LOS ANGELES _ A year ago, Gonzaga's 7-foot-1, 300-pound big man, Przemek Karnowski, could hardly stand up. A back injury led to disc surgeries and difficulty walking, much less playing.
"It didn't look like he was ever going to play basketball again," Gonzaga Coach Mark Few said.
Karnowski's convalescence began one game before Gonzaga played Arizona, the team that had become perhaps its chief antagonist.
Gonzaga lost that game, as it usually had.
Before the teams renewed what has become arguably the West's premier rivalry on Saturday at Staples Center, Arizona had won six of seven meetings since 2000, including the past three seasons.
But Karnowski has returned, and he was the difference Saturday when No. 8 Gonzaga exacted a measure of absolution with a 69-62 win over No. 16 Arizona.
Karnowski led all scorers with 18 points on nine-of-13 shooting.
"I can't tell you how happy I am for him," Few said afterward.
This time, it was Arizona that limped into the meeting with only seven active scholarship players.
One player left to play in Australia. The top returning scorer, Allonzo Trier, hasn't played because of eligibility issues.
Then, Arizona lost point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright on Wednesday because of a high ankle sprain, an absence that "really affects everything and everybody," Arizona Coach Sean Miller said.
The Bulldogs exploited a makeshift Arizona rotation that looked unsure of how to score. Gonzaga converted on its first five possessions, sprinting to a 12-5 early lead. Miller called a timeout within the first minute, to little effect.
With few perimeter threats, Arizona couldn't offer much help to 7-foot freshman Lauri Markkanen, who has averaged 18 points and seven rebounds. The Bulldogs were free to crash the paint, and though Markkanen managed 14 points and eight rebounds, he made just four of 14 shots.
Gonzaga never trailed, but Arizona chopped the deficit to five points with about 90 seconds left. In its final possessions, Arizona worked for two open three-pointers.
Neither went in.
Gonzaga's Josh Perkins scored 16, and Jordan Mathews and Nigel Williams-Goss each added 10.
For Arizona (6-2), freshman Rawle Alkins scored 16 points and seven rebounds, and forward Dusan Ristic scored 12.
"We have our fingers crossed that we can get some good health and maybe a couple of our guys back," Miller said.
"And if we do that we may hit our stride in January or February in a way that maybe we couldn't."
He added dryly: "That's the only positive way I can look at it."
Gonzaga (8-0) was just happy to get a win over Arizona.
The last three losses to Arizona "really hurt," Perkins said.
"I couldn't even put in words how I'm feeling about that win."
