Pac-12 basketball: Arizona State tops California; Stanford beats Arizona

Remy Martin scored 19 points and Arizona State did just enough to beat California 72-68 on Thursday night to end a COVID-extended six-game losing streak that dated back to Dec. 13.

Jalen Graham added 12 points and Josh Christopher 11 for the Sun Devils (5-8, 2-5 Pac-12 Conference), whose other conference win came Dec. 3 at Cal. ASU has had five league games games postponed and a nonconference game cancelled.

Matt Bradley, in just his second game back after a five-game layoff for a sprained ankle, scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Golden Bears (7-11, 2-9), who have lost three straight. Andre Kelly added 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Martin sandwiched a pair of layups around a Marcus Bagley basket in a 6-0 surge that finally put ASU up for good, 60-56 with 7:02 to play. Christopher, who made ASU’s only 3-pointers with three in the second half, made it 65-59 with 4:19 left.

Bradley scored 11 of Cal’s last nine points, keeping the game close as ASU missed three free throws in the last 1:40, including the front end of a 1-and-1.

The Sun Devils shot 50% (28 of 56) but were only 3 of 14 from 3-point range and 13 of 20 from the foul line.

Cal only shot 39% but hit seven triples and dominated the glass 43-29, with 15 offensive rebounds.

Arizona State bolted to a 17-5 lead as the Golden Bears started the game shooting 2-of-14. But with the Sun Devils up 25-13 with 6:46 left in the first half the script flipped.

Cal scored nine straight points and turned that into a 17-4 run, taking a 30-29 lead into the break on Kelly’s layup with just less than a minute to go.

The Golden Bears made 8 of 14 shots in the last 6 1/2 minutes while the Sun Devils were 1 of 9. Cal only shot 35% but had a 27-14 rebounding advantage, 12-1 on the offensive glass. Arizona State was 0 for 6 behind the arc.

Cal goes to Arizona on Saturday while Stanford visits Arizona State.

Stanford 73, Arizona 64

Jaiden Delaire tied his career high with 21 points, 14 in the second half, as Stanford rallied late to defeat Arizona 73-64 on Thursday night.

The win marked Stanford’s first win at the McKale Center — and first sweep of Arizona — since 2008. The Wildcats are now 115-15 at McKale.

Oscar da Silva added 17 points, Michael O’Connell a career-high 14 and Spencer Jones 10 for Stanford (10-5, 6-3 Pacific-12 Conference). Arizona (12-4, 6-4) saw a three-game win streak come to an end and lost for the third time at home this season.

Delaire, Jones and da Saliva combined to score 19 points in Stanford’s 20-8 late-game surge as the Cardinal broke away from Arizona.

Delaire made his last four shots from the field and added a pair of free throws with 45 seconds left to keep Stanford’s lead at seven points.

James Akinjo scored 17 with six assists to pace the Wildcats. Terrell Brown Jr. added 13 points, Dalen Terry and Bennedict Mathurin 10 apiece.

Stanford outscored Arizona 34-14 on points in the paint in a game that was statistically nearly even otherwise.

Mathurin scored six in a 9-0 surge as Arizona grabbed a 51-46 lead at the midpoint of the second half. It matched the Wildcats largest lead of a game where — until the final seconds — they never trailed by more than seven.

Stanford plays next at at Arizona State on Saturday. Arizona is home against Cal on Saturday.