STANFORD, Calif. ÷ There were no streamers falling from the ceiling or nets being cut down Saturday night in Maples Pavilion.

There was just a little celebration, and even less time to revel in the victory, after the Wildcats won the Pacific-10 Conference title on Saturday night in Palo Alto.

Having to catch an immediate flight back to Tucson, each player ran into the Arizona locker room without thinking about what had happened on the court seconds earlier, when a game-tying 3-point attempt by Stanford's Julius Barnes went long.

A quick handshake with the Cardinal players and coaches, and the UA players sprinted back into their locker room to quickly change.

None of the players had time to flaunt their new championship in front of the sold-out Maples Pavilion crowd. Arizona could have taken the opportunity to revel in its victory in front of the opposing fans; after all, the Cardinal players had a small celebration on the McKale Center floor after they upset UA on Jan. 30.

But instead, the Wildcats rushed into the crammed locker room like they have after each of their 23 victories this season, answering questions from the media and talking about their next game.

Of course, there were chants of "We're the conference champs" and plenty of players talking about how good it felt, but there was also talk of it being a first step. Some players gave Rick Anderson a hard time for air-balling a free throw öö something he said he would not live down for the rest of his life. Saturday's game wasn't just another game; it was the first of what the UA players hope will be many in the month of March, each meaning more than the previous one.

Just two regular season games against Oregon and Oregon State remain. At the beginning of the season, many figured the matchup with Oregon would decide the Pac-10 champion. Now instead it has become a mere formality, and an opportunity for the UA seniors to have a less pressure-filled afternoon in their final game in McKale Center.

But Anderson said after the game that he enjoys the pressure. As Anderson prepares to bid farewell to the team, along with his fellow seniors, freshman Andre Iguodala is just getting started. Iguodala said he also likes the way things have gone for him in his first season in Tucson, because a year ago he never thought he would be a Wildcat. After originally signing with Arkansas, he left after head coach Nolan Richardson was released, and came to Arizona for one reason ÷ to win.

As he sat down on his stool in the locker room, quickly changing into a different pair of Nikes, he talked about how happy he was because he had never won anything before.

Fellow freshman Hassan Adams won a prep championship. The returning players from last season's roster all were Pac-10 Tournament champs a year ago.

But Iguodala said one ring is good enough ÷ for now. He wants more, and has two more chances this season.

And then the real celebration, with streamers and cut-down nets, can come.