CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior forward Krista Warren and 19th-ranked Arizona play Arizona State tonight in Tempe.

It doesn't matter what sport it is. It doesn't matter what time of the year it is. Any game against Arizona State is big, and tonight's women's basketball game is no exception.

The No. 19 Wildcats (12-3, 6-2) travel to Tempe to play the Sun Devils (11-6, 3-5) at Wells Fargo Arena tonight at 6p.m.

This will be the first of four consecutive road games for Arizona, including the non-conference finale in Wisconsin on Sunday.

The Wildcats have not won in Tempe since February of 2000, but they may have caught the Sun Devils at the best possible time. ASU was swept at home last weekend by both the Los Angeles schools, after starting the season with eight wins in their first nine games. However, the Wildcats aren't fooled by the recent struggles for their intrastate rival.

"They aren't doing so well this year, but there is something about the rivalry that gets everyone pumped up," sophomore guard Dee-Dee Wheeler said. "They are a great team, and they have won a lot of big games this year at home."

Besides staying at the top of the Pacific-10 Conference, Arizona has even more incentive to beat ASU tonight.

"They have beat us the last two years (in Tempe)," said Wheeler. "So we need to treat it as a home game and get a victory at ASU."

The Sun Devils have beat the Wildcats four out of the last five games, including a 66-58 win in last year's Pac-10 Tournament in Eugene, Ore. UA scored only four field goals in the second half of last season's tournament loss and wants to make amends for last season's poor performance.

"This (game) is all about getting it back," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "This is a pride game, but for us there is a lot more on the line. When you play your rival, it's about pride for your school, but (for the team) it (means) even more, because every game is so important."

A big difference between this season and last is the presence of UA's freshman center Shawntinice Polk. Polk is averaging 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds a game, to lead the Wildcats in both categories. Through 15 games, Polk has 12 double-doubles and has already amassed the third-highest rebounding total (185) and eighth-highest point total (291) for any freshman in UA history.

Polk currently leads the Pac-10 in rebounding and is second in scoring, field goal percentage (.620) and blocked shots per game (2.12).

However, the Sun Devils counter with their own outstanding freshman. Guard Jill Noe is leading ASU in scoring through the team's first 17 games with a little over 15 points per contest, while two other freshman are making big contributions to the team.

Forwards Kristen Kovesdy and Amy Denson are tied for number two on the team's scoring list at 11.2 points per game, and they are numbers one and two as top rebounders for the club. "(ASU) is very young, but they have played extremely well," said Bonvicini. "We know that for them this game is important."