Jeff Lund

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.

In November, dozens of contenders came out of the gate all seeking the winner's circle in New Orleans.

From the start, the smart money was on Arizona.

You can buy a $1.50 tip sheet like at the horse races to improve your odds for the races along the way, but no matter what you do you still have no idea what the future holds. Just put your faith in your team, and let it ride. That is why people have betting problems, because out of eight horses, there are eight possible winners.

Of course you can pick a trifecta and hope that you pick the top three horses in order, but then what if the No. 3 horse is wearing your least favorite color, or is being ridden by a jockey that hasn't won or even raced in three years?

Maybe the horse you bet on is a week away from being glue. The race ends, you focus on the next one. Life goes on. It's not the end of the world. Arizona fans, suck it up and cheer louder. Class continues, and will continue. More homework will be assigned and Bear Down will play once again at the stroke of noon.

If anything, this just fired up UA's squad. Head coach Lute Olson has been warning his thoroughbred team what would happen if it didn't run a full race. The Wildcats managed to get by, but not any longer. Olson will whip his players back into shape, and into the lead. Missed free throws and a very balanced attack on the part of Stanford doomed the Wildcats last night.

It happens. Arizona stumbled out of the gate, dug itself a huge hole, sprinted ahead, then faded at the end.

This game meant nothing ÷ that's right, I said it. No titles were handed out. It's a loss. Everyone loses.

There are only so many times that a team can expect to be down and come back. It doesn't matter if it is at Kansas, in McKale Center or Alaska. On any given evening, Arizona can be beat.

Is Arizona the most talented team in the country?

Yes.

Do the Wildcats have the most depth of any team in the nation?

Yes.

Does that mean that Arizona will win every time out?

Of course not.

It just sucks when it actually happens. Especially at home.

Once again Arizona showed its resiliency in erasing a 14-point lead in a fraction of the time it took Stanford to build it.

The Cardinal held on though, and it could be one of the best things to happen to the Wildcats.

When a team is winning, the bulls-eye gets bigger and bigger. The fans get more and more accustomed to winning. Then comes defeat, but the world keeps turning.

That doesn't change anything, folks. You should cheer louder, because you know Arizona will be going harder. Olson's team knew it was vulnerable, and was only called on it once öö at LSU. Now that it's been burned in its own backyard, it brings back the necessary hunger for the title drive.

All that matters is March. Rankings are fun now, winning streaks are good, but as Arizona proved in 1997, it's the six in a row at the end that matter.

It's better to lose now than to lose in March öö more specifically, the later days of the third month.

California lost to Arizona State last night, meaning the Wildcats are still tied for first in the conference, making tomorrow's game with the Golden Bears all the more important.

But really, how important is anything right now?

The NCAA will allow 64 teams into the tournament. Arizona will be one of those teams. It doesn't matter where they're lined up.

Hold on to your tickets fans, it's not even the home stretch yet.

This stumble may have cost the favorite a length, but the blue and red horse is still the leader by a nose.