A more aggressive Chase Budinger in the second half successfully battles for an offensive rebound before taking it back up for a basket. xxx

Dean Knuth / Arizona Daily Star

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It was a classic Chase Budinger moment — with a twist.

With the Wildcats leading Oregon State 59-54 Thursday, the UA swingman started the possession on the left wing, shot toward the post and came off a curl above the free-throw line, moving to his right.

With a hand in his face, he pulled up for a fall-away jumper, the way he always seems to do — which drives fans and his coaches nuts.

But after the sophomore released the ball, he broke for the rim. The rebound kicked to him as he sprinted to the right block, landing in his arms on the way to an easy layup.

"A shooter knows when he's gonna miss," Budinger said.

A minute and a half later, a layup attempt by Budinger was blocked. Using his volleyball skills, he jumped right back up and made the follow-up shot.

"I call that luck," he laughed.

Kevin O'Neill calls that progress.

Budinger scored only two points in the first half of Arizona's all-too-close-call against the Beavers, making 1 of 6 shots and not getting to the free-throw line.

He rallied for 18 points — and an attitude adjustment — in the second half to lead the UA to a 76-63 victory.

Senior guard Jawann McClellan said Budinger played "nonchalantly" in the first half.

O'Neill, the interim head coach, said Budinger was "a little bit lethargic and a little bit satisfied to just run around."

At halftime, he heard about it.

"I wasn't being very aggressive," Budinger said. "I kinda got chewed out for that."

By whom?

"Every staff member," he said, "and players."

With freshman guard Jerryd Bayless out Thursday — and probably Saturday — the Wildcats rely on Budinger being aggressive. Which, apparently, does not seem to come very naturally.

Some players are too selfish; Budinger is too unselfish, O'Neill said.

McClellan compared him to former Wildcat Salim Stoudamire, saying the difference is "night and day" when Budinger becomes more tenacious.

"Chase can be as good as he wants to be when he wants to be aggressive," McClellan said.

O'Neill wanted to get Oregon State in the bonus — seven fouls, putting the UA on the free-throw line for at least a one-and-one — as quickly as possible.

Budinger obliged, drawing five fouls in the first eight minutes. The Beavers were in the bonus before the 12-minute mark, and Budinger's free throws helped him find his shooting touch.

By the time Budinger made his seventh free throw only 7:07 into the second half, the UA had pulled within two. The Wildcats would soon pull away.

Budinger said he expected the halftime pep talk when he walked into the locker room.

"It was something I needed," he said. "It's something that my personality definitely needed."

The change was evident, even from half to half. In the first period, Budinger drove through the lane and could have dunked — but passed instead.

With 2:35 in the game, Budinger caught the ball at the left elbow, pump-faked, drove to the basket and dunked, uncontested.

It was Chase Budinger, version 2.0.

"He got to the basket," O'Neill said. "He was tough; he was tenacious; he was nard-nosed."