PHOENIX, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Jason Gardner scored 23 points and Rick Anderson added a career-high 18 Tuesday night as No. 8 Arizona posted an 87-82 victory over sixth-ranked Illinois in a rematch of the schools' NCAA Tournament meeting a season ago.
The teams met three times in 2000-01 with the Wildcats winning twice, including an 87-81 triumph in the Midwest Region finals that sent them to the Final Four. Things were supposed to be different this season with Illinois returning a veteran squad and the Wildcats losing four starters.
Arizona (4-1) took command in the first half, scoring 10 straight points for a 17-13 lead with just over 12 minutes left before the break. The Wildcats closed the half with nine straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers from freshman and Illinois native Will Bynum.
The first half included a bizarre stretch of over five minutes for Illinois (6-2) in which it did not attempt a field goal.
The lead grew to 58-39 with 15:20 remaining before the Fighting Illini finally made a run. A 16-4 run, capped by a pair of free throws by Damir Krupalija, pulled Illinois within 64-59 with 7:18 remaining.
Arizona responded with an 8-3 spurt, with a pair of free throws by Gardner extending the lead to 72-62 with 4:42 to go.
The Illini did not quit and Frank Williams, who matched a career-high with 30 points, nailed a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to cut the deficit to 84-80. Williams committed his fifth foul on Gardner, who made two free throws for a six-point cushion.
