ERIC M. JUKELEVICS/Arizona Daily Wildcat ASU senior forward Awvee Storey attempts a dunk over Arizona's Isaiah Fox, a freshman forward, earlier this season in Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe.

More at stake for Cats than bragging rights tonight against Sun Devils

The opportunity for No. 14 Arizona to avenge its 88-72 loss to Arizona State earlier this season takes place tonight in the 200th installment of the I-10 showdown. But there's more than just pride on the line for the Wildcats in the rematch.

Much of UA's fate in the upcoming Pacific 10 Conference tournament will rest on the result of tonight's game against the Sun Devils (14-10, 7-8 Pac-10), as Arizona could fall into sixth place in the conference with a loss after being in first place before last week's losses against UCLA and USC.

ASU, on the other hand, cannot finish below seventh place in the conference, and would have to win out in order to have a chance to move up in the standings.

"I think it's more important where we're sitting right now in the Pac-10 than revenge. We need this win," UA junior forward Luke Walton said. "We had two hard losses last week, but I think if we can get three straight home wins, we should be in good shape."

Junior point guard Jason Gardner also said that ASU is now just another Pac-10 team trying to get in the way of a conference title for the Wildcats.

"In my years here and the years before I came here, it always seemed that UA was the team that won both games, and this year they beat us in Tempe and the Pac-10 is so close, so it's more than just a UA-ASU game," he said. "If you want first place you can't have any more losses, and we have a chance to go three and out and get back into first place."

However, head coach Lute Olson said he wasn't getting caught up in looking past this ASU team, especially since it has won three out of its last four games, including a win over UCLA in Pauley Pavilion.

"They're playing very well. (ASU head coach) Rob (Evans) has got them playing hard," Olson said. "Defensively they get after you - they're a very aggressive team."

The last time the two teams played, four ASU players scored in double figures, led by senior forward Chad Prewitt's 22 points. But the biggest advantage in that game for ASU was in the backcourt, where the guard combo of junior Curtis Millage and freshman Jason Braxton seemingly penetrated at will and wreaked havoc on Arizona's interior defense.

"Millage has really helped them. It's given them a very quick guy with the ball, as does Braxton. Their guards are really quick, they penetrated on us like we weren't there," Olson said.

ASU also held a 10-rebound advantage over UA in that game, an area of play that Olson has pointed out as the Wildcats' biggest weakness.

"We have to rebound a whole lot better against the good teams, and that starts with ASU." Olson said. "They dominated us on the glass up there. We need to get much more consistent on the boards."

Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, their job on the glass will be a little more difficult this time around since one of their best rebounders, forward Awvee Storey, will be sitting out with a swollen left retina and a cut on his lower left eyelid. The senior suffered the injuries after being poked in the eye during a Feb. 9 game against Washington. Sophomore swingman Kenny Crandall will also be out.

Injuries aside, Walton said he expects ASU to play the way it usually does against UA: hard.

"They come and they want it to get physical and get you out of your game, but you can't let them do that," he said.