Arizona basketball falls to Providence despite big night from Ryan Anderson

FULLERTON, Calif. — Kris Dunn scored Providence’s last 10 points, including a go-ahead jumper with 31 seconds left, and the Friars hung on to upset No. 11 Arizona 69-65 Friday night in the semifinals of the DirecTV Wooden Legacy.

Ben Bentil scored a career-high 21 points for the Friars (6-0) and Dunn finished with 19 despite playing in foul trouble most of the game.

Ryan Anderson had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Wildcats (5-1) and Gabe York added 10.

Providence will play third-ranked Michigan State (6-0) in the title game Sunday night, while Arizona plays Boise State in the third-place game at Honda Center.

Dunn picked up his fourth foul during a 22-9 run by the Wildcats that led to their biggest lead, 58-51. Anderson scored nine points in the spurt that was capped by York’s 3-pointer.

The Friars ran off eight straight to lead 59-58.

Anderson scored and York hit another 3 to give Arizona its last lead, 63-59.

That’s when Dunn started his scoring spree. Anderson’s two free throws in the middle of it tied the game for the sixth and last time at 65-all.

Dunn hit a turnaround jumper for a 67-65 lead, and his fastbreak jumper off Parker Jackson-Cartwright’s turnover sealed the win.

Neither team led by more than four points in the first half, when Dunn was limited to six points in 9 minutes because of two fouls. Arizona led 34-33 at the break on a jumper by Kadeem Allen.

TIP-INS

Providence: The Friars’ point guard in their 1997 NCAA Tournament regional final loss to Arizona was God Shammgod, now a grad assistant for the team.

Arizona: Starting C Kaleb Tarczewski sat out with an injured left ankle; he got hurt in Thursday’s OT win against Santa Clara. … The last time the Wildcats played the Friars, Arizona won 96-92 in OT to advance to the 1997 Final Four. The Wildcats beat Kentucky to win the national title that year.