Hoops will take on Kansas after last night's victory

ANAHEIM, Calif. ÷ Coming off a one-point double overtime victory over No. 9 seed Gonzaga last weekend, many thought top-seeded Arizona was more lucky than good after the second-round scare.

Notre Dame was hoping a similar Arizona team would show coming into its Sweet 16 matchup with UA. What Notre Dame hoped for and what it got were two completely different things. [Read article]

ANAHEIM, Calif. ÷ Maybe the guys out West aren't so weak after all.

Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey liked his team's match up with a less-physical Arizona squad so much he said before the game he was even hoping the two teams would meet up.

Well, he got his wish but not even the luck of the Irish could have helped him out last night.

It turned out to be UA's easiest game of the tournament so far, an unexpected 88-71 laugher in the Sweet 16 that equaled the Fighting Irish's' worst loss of the season in their most important game. [Read article]

ANAHEIM, Calif. ÷ It would have been a rematch either way.

If Duke had pulled out the win, UA could have tried to avenge a 10-point loss in the 2001 NCAA Championship game.

But the Dukies didn't.

After beating the Blue Devils 69-65, Kansas will try to get revenge against a Wildcat team that embarrassed it at home ion national television in January. Arizona outscored the Jayhawks 67-30 in the game's final 25:41 en route a 91-74 victory in Lawrence. [Read article]

Wildcats open Pac-10 play as Oregon, Oregon State come to Hillenbrand Stadium

When UA head coach Mike Candrea switched yesterday's and Tuesday's practice to 6 p.m., he wanted his team to have an edge over tonight's Pac-10 competitors.

That's because the Wildcats will have to adjust to playing under the lights at UA's Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium beginning tonight at 7 p.m.

The night game will also be the first chance for the young Wildcat pitching staff to test its mettle against the brutal Pac-10 conference beginning with the Oregon schools. [Read article]

The Arizona baseball team heads to Los Angeles this weekend for its first Pac-10 road series against what has historically been one of its toughest opponents ÷ the UCLA Bruins.

In 75 years of competition, the two teams have fought almost to a stalemate, with UCLA taking two of three last year in Tucson to move out in front, 100-99-1.

But this year's incarnation of the matchup will see two teams that seem to be moving in different directions. [Read article]

After a spring break that resembled more of the coming of a new ice age than that of sand and sunny beaches, the Arizona gymnastics team will look to bounce back from its up-and-down performances at this week's Pac-10 Championships.

Tomorrow night in Los Angeles, the No. 20 Gymcats (4-11, 1-5) will battle for the Pac-10 championship, coming off their worst meet of the year last week against No. 18 Denver and West Virginia, a meet that initially appeared as if it would be canceled. [Read article]

Spring practice open to public, set to start tomorrow at 9 a.m.

After a two-week delay, the football team will begin its annual spring practice tomorrow at 9 a.m. on the practice fields at the east end of campus.

Because of all the coaching changes the Wildcats endured in the last month, the team was forced to push back the workouts, a move that head coach John Mackovic said would be positive. [Read article]

Men's swim sits in 12th at NCAAs

The Arizona men's swimming and diving squad made the most of its limited opportunities on the first day of the 2003 NCAA Championships from the Jamail Swim Center on campus at Texas.

Despite having only two athletes and one relay in the evening finals, Arizona sits in 12th place with a score of 41 points.

The Wildcats made the best of their only eligible relay by finishing fourth in the first event of yesterday evening's action. Freshman Lyndon Ferns began the race with a 19.80, he was followed by junior Eric la Fleur, freshman Simon Burnett and junior Luis Rojas who combined to swim a 1:18.28, bettering their season top time in this event, set earlier in the day. [Read article]

UA track and field will look to retain its trophy this weekend by repeating in the Jim Click Shootout held in Tucson.

Joining Arizona in vying for the ultimate prize in the Jim Click-sponsored meet will be squads from the University of Colorado and Cal State Los Angeles.

A full squad will be competing for the Wildcats this weekend with one notable exception. Pole vault sensation Amy Linnen will be out of the Wildcats' lineup this Saturday, as the junior nurses a foot injury she suffered at the indoor nationals. [Read article]