Basketball suffers first conference loss against unranked Stanford

There goes a chance at an undefeated Pacific 10 Conference season.

Stanford came into a packed McKale Center last night and stunned the top ranked Arizona men's basketball team 82-77.

This marks the third consecutive year that the Cardinal has defeated the Wildcats on their home floor öö the loss is the first at home for UA since Stanford's triumph last season. [Read article]

Wildcats can't stomach the taste of losing at home again to unranked Stanford squad

Call it a distraction or whatever you like but, there was something agitating the nation's No. 1 basketball team in the first half.

Was it the candy incident? Maybe.

Was it the same problem that has plagued the Wildcats all season long, starting slow? Most likely.

But after the loss last night the Arizona players were quick to put the so-called candy incident behind them saying it wasn't a distraction, but UA head coach Lute Olson thought differently. [Read article]

Better now than later.

All right, I know it sucks to lose to Stanford three years in a row at home, but everyone just calm down. Let's think about this logically.

Did anyone really expect Arizona to go through the conference undefeated?

Sure it was possible, the world is filled with possibilities.

There is always a chance in just about anything. That's why we all watch sports, you can never really tell how something will end up. Experts can predict, but nothing is a sure thing. [Read article]

A new season, a new century, new freshmen and new uniforms were not enough for the Arizona baseball team.

The Wildcats struggled at the plate all afternoon, and erratic pitching dropped the season opener 6-3 to Brigham Young University yesterday.

Arizona's lead-off man reached base to open an inning five times, but UA only scored twice without putting together consecutive hits. The Wildcats' three through six hitters in the lineup went a combined 3-for-15 with two singles, a triple and a run scored. Cougar starting pitcher Jeff Mousser struck out nine, three being UA center fielder Dallas Haught. [Read article]

Three meets into the season, Bill Ryden has had to change his coaching philosophy to quality over quantity.

The quality will come from the remaining gymnasts that the UA gymnastics coach has left, while the lack of quantity comes from not knowing who or how many there will be.

With injuries and illness hitting his No. 13 Gymcats hard of late, and still not knowing who can compete, he will put his new way of thinking to the test tonight when his team faces Arizona State at 7:30 p.m. in McKale Center. [Read article]

Bittersweet.

That's the taste that gets left in your mouth after going to the National Championship two years in a row, and only walking away with one title.

Today begins the path back for the Arizona softball team after a 55-12 (15-6 Pac-10) season that ended with a 6-0 loss to California in the College World Series Championship.

The starting point öö Tampa, Fla.

For the Wildcats, the USF-Louisville Slugger Tournament features five games over the course of three days. [Read article]

The No. 7 UA Icecats might be on an eight-game win streak, including a stretch in which they have scored 40 goals during their last four contests, but with a two-game set beginning tonight on the road against rival No. 17 Arizona State, their recent successes do not mean the Icecats will be looking past their in-state rival.

"It's a rivalry like any other," said UA sophomore goaltender Brian Aronchick. "We play them eight times a year, which is much more than anyone else. We definitely come to play them differently because of how many times we see each other." [Read article]

Whoever made the schedule for the Arizona men's and women's swim and dive teams isn't doing any favors for the Wildcats, but the challenges they face now can only pay off in the end.

After facing two top-ten opponents in California and Stanford last weekend, the Wildcats are back in action today and tomorrow, looking to better their dual-meet records against three top-25 schools. In-state rival Arizona State will be the least of the Wildcats' worries as they battle the No. 5 Texas men, the No. 7 Texas women, and the No. 6 ranked Southern Methodist University women's team. [Read article]

The Arizona men's tennis team started the season with a bang as it dominated Santa Clara last weekend, but this weekend marks the first true test of the season for the Wildcats.

UA travels to San Diego to take on the University of San Diego and San Diego State, two teams that are ranked higher in the recent Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis rankings. But the Wildcats are anxious for the opportunity to test their mettle. [Read article]