wildcats led by 28 points.

The game was all but decided at halftime, when they led 42-23.

Their comfortable lead allowed coach Lute Olson to give his starters a lengthy rest in the second half, when the Wildcats' lead ballooned to 30 points.

Arizona (26-5) advanced to Friday's semifinals, where they'll play Oregon State. The Wildcats have won 14 of their last 16 games.

The eighth-seeded Golden Bears (13-16) ended the season with seven losses in their final eight games. Cal has lost in the tournament's first round five times, including last year.

Arizona, the regular season Pac-10 champions, are seeded No. 1 in the tournament for the second time in three seasons. The Wildcats improved to 14-3 in the tournament, which they've won four times _ both are conference bests.

Jawann McClellan added 14 points off the bench for the Wildcats. Mustafa Shakur and Hassan Adams had 10 points each. Salim Stoudamire, who joined Frye on the All-Pac-10 team, was held to seven points.

Dominic McGuire led the Bears with 13 points and Richard Midgley added 10.

Arizona controlled the boards, 39-27, and shot 58 percent from the field.

The Wildcats dominated the first half, opening the game with a 10-0 run in which all five starters scored. They shot 57 percent in the half.

Midgley scored six of Cal's first 12 points to get the Bears within four points.

The Bears cut Arizona's lead to six points before the Wildcats ran off nine straight points, including four by Frye, to take a 32-17 lead. Stoudamire scored four of his seven points in the final 1:57 for the Wildcats.

Shakur hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1 second left to keep Arizona comfortably in front at the break.