Aztecs’ upset bid falls short

HONOLULU - No. 3 Arizona is off to its best start in 25 years, thanks to a defensive play that no one saw coming - except for Nick Johnson.

San Diego State guard Chase Tapley curled around a screen and burst down the left side of the lane in the closing seconds for what looked to be an uncontested layup. Johnson raced across and swatted the ball away, preserving the Wildcats' 68-67 win over the No. 17 Aztecs in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic on Tuesday.

"He made one hell of a play," Tapley said. "I just have to tip my hat off to him. I didn't even know he was around. He just came out of nowhere. I'm thinking the game is over. The next thing you know, the ball is going off the backboard."

Mark Lyons drove to the basket on Arizona's final possession and was fouled, making two free throws with 13 seconds left for the final points. Arizona (12-0) enters Pac-12 Conference play with its best start since the 1987-88 season, and with its first win over a ranked team away from home in four years.

"It took two great plays on both offense and defense to secure the win," Arizona coach Sean Miller said. "And we made both of them."

Solomon Hill, voted the tournament Most Valuable Player, kept Arizona in the game by scoring 21 points and holding Jamaal Franklin to nine, ending his streak of 32 straight games in double figures. With the game tied at 66, Franklin was fouled on a drive with 31 seconds left, but missed one of two free throws.

That turned out to be the difference.

Tapley led the Aztecs (11-2) with 19 points.

"It hurts," San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said. "It's hard when you have a chance to win a championship, have a shot to beat an undefeated team, and you don't quite get it done, and you think you're going to do it right until the very last play of the game. It hurts badly."

Neither team led by more than two points over the final 10 minutes, which featured big shots by both teams. But it came down to a defensive play that left the Wildcats celebrating at midcourt and the Aztecs - Tapley in particular - not sure what hit them.

"My instincts took over," Johnson said.

The buzzer sounded during a scramble for the loose ball by the sideline.

Arizona won despite shooting only 37 percent from the field, including 5 of 20 on 3-pointers

"I don't think we had a bad shooting night," Miller said. "I think we played a great defense."