Arizona State holds off California 66-62

(AP Photo/Matt York)

By JOHN MARSHALL

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Evan Gordon scored 23 points, Ruslan Pateev had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Arizona State held on to beat California 66-62 Thursday night.

Arizona State (18-5, 7-3 Pac-12) went up 16 points after a 17-3 run in the first half and kept the lead around double digits until the Bears (13-9, 5-5) tightened up defensively in the closing minutes.

Justin Cobbs hit a 3-pointer to cut Arizona State's lead to three and followed Gordon's two free throws with another to pull the Bears within 64-62 with 22 seconds left.

Gordon hit 1 of 2 from the line at the other end to give Cal a chance, but the Sun Devils forced Allen Crabbe into a turnover with 9 seconds left. Jonathan Gilling sealed it by hitting 1 of 2 free throws after that.

Crabbe and Tyrone Wallace had 16 points apiece to lead the Bears.

Updated February 7, 2013