TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona's Lute Olson didn't sound like the coach whose team won.

	Arizona's Luke Walton tries to back in toward the basket against Steward Hare.

"When you look down our frontcourt and you get four offensive rebounds from that starting line that should be killers on the glass, we may have to do it," he said. "You don't like to, but you've got no other options."

Jason Gardner scored all 12 of his points in the second half, helping the Wildcats survive another lackluster performance.

Arizona (10-2) used a steady diet of free throws -- outscoring the Seahawks 26-3 from the line -- to pull away. Two 3-pointers by Gardner were Arizona's only field goals during a seven-minute stretch in the second half.

But Arizona still went on a 20-3 run that began during the cold spell, opening a 62-41 lead on a layup by Gardner with 3:32 remaining, to advance to meet Delaware, which beat Alabama 76-66, for the championship on Thursday.

"I was rushing my shots," said Gardner, who was 3-of-5 in the second half after missing four attempts in the first. "In the second half, I made a shot and it got me going."

Gilbert Arenas led the Wildcats with 17 points, while Michael Wright had 13.

Oleg Kojenets had a season-high 14 points for the Seahawks (6-3). Brett Blizzard, the Seahawks' leading scorer, didn't have a field goal until there was 5:35 remaining, and finished with nine points.

"I really applaud Arenas' defense," UNCW coach Jerry Wainwright said. "I thought he did a great job. He has a great frame and great anticipation, and he really went after Brett Blizzard. That was part of Blizzard's problem -- he tried too hard because he had no other shooters on the perimeter."

Kojenets still thought Arizona was the best team the Seahawks have faced.

"I think this will help us in the future," he said.

It will be Arizona's 15th consecutive championship game appearance in its homecourt holiday tournament, where it is 29-0.

But the Wildcats came in with the memory of seeing their 37-game home winning streak snapped in their last game, a 70-68 loss to New Mexico on Dec. 21.

And Olson feels they haven't played well in four games since beating Michigan State on Dec. 11.

He saw little to change his mind in this one. Although UNCW never led, it cut the deficit to 22-21 on a bank shot by Stewart Hare with 3:40 left in the first half.

But Wright had a three-point play 21 seconds later, and Arenas pulled up for a 13-footer on a fast break and hit a 3-pointer after a pass from Gardner, who stole the ball at midcourt, as the Wildcats closed the half with an 8-0 run.

In the second half, Victor Ebong capped a 9-1 run by the Seahawks with a baseline jumper, and the Seahawks closed within 42-38 with 11:24 remaining. Then Gardner made a 3-pointer and two free throws, setting off the 7½-minute sustained run that put the game out of reach.

"It's frustrating that we haven't played as well as we are capable," said Arizona center Loren Woods, who scored three points and had one offensive rebound among his four. "Even if we are a little tired we should dominate teams."