Arizona Wildcats rout Oregon, end Pac-12 Tournament title drought: By the Numbers

Mar 15, 2015, 5:35 AM | Updated: Mar 16, 2015, 12:19 am

Arizona Sports

The Arizona Wildcats emphatically ended their Pac-12 Tournament championship drought with the recipe that has served them well all season: superior rebounding and suffocating defense.

Led by 20 points and five rebounds from tournament MVP Brandon Ashley, the top-seeded Wildcats earned their first Pac-12 Tournament championship since 2002 by crushing No. 2 seed Oregon 80-52 in Las Vegas on Saturday night. UA will add that title to its Pac-12 regular-season championship after going 16-2 in regular-season conference play.

It was a moment of redemption for Arizona, which had lost in the tournament championship game in three of the last four seasons.

“There’s a great deal of significance because now when someone asks, ‘When’s the last time you won the Pac-12 Tournament title,’ we can say, ‘2015,’” UA coach Sean Miller told ESPN after the game.

“We’ve been in this game four times in the last five years. We’ve lost some heart-breakers. Some of the guys on our team were a part of that. I think that helped us today.”

Ashley went 6-of-8 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line Saturday. He went a ridiculous 19-of-26 from the floor and 21-of-24 from the line during the Wildcats’ three-game tournament run.

Oregon's Joseph Young (3) drives against Arizona's Stanley Johnson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Gabe York celebrates a 3-point basket against Oregon during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Stanley Johnson (5) fouls Oregon's Joseph Young during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Oregon's Dillon Brooks, left, shoots over Arizona's Elliott Pitts, center, and Arizona's Gabe York during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, left, blocks Oregon's Elgin Cook during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Brandon Ashley (21) passes between Oregon's Jalil Abdul-Bassit, left, and Oregon's Dillon Brooks during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Gabe York celebrates after making a 3-point basket against Oregon during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Brandon Ashley, left, battles for the ball with Oregon's Casey Benson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Gabe York (1) fouls Oregon's Jalil Abdul-Bassit during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Oregon's Elgin Cook, center, is defended by Arizona's Kaleb Tarczewski, left, and Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson celebrates a 3-point basket against Oregon during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Elliott Pitts (24) grabs a rebound over Oregon's Dwayne Benjamin during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona players and coaches celebrate after they defeated Oregon 80-52 in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona players celebrate after they defeated Oregon 80-52 in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Brandon Ashley holds up the most outstanding player of the tournament trophy after Arizona defeated Oregon in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Oregon's Joseph Young, right, grabs the ball by Arizona's Brandon Ashley, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dunks over Oregon's Dillon Brooks, left, and Oregon's Elgin Cook during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona players and coaches celebrate after they defeated Oregon in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona defeated Oregon 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dunks over Oregon's Dillon Brooks during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Stanley Johnson shoots over Oregon's Dillon Brooks during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Brandon Ashley, right, shoots over Oregon's Casey Benson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Oregon head coach Dana Altman yells toward the court during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Gabe York, left, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson celebrate after a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona's Kaleb Tarczewski, right, and Oregon's Joseph Young battle for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. Arizona won 80-52. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Arizona head coach Sean Miller holds up the net in celebration after his team defeated Oregon 80-52 in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 conference tournament Saturday, March 14, 2015, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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