TUCSON, Ariz. - Chase Budinger scored 25 points to help No. 17 Arizona hold off Northern Arizona 76-69 on Tuesday night, opening the season without Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson on the bench.

Arizona head coach Kevin O'Neill signals to his players against Northern Arizona in the first half of a college basketball game at McKale Center on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007, in Tucson, Ariz. (AP Photo/Wily Low)

Olson, who has been on a personal leave of absence since Nov. 4, was replaced by assistant Kevin O'Neill. Olson had missed only seven previous games during his 25-years as Wildcats coach. Six came after the death of his wife Bobbi during the 2000-2001 season and one was against LaSalle due to a back injury in 1994. Arizona is 5-3 without him.

With O'Neill in charge, Arizona started two freshmen and a pair of sophomores, who struggled to put Northern Arizona away until the final seconds.

The Wildcats (1-0) got 18 points from freshman guard Jerryd Bayless and 15 from Jawann McClellan, including a pair of free throws to seal the victory with 11 seconds left.

Nate Geiser and Kyle Landy each scored 17 points for NAU (1-1).

The Wildcats took a 74-69 lead on a pair of Budinger free throws with 44 seconds left after two free throws by NAU's Ryan McCurdy.

The Lumberjacks, who trailed most of the game, closed the gap with a 13-0 run late in the second half, pulling to 66-63 with 5 minutes remaining following Zach Filzen's three-point play.

Arizona had led by 16 with a pair of Budinger free throws and a Nic Wise 3-pointer before Geiser hit back-to-back 3s to keep the Lumberjacks within striking distance.