CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman phenom Shawntinice Polk is averaging almost a double-double for the No. 24 Wildcats this season.

The last time Arizona played Oregon State was at the beginning of January, with the Wildcats dominating the Beavers 72-44 at McKale Center. However, the Wildcats' coaches and players aren't expecting the same result this time around.

"They will come out with a little bit of a different game plan," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "They are a much better team at home, and it should be a battle."

With a few more hostile road environments on her resume, freshman center Shawntinice Polk said she knows a bit more what to expect and understands the possibility of an upset.

"They have improved a lot since the last time we've played them. They will be ready for us, and we just have to be ready for them," said Polk.

The No. 24 Wildcats (13-5, 6-3) will play the Beavers (10-8, 4-5) tonight in Corvallis at 8. Arizona will be looking for its first win in Corvallis since 2000.

UA is 5-12 all-time on the Beavers' home court, and the Wildcats would enjoy a much-needed road win in Oregon. That will be the team's fifth road contest in its last seven games.

UA goes into the Oregon State game coming off a 62-55 win at Wisconsin. The Wildcats used a 9-2 run to close out the game and beat the Badgers. Arizona got contributions from several different places to win its last non-conference game of the year.

"(The Wisconsin game) wasn't pretty all the time, but it was a great road win," said Bonvicini. "We needed people to step up, and they did."

Polk was held to a season-low nine points and six rebounds, playing most of the game in foul trouble and missing part of the second half because of illness. The Wildcats were also missing another starter, junior guard Aimee Grzyb, who was also sick.

However, senior guard Julie Brase picked up the some of the scoring slack with 13 points, and sophomore guard Dee-Dee Wheeler continued her impressive play with a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds.

"We came together as a team (in Wisconsin)," said Polk. "We had some problems, but everyone came together and played well. That is what we need for the rest of the season."

The Wildcats will need to be healthy if they want to knock off a Beaver team that has been hot of late, winning three of its last four, including a 65-62 nail-biter against Washington State.

The Beavers are led by junior forward Hollye Chapman and her 11.2 points per game.

Oregon State is currently tied for fifth in the Pacific-10 Conference and is fighting to climb up the conference standings. The Beavers are only one game ahead of ninth-place Oregon, and the team would like to avoid finishing at the bottom of the standings to improve their seed come Pac-10 tournament time.

The Wildcats continue Pac-10 play on Saturday in Eugene, Ore., against Oregon. The game starts at 1 p.m. and will be televised on Fox Sports Net.