By
Brett Erickson
Loud, unruly, distracting fans have long been a part of college basketball. They're just not a part of the University of Arizona's women's basketball program - until now.
UA head coach Joan Bonvicini has her team headed in the right direction. With just five Pacific 10 games remaining before the NCAA Tournament, Bonvicini's squad is 8-5 in conference play and 18-7 in the season.
True, the Wildcats are two games behind first-place Arizona State, but the good guys have a chance to cut that deficit in half Saturday, as the in-state rivals face off at McKale Center.
This game has more good story lines than a General Hospital rerun.
For starters, the No. 23 Sun Devils beat Arizona 67-57 last month in a game after which Bonvicini ripped her team for a lackluster effort. The loss snapped Arizona's 14-game winning streak against its nemesis.
Also, Arizona needs some quality wins down the stretch to increase its chances of receiving a good seed - possibly a No. 6 - in next month's NCAA Tournament. And, as if the Wildcats needed more inspiration, a Sun Devils' win would all-but clinch the Pac-10 title.
Even with these additional factors, Coach B isn't shy about saying what this game is really about.
"This is a pay back game," she unabashedly said Tuesday afternoon.
Bonvicini isn't stopping there, though - she's putting her money where her mouth is. The head coach recently anted up $1,000 of her own money to the athletic department's marketing office for fan promotions at Saturday's game.
Bonvicini said the idea came from hearing about Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski purchasing pizzas for students who had camped out overnight for tickets. Major props go out to Coach B for doing this, as it proves she has a love for her sport that extends beyond the duties of a Division I basketball coach.
In conjunction with sponsorship funding from Pepsi, Bonvicini's money will be used to provide students with "McKale Crew" T-shirts. A cash prize of about $300 will be given away to the student with the craziest body paint.
The best part about the promotions, however, has nothing to do with the sweaty guy next to you with "AS-WHO?" painted across his chest. For the first time- well, ever- students will be able to sit together in a designated student section.
Sorry Grandma Jackson, this is for real.
Imagine sitting through a good game without being told to sit down or getting hollered at for berating opposing players. After Saturday, we'll finally know how Stanford and Duke fans feel.
Opportunities like this don't come often, especially for basketball-crazed college students longing for a student section. So, when students show up at 4 p.m. for the game Saturday, they've essentially got two options.
One, consider this a trial period of sorts. Who knows, maybe if we're loud enough and swing the pendulum enough in favor of the Wildcats, the powers that be will think twice about giving preferential treatment to the Button Salmon Society member who forked out $20,000 to the athletic department.
Think this might be our big chance? Think again.
The better option for students is to consider this a one-time opportunity. Go crazy. Get rowdy as hell. Use any means necessary - red laser pointers, costumes, whatever - to help Arizona defeat the Sun Devils.
"It definitely helps the home team, there's no doubt," Bonvicini said about having a rowdy crowd.
Of course, don't lose sight of what this game is really about. It's a huge Pac-10 game with conference and NCAA implications for both teams. It's also about bragging rights, revenge and pride.
But if none of this matters to you, consider this - what could you do with 300 bucks that you might get for donning a red and blue "F*#@ SPARKY" on your chest?
Saturday, 4 p.m., McKale Center, free admission. Free stuff. Let the games begin.
