By Bob Baum
The Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. - Even an unmotivated Arizona team was good enough to beat Oregon State at McKale Center for the 20th year in a row. Not by much, though.

Channing Frye scored 24 points, one shy of his career high, and grabbed 12 rebounds Thursday night as the No. 1-ranked Wildcats beat the Beavers 72-60.

"I just feel mentally that we weren't with it like you have to be," coach Lute Olson said. "Good teams don't let that happen."

The Beavers (13-13, 6-11 Pac-10), in their first year under former Arizona assistant Jay John, stayed with the Wildcats throughout.

"The whole experience has been surreal, unique, odd and novel," John said of his first trip to McKale as an opposing coach. "I play to win and I want my program to not be intimidated by anybody."

The Wildcats' Salim Stoudamire was 0-for-4 shooting and scoreless in 12 minutes in the first half. He didn't play in the second. Olson said the coaches didn't like Stoudamire's one-on-one play or the way he responded to their criticism.

"If that's the case," Olson said, "then this is a good time to get a good night's rest."

Stoudamire's status will depend on how he performs at Friday's practice, Olson said.

Frye was 10-for-14 shooting but Olson said the sophomore center should have taken more shots. Frye agreed he and the team could have done better.

"I have no explanation," Frye said. "We practiced good. Things just weren't going right. I have to give credit to Oregon State."

Luke Walton was the only other Arizona player in double figures with 12 points. He also had seven assists to reach 100 for the fourth season in a row. Hassan Adams had six points, three steals and two blocked shots.

Brian Jackson scored 16 for Oregon State, including was 3-of-6 on 3-pointers. However, he was only 2-for-8 inside the 3-point line. Philip Ricci added 15 points and Jimmie Haywood 12. The Beavers were just 9-for-21 at the foul line, 7-for-17 in the second half

Arizona (24-2, 16-1) clinched the Pac-10 title with its sweep at California and Stanford last week, and the Wildcats came out sluggish against the slow-down style of Oregon State.

Arizona used a 16-2 run to take a 22-10 lead on Adams' 15-footer with 8:20 to go in the first half.

The patient Beavers came back time and again, though.

Lamar Hurd's 10-footer cut Arizona's lead to 32-28 with 1:11 to go in the half, but the Wildcats scored the next eight points to go up 40-28 at the break. Frye had a three-point play, Andre Iguodala had a breakaway dunk off an Oregon State turnover, and Walton sank a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer.

Arizona got off to a listless start in the second half, and the Beavers went on an 11-4 run to cut it to 44-39 on Hurd's three-point play with 16:54 remaining.

Jackson's 3-pointer with 10:16 to play cut the Wildcats' lead to 58-54.

Walton scored inside to start a 6-1 spurt that boosted the lead to 64-54 on Adams' steal and breakaway stuff with 7:32 remaining, but even though Ricci was on the bench with four fouls, the Beavers didn't fold.

Jackson's final 3-pointer made it 64-58 with 5:45 remaining.

Frye's dunk with 3:10 left put Arizona ahead 69-60, then Walton made one of two free throws and the Wildcats led 70-60 with 1:56 remaining.