Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 25, 1991                   TAG: 9102250090
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: TUCSON, ARIZ.                                LENGTH: Medium

ARIZONA EDGES DUKE, KEEPS HOME WIN STREAK ALIVE

But two key steals, including Matt Othick's deflection of a pass by Duke's Christian Laettner, helped spur No. 9 Arizona to a 103-96 double-overtime victory over seventh-ranked Blue Devils on Sunday.

With Matt Muehlebach scoring seven points in the second overtime, the Wildcats (22-5) extended their nation-leading home winning streak to 61 games at McKale Center.

"I'd sure like to meet the ghost of McKale," said Brian Williams, who led Arizona with 24 points. "He's definitely got a jinx on somebody."

With Othick's pass deflection, Rooks hit a spinning layup with 3.8 seconds left in regulation for a 78-78 tie, and Chris Mills' 10-foot jumper with 13 seconds left in overtime tied it at 88. Mills missed a 12-footer at the buzzer and the teams played a second extra period.

Rooks, who hit a similar shot to beat UCLA here earlier this season, said, "I wouldn't say that I'm `Mr. Clutch.' It was a matter of position. I was just fortunate enough to get the ball and score in that situation.

"When we were down at the end of regulation, you're definitely looking at the streak ending. You start to wonder. The way we were shooting free throws, I thought they would catch up with us."

Duke's Grant Hill hit two free throws with 29 seconds left in overtime to put the Blue Devils ahead 88-86.

Hill, who scored all but two of his 19 points after halftime, had broken a 65-65 tie with a dunk, then hit consecutive layups, forced a turnover and hit two free throws as Duke led 76-72 with 47 seconds left in regulation.

Layups by Williams and Wayne Womack tied it at 76 with 26 seconds left.

Laettner's two free throws gave Duke a 78-76 edge before Rooks' shot forced the first overtime.

The lead see-sawed throughout regulation and the first overtime, with Bobby Hurley's 3-pointer tying it for Duke 86-86 with 1:14 left. Hill's two free throws and Mills' jumper followed.

But in the second overtime, Muehlebach hit a 3-pointer and Arizona never again trailed.

That shot, Hurley said, "was a key basket for them. It gave them the momentum they needed. We weren't able to come up with the crucial play to get us over the hump."

"We have an experienced team," Olson said. "The players did a nice job of keeping their poise. We've won a lot of close games, and it doesn't all come down to luck."

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said: "Our guys played really well . . . well enough to win. The game could have been won by each team a number of different times."

Two Muehlebach free throws made it 95-90, and a jam by Rooks put the Wildcats ahead 99-91 with 1:23 to go. Muehlebach's last two free throws with less than 23 seconds left put Arizona ahead 103-93. He finished with 14 points.

Mills added 21 points for Arizona, and Laettner had 26 for Duke.

The Wildcats converted eight of 10 free throws in the second overtime after making only 22 of 41 through the first 45 minutes.

Four Duke and three Arizona players fouled out, and Arizona broke its McKale Center record of 48 free throws attempted, set in 1988 against Washington.