KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Sophomore forward Dennis Latimore changed his hair style and improved his game over the summer. He is expected to get more playing time this season, beginning with tomorrow's game against Western Kentucky.

Tomorrow's game might feel like dŽjˆ vu for Western Kentucky.

For the second-straight season, the Hilltoppers will open against a top-five team named the Wildcats on the road.

Last season, WKU made noise when it upset Kentucky 64-52 on its home floor, and tomorrow at 2 p.m. Western Kentucky is hoping the same will happen against the Arizona Wildcats.

"Playing the top team in the country is a great way to start the season," senior forward David Boyden said.

The game will also have similarities for the Wildcats, as it is the second time in three years the Arizona men's basketball team will open its season as the No. 1 team in the country when it takes on No. 19 Western Kentucky in McKale Center.

It will also mark the start of the 20th season that Lute Olson has been the head coach of the Wildcats.

Many UA players said after Wednesday's victory against Team Nike that they're just ready to get the season under way and prove that they're the nation's top team.

"We see all these other college teams playing and having games count for them, and we are ready to start having games count for us," senior point guard Jason Gardner said.

Arizona has looked good at times, but also rather sloppy in its two exhibition games this season. But those games don't have the same meaning as a game that counts on its overall record.

Tomorrow, the Wildcats will be taking on a Western Kentucky team that will be without its best player, All-American center Chris Marcus. WKU will turn to senior forward David Boyden, who is the reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Even without Marcus, who is recovering from foot surgery, the Hilltoppers still bring a style of basketball into Tucson that can give UA problems.

"(Marcus) brings a different thing to the floor, but I think they were 18-2 last season without him," Olson said. "(Assistant coach) Rodney Tention has the scout on them, and he said that they are more difficult to defend without him because of the flexibility, and because guys can step out and create problems out on the court."

But while Olson is careful not to discount WKU, Hilltopper head coach Dennis Felton is excited about the opportunity to play against the No. 1 team in the nation.

"We want to play the best, and this is a special opportunity for us," he said. "It's not only against great competition, but it will be against somebody who in everyone's mind is the best in the country."

But he is still modest about what a win will give his team.

"It would mean we were 1-0, (have) gotten off to a successful start and have about 30 more games to play," Felton said. "It's one game. One game on your schedule of a lot of games. It doesn't win us any championships.

"I'd rather be in a position like Arizona is, where nobody expects you to lose. We're trying to get to where Arizona is."

Arizona will add more firepower to its already deep arsenal with the return of sophomore shooting guard Salim Stoudamire to the roster. The left-hander has been out for nearly a month with a high ankle sprain.

It will also be the first time that Arizona will display its newly implemented full-court press against a real team. The Wildcats' press gave Team Nike fits Wednesday night as it created seven-straight turnovers at one point.

"We have never had too many problems with pressure and a full-court press," Felton said. "We're a team, over the years, that has really been able to take care of the ball, so it really doesn't concern me. It doesn't stand out as a concern more than anything else."