Post-Game Quotes

Michael Wright had 19 points and 10 rebounds to help the Wildcats (5-0), the Preseason NIT champions, end BYU's shot at its first 3-0 start in eight years. The victory was No. 400 for coach Lute Olson (400-120) early in his 17th season at Arizona.

Mekeli Wesley had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars (2-1), who were averaging 91.5 points after routs of California Riverside and Southern Utah. Terrell Lyday scored 18 points.

Wright also led Arizona scorers last season, when the Wildcats beat BYU in overtime in Provo, Utah. But Michael Vranes, who had 20 points for the Cougars in that game, got in foul trouble early and was held to six in this one.

The Cougars were tenacious in the first half and the first seven minutes of the second.

Arizona led 38-29 at halftime, and Wright scored five points in the first 1:21 of the second half, helping the Wildcats open a 45-32 lead.

But Wesley had eight points during a 10-0, three-minute run by BYU that got the Cougars within two, 48-46, with 13:33 left in the game. A key spot in the surge came when Wesley intercepted a pass underneath Arizona's basket, and Olson drew a technical for protesting a non-call.

Wesley made both free throws.

But Anderson took over, driving the baseline for a layup and making four free throws in 60 seconds, giving Arizona a 54-46 lead with 11:37 to play. With 10;37 to go, Gilbert Arenas tipped in a missed free throw, opening a 10-point lead, and the Wildcats won going away as Richard Jefferson, who plays ahead of Anderson in Arizona's frontcourt, scored five of his 10 points.

Anderson, who was averaging eight minutes, played six in the first half and was 2-of-2 on 3-pointers.

BYU opened an 18-10 lead on Lyday's second straight dunk 9:56 into the game.

But Jefferson had a dunk and a 3-pointer during a 15-1 Arizona run that sent the Wildcats to a 25-19 lead in the next five minutes.

BYU (2-1)

Vranes 2-7 0-0 6, Nielsen 0-2 2-2 2, Wesley 8-17 7-10 24, Lyday 6-16 5-6 18, Montague 1-3 0-0 2, Rivers 1-2 3-4 5, Christensen 1-2 0-0 3, Howard 0-0 0-0 0, Cooper 0-3 2-2 2. Totals 19-52 19-24 62.

ARIZONA (5-0)

Wright 7-9 5-6 19, Jefferson 4-6 1-2 10, Woods 2-6 5-6 9, Arenas 2-7 0-0 4, Gardner 3-6 2-3 11, Walton 4-6 0-1 8, Frazier 1-4 0-0 2, Wessel 1-4 0-0 2, Anderson 5-7 4-4 16, Javtokas 1-1 0-2 2, Pastner 1-1 0-0 3, Ash 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-57 17-24 86.

Halftime-Arizona 38, BYU 29. 3-Point goals_BYU 5-16 (Vranes 2-5, Wesley 1-2, Christensen 1-2, Lyday 1-5, Montague 0-1, Cooper 0-1), Arizona 7-14 (Gardner 3-5, Anderson 2-4, Pastner 1-1, Jefferson 1-2, Arenas 0-2). Fouled out_None. Rebounds_BYU 24 (Wesley 10), Arizona 41 (Wright 10). Assists_BYU 11 (Montague 5), Arizona 18 (Jefferson, Arenas 4). Total fouls_BYU 22, Arizona 16. Technical foul_Arizona coach Olson. A_14,345.