LAS VEGAS -- T.J. McConnell laid out like a baserunner diving headfirst into a base. He missed the ball, but, after landing with a thud, jumped up and raced the other direction. Aaron Gordon, who did get the steal because of McConnells effort, flipped the ball ahead and Arizonas point guard ran under it, scoring an easy basket in transition. The play, and countless others like it in a spirit-crushing rout over Utah, let the rest of the Pac-12 field -- and the country -- know that one of the nations best defensive is in high gear for the post-season. Playing with a feverish intensity from the opening tip, Arizona raced through the record book and overwhelmed the stunned Utes in a 71-39 rout on Thursday to match the most lopsided game in Pac-12 tournament history. "We were locked in," Arizona coach Sean Miller said. "Everything that we wanted to do defensively, we were able to do it." Nick Johnson scored 14 points, McConnell 13 and Gordon added 11 for Arizona, which shot 53 per cent. That was just a side note to what the Wildcats were doing defensively. After playing two close games against Utah during the regular season, top-seeded Arizona (29-3) opened the tournament with a have-to-see-it-to-believe-it defensive performance. Energized by a raucous crowd that made it feel like the McKale Center, the Wildcats were at their lane-jumping, shot-contesting best against the Utes (21-11) to move into Fridays semifinals against Colorado or California. Arizona jumped on Utah early and had stamped its name in the record books by then, setting marks for fewest points allowed, fewest field goals (12) and lowest shooting percentage (25). The Wildcats held the Utes to 13 points in the first half, another record, and matched UCLAs 32-point win over Oregon State in 2006 to move into Fridays semifinals against Colorado or California. Jordan Loveridge and Delon Wright, Utahs leading scorers, combined for seven points on 1-of-4 shooting and Utah lost by 13 fewer points than its 10 previous losses combined. "When we get stops and get rebounds and get the push, our athleticism is really at play," Johnson said. "I think finishing with dunks and around the basket gets everybody going. Arizona had hoped to make a statement in the Pac-12 tournament to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Pac-12 regular-season champion Wildcats certainly did in their tournament opener, playing with an intensity Utah had no chance of matching after playing a close game against Washington the night before. The crowd at MGM Grand Garden Arena started chants of "U of A! U of A!" long before the opening tip and the Wildcats turned the game into a rout not long after the ball went up. Racing out for dunks and 3-pointers in transition set up by their climb-in-your-jersey defence, the Wildcats stormed past the Utes with an 18-2 run that put them up 22-6. Arizona kept its foot on the Utes behind its defence, contesting every shot, pass and dribble. The Wildcats held Utah to 5-of-19 shooting while forcing eight turnovers in the first half. Loveridge and Wright, who combine for over 31 points per game, took four shots and had no points between them. "They were really putting on a defensive clinic in the first half," Utah centre Dallin Bachynski said. Second half, more of the same. Utah missed its first 11 shots -- its first field goal came 9:15 in -- and at one point had five players on the court who had yet to score in the game. Yep, it was that bad. The only thing in doubt at that point was whether the Utes would get to 30 points. They got there with 4:17 left, but, boy, was it ugly. "They took pride in guarding us," Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said. 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Chuck Bednarik Womens Jersey . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire.WASHINGTON -- Ian Desmond had to wait nearly four minutes on third base Wednesday night while his potential go-ahead home run was reviewed. "I was just wondering what I was going to do if they messed it up," he said, "and luckily they didnt." After the replay review, Desmonds solo homer provided the go-ahead run as the Washington Nationals rallied from a three-run deficit for 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies, sweeping the three-game series. Right-hander Matt Belisle (2-4) came on to face Desmond with one out in the seventh. Desmonds hit appeared to bounce off the top of the wall in right centre, then off the railing in front of the first row and onto the field. "The way it bounced back hard like that I kind of assumed it was over, and the way that (centre fielder Drew) Stubbs kind of just didnt go after it made it a little bit easier," he said. "But at that point I was like Im going to get a triple, so yes I thought it was gone, but I wasnt 100 per cent sure." After a review that took 3:42, Desmond had his 15th homer. Jayson Werth also homered for Washington, which has won a season-high five straight. Washingtons Doug Fister (7-2) was hit hard early and allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings. "Constant battle all night," he said. "Biggest thing was making sure the ball got down in the zone." Tyler Clippard handled the eighth and Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 20th. Michael McKenry hit a three-run homer for Colorado, which has lost 14 of 16 and finished its road trip 1-6. Rockies rookie left-hander Tyler Matzek went 6 1-3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits in his fifth start. He threw 95 pitches, striking out six and walking one. Matzek struck out the final three batters he faced -- the last one being left-handed Bryce Harper - before manager Walt Weiss brought in Belisle to face the right-handed Desmond. "I think (Matzek) got stronger as the game went on, but he was in uncharted territory," Weiss said. "Hes a young guy that probably hasnt thrown more than 90, 95 pitches in the game." The Rockies took 3-0 lead in the second. Troy Tulowitzki and Corey Dickerson opened with singles. After Ryan Wheeler flied out, McKenry connected with Fisters second pitch for his first home run of the season. Coolorado hit the ball hard off Fister, who finished with five strikeouts and no walks while improving to 5-0 this season at Nationals Park.dddddddddddd He also got help from his defence, with Harper and Denard Span running down several balls in the outfield and Ryan Zimmerman making a diving stop in the seventh. "There was a lot of strong contact tonight but guys made some great plays," Fister said. Washington tied it in the fourth. After Anthony Rendon singled and stole second, Matzek fell behind Werth 3-1. He left a fastball up and Werth sent it just over the centre field fence for his seventh homer. "Had a base open, 3-1 to a big hitter, that was a stupid pitch," Matzek said. Harper followed with a bloop double to short left, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Desmonds single. "I dont think we ever think were out of it," Williams said. "We think that we have a chance at any time, especially three down." With the exception of Jose Lobaton spelling catcher Wilson Ramos, Williams used the same lineup for the third straight game since Harper returned, with Harper in left, Ryan at third and Rendon at second. Colorado turned a highlight-reel double-play in the first. With no outs, second baseman DJ LeMahieu made a sliding stop of Rendons grounder behind second base and flipped it with his glove hand to shortstop Tulowitzki at second. Tulowitzki barehanded the toss facing centre field, spun around and fired to first in time to get Rendon. NOTES: The Rockies acquired RH Jair Jurrjens from the Reds for minor league first baseman Harold Riggins. Jurrjens, who was pitching at Triple-A Louisville, has a 53-37 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven major league seasons. ... An MRI on RH Jhoulys Chacins shoulder did not indicate a quick return from the DL. "It looks like he has some (rotator) cuff inflammation and we need to sit down with the medical staff and figure out a plan of attack," manager Walt Weiss said. ... Williams said Harper, who has hit sixth since returning from the DL on Monday, will eventually move up. "Does he hit two for us, three for us, does he hit four? Yes. Maybe not today, but he will." ... The Nationals are off Thursday, while Colorado hosts the Dodgers with LH Franklin Morales (4-4, 5.75) opposing RH Zack Greinke (10-4, 2.78). ' ' '