UA's tournament title defense starts today with UCLA

Playing 27 games over the course of the regular season is fine with head coach Lute Olson. Adding three more to the schedule just before the NCAA tournament isn't.

The idea of potentially playing an additional three games in the Pacific-10 Conference Tournament, less than a week before March Madness begins, is something that Olson said he is not to fond of. [Read article]

The rest of the field takes the court today following UA's showdown with UCLA

No. 4 Arizona State (11-7, 19-10) vs. No. 5 Oregon (10-8, 20-9)
Game time: 4:30 p.m.

After getting smoked by Arizona State a week ago, Oregon wants a little revenge in the rubber match. Many experts of "Bracketology" say the Ducks need a win against the Sun Devils to secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament. On the other side, ASU is trying to win 20 games for the first time since 1995, and a win against the Ducks today would accomplish that. A victory would also nearly guarantee a spot in the tournament for a Sun Devil team that has only been dancing twice in the last 21 years. Luke Ridnour, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, could be playing in his last conference game if the Ducks lose. It's been rumored that the Oregon junior point guard will declare for the NBA Draft after the season. For ASU, the Sun Devils have an award winner of their own with freshman player of the year Ike Diogu. [Read article]

No. 21 Wildcats outlast Portland Pilots, 15-12

About the only positive result that came out of last night's marathon was the a Wildcat victory.

Arizona outlasted Portland 15-12 but suffered through sloppy fielding and inconsistent pitching in a four-hour torture session.

The teams combined for 29 hits, 22 walks, nine different pitchers and seven errors that closed out a painful series sweep for the Wildcats, who sank the Pilots 19-4 on Tuesday and endured a 20-minute post-game lecture from Lopez about the team's lack of focus. [Read article]

It's the same old story for the Arizona softball team ÷ another weekend, another tournament.

At least it's a new kind of tourney for the No. 1 Wildcats (26-2), a pool-play setup allowing 16 teams to battle it out over the next four days in Fullerton, Calif. This is the seventh consecutive weekend UA has participated in a tournament. and the fourth away from Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium in Tucson. [Read article]

The Rodeo club had two of its members finish in the top three, including a win in steer wrestling last Saturday at the 64th Annual UA Intercollegiate Rodeo.

Wes Kimble placed third in steer wrestling and second in calf roping while Clint Bucklew won steer wrestling to lead the Wildcats.

Head coach John Marcello -- who has been involved with the 64-year-old event for 35 years -- said he felt the team did well even though Larry Gibbons didn't place as high as expected. [Read article]