LAS VEGAS -- With his roster down to eight healthy scholarship players, Arizona coach Sean Miller knew one of his freshmen would have to step up during the Continental Las Vegas Invitational.On Thursday night against Santa Clara, two of them did.Lauri Markkanen had 16 points and nine rebounds, Kobi Simmons scored 14 and No. 8 Arizona advanced to the championship game with a 69-61 victory.The Wildcats (5-0) will play Butler for the title on Friday.Every game is going to be a tough game right now, Miller said. It was a great challenge. They played a 3-2 zone for 40 minutes, and for a young group like ours, we had our moments where we really did a nice job. If it wasnt for a couple of turnovers, I think we would have been even better against their zone.Arizona limited the Broncos to 36 percent shooting (9 of 25) in the second half. And yet, Santa Clara sliced its deficit to 59-58 when Jared Brownridge drained a long 3-pointer with 4:10 left -- the teams fourth straight 3 during a 12-4 run.But then Keanu Pinder converted both ends of a 1-and-1, Santa Clara turned the ball over and Parker Jackson-Cartwright hit a 3 to push Arizonas lead back to 64-58. The Wildcats closed the game on a 10-3 spurt, and the Broncos (3-3) went scoreless over the final 3 minutes.I think we just stayed confident in ourselves. We know what we need to do out there and we know what we need to get done, Simmons said. (If) we keep playing hard to the end, well get the victory. We were very composed, we got to our spots, we knew what we wanted to do and I think we did a good job.Brownridge had 25 points. Last season he scored a career-high 44 in Arizonas 75-73 overtime win against Santa Clara, hitting seven 3s and making all 15 of his free throws.Our team did a much better job this year guarding him than last year, Miller said. He made some really, really good shots. There arent many guards that play college basketball that are better ... being able to shoot the 3 than Brownridge.Henrik Jadersten and Nate Kratch each had 10 points for Santa Clara, coached by former Arizona State coach Herb Sendek.Arizona led 37-34 at halftime and scored 14 of the first 23 points in the second half behind Simmons. Every time the Broncos tried to answer, the Wildcats produced timely defensive stops and offensive production to maintain control of the tempo.We just kept fighting, rebounding the ball and being aggressive, said Markkanen, a 7-footer from Finland who is averaging 18.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. We were able to knock some shots down.BIG PICTUREArizona: After playing Butler, the Wildcats get some much-needed time off. Theyll have five days before their next game after playing five games in 11 days and their first six over 14 days in three cities.Santa Clara: Though the Broncos fell short, they showed they can hang with a nationally ranked power, which should help them when West Coast Conference play begins and they face the likes of No. 11 Gonzaga and No. 15 Saint Marys.TARGET PRACTICEAfter shooting 43.3 percent in the first half, the Broncos ended up at 40 percent for the game. Meanwhile, the Wildcats shot 48 percent overall while outrebounding Santa Clara 37-26.Santa Clara did an excellent job on offense, being patient and moving the ball, Miller said. Kobi played a really good game tonight for us. We challenged him a couple of games ago to give more effort defensively and nobody can question his effort tonight. He has a big upside.UP NEXTButler will pose the biggest test for Arizona since the Wildcats beat then-No. 12 Michigan State on Nov. 11 in Hawaii.Santa Clara faces Vanderbilt on Friday in Las Vegas, hoping to avoid dipping below .500.Cheap Saucony Shoes UK Outlet . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. Saucony Shoes UK From China . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. http://www.wholesalesauconyuk.com/ ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Saucony Shoes UK . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Discount Saucony Shoes UK . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said.EUGENE, Ore. -- Fast fact: Teenager Sydney McLaughlin can juggle on a unicycle.Thats nothing compared to this: The 16-year-old is headed to Rio, and will be the youngest to compete for the U.S. Olympic track team since 1972, according to USA Track and Field.And to think, the 400-meter hurdles phenom had a panic attack before the start of the trials. She thought the stage might be a tad too big for her.It wasnt. McLaughlin, a soon-to-be senior at Union Catholic in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, finished third on Sunday, behind winner Dalilah Muhammad and Ashley Spencer.Sometimes, I just forget that Im 16, said McLaughlin, who learned to juggle in fifth grade and has worked with kids at a juggling camp. Theres not as much expectation. You know, I dont get paid for this. Im here just for fun.Once she got to work, she certainly had a ball. She planned to celebrate by going out for dinner. On her menu -- a cheeseburger, maybe some sweet potato fries, and possibly topped off with a slice of cheesecake.I want be like her when I grow up, the 23-year-old Spencer said. At 16 years old, I wasnt doing anything. I was running track, but it was like, meh? Shes an Olympian.It has always taken a bit of coaxing to get McLaughlin to the starting line -- both as a kid, when her father bribed her with a chocolate bar with almonds to keep her running at 6, and just before the trials.But her high school coach, Mike McCabe, has a counseling degree that he put to good use. He told her it was only nerves and everyone gets them.I think it was more self-doubt, he explained. It was the big stage, `I dont know if I can do this, I dont know if I belong here.We shared with her that everybody has this. Its not jusst her because shes so young.dddddddddddd. The elites have it, and theyve been doing it for years.The pep talk hit the mark. Although, the world and American junior record holder isnt exactly used to trailing like this. She finished in a world junior-record time of 54.15 seconds, which was still 1.27 behind Muhammad. She also was able to hold off fourth-place finisher Kori Carter.Shes a beast, Carter said. Shes the truth. I was in every single heat with her and she carries herself like a pro. I know shes going to represent the U.S. amazingly.McLaughlin grew up idolizing Allyson Felix, who finished fourth in the 200 meters and missed out on making the U.S. squad in the event. But thats why McLaughlin appreciates Felix -- those kinds of setbacks dont get her down. Felix still has the 400, an event she won last weekend, and will focus on that.You realize that sometimes you have to lose in order to get better, said McLaughlin, who still plans to compete at world juniors later this month in Poland. Thats a big thing.McLaughlin, who turns 17 on Aug. 7, tried to find humor in just about everything. After winning her heat in the semifinals during a steady drizzle, she said, The rain messed up my hair, but thats OK.Just Sydney being Sydney.Shes super-consistent as a racer, McCabe said. You dont see many bad days. You come to a meet like this and you have to be on at the right time. She doesnt take herself too seriously. Running isnt her life. Running chose her. She just happens to be real good at it.---AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report. ' ' '