Guard hopes to regain shooting touch in return to Oregon

That's right. There's no place like home.

So as UA's seventh-ranked women's basketball team heads north to play the Oregon schools, starting with the Ducks tonight at 8 then a Saturday night contest with Oregon State, sophomore guard Lisa Griffith, a Portland native, is looking forward to more than a little home cookin'.

"I definitely want to play well," Griffith said, adding she works out with many Oregon players over the summer.

"I told them this year we were going to sweep them," she said. "There is definitely a little pride at stake."

But there is more than just pride on the line.

UA head coach Joan Bonvicini has been reminding the Wildcats all week that if they want to win the conference title, they have to win. Period.

Last season the Wildcats were 13-3 when they traveled to the Beaver State, only to be upset by then-7-8 Oregon State. In fact, Arizona has lost it's last four games against the Beavers on the road.

"This year, we're ready to change that," Bonvicini said. "We're going up there to get a sweep. You have to do better than just splitting on the road if you want to win in this conference."

If the Wildcats are to pull off another pair of wins on the road and go on to win the conference, they need more than just another super performance from senior forward Adia Barnes, who has won the conference player of the week twice in the last 21 days.

They need more than just good defense, which the Wildcats have proven can be provided.

Specifically, they need Griffith to break out of her season-long three-point shooting slump.

Last season Griffith set Pacific 10 Conference records in both three-pointers made and attempted on her way to being named to the All-Pac-10 freshman team, hitting just under 40 percent of her 234 attempts.

She averaged 12.5 points and four assists per game but has seen her averages drop to 7.9 points and barely three assists per contest, while hitting just over 33 percent of her three-point attempts.

"I'm not as effective," Griffith said.

But she said her teammates and coaches are helping her keep from getting down, even though her shots aren't.

"Adia has helped me a lot," she said. "She usually tells me to keep my head up."

"We just tell her we need you to be a leader, to play for the team," senior forward Mikko Giordano said.

Griffith said she "is just trying to get more consistent. I've been playing better defense and rebounding more. That should get me back on track."

And what better place to get back on track than in Oregon, where Griffith will have her own cheering section full of family and friends.

No. 7 Arizona vs. Oregon

(11-3, 5-1 Pac-10)(8-6, 4-2)

When: 8 p.m. tonight

Where: McArthur Court in Eugene, Oregon

TV/ Radio: The game will broadcasted on KFFN, 1490 AM

What: Arizona begins a two game series against Oregon and Oregon State... Best matchup should be between UA's Adia Barnes (22.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and UO's Brianne Meharry (14.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg)... Oregon's 6-foot-5 center Jennie Mowe is redshiting this season and will not play... UA sophomore guard Lisa Griffith is from Portland, Ore.