SAUL LOEB/Arizona Daily Wildcat Jason Gardner is a finalist for the Senior CLASS award, given to the nation's most outstanding senior in men's basketball.

It might be the 10th time this season the Wildcats have been ranked No. 1, but maybe the first time the players feel they deserve it.

"We feel like we're No. 1 right now," senior Rick Anderson said.

When the poll came out yesterday afternoon, Arizona (20-2) remained at the top for the fourth time in the last five weeks with 59 first-place votes.

"It was a real good weekend," senior Luke Walton said. "We are starting to play a lot more than just one half. Our defense is starting to make strides."

Kentucky (20-3) moved up to No. 2 in the polls, replacing Louisville, and received the final 13 votes.

Texas, Louisville and Oklahoma round out the top five.

Two other Pacific 10 Conference teams are ranked in the Top 25, with California at No. 18 and Stanford at No. 21.

Another batch of UA-ASU tickets set to go on sale today

If you still don't have a ticket to Saturday's game at Arizona State, you have one last chance to get them from the Sun Devil Ticket office.

ASU will sell 300 standing-room-only tickets this morning at 9 a.m. for $25.

Orders will be taken at (480) 965-2381. There will be a limit of four tickets per household.

Seats for the game sold out last month.

Gardner a CLASS act; senior nominated for national award

The award nominations keep racking up for senior point-guard Jason Gardner.

Gardner was named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award, an award presented to the outstanding senior male NCAA Division I basketball player.

Joining Gardner on the list of finalists is Matt Carroll of Notre Dame, Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich of Kansas, Brian Cook of Illinois, Reece Gaines of Louisville, Josh Howard of Wake Forest, Kyle Korver of Creighton, Hollis Price of Oklahoma and David West of Xavier.

The 2003 Senior CLASS Award winner will be determined by three entities: the national media committee, Division I college basketball coaches and nationwide fan balloting. Beginning Feb. 17, fans can vote on the award's Internet site at www.seniorclassaward.com.

The award will be announced during the Final Four.

Devil Diogu earns Pac-10 Player of the Week award

Sun Devil freshman Ike Diogu was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, becoming the first ASU freshman to post back-to-back 25-point games just the third freshman to win the Pac-10 honor in the past six years. Amit Tamir (Cal), 2002, and Jason Collins (Stanford), 1999, each earned the award.

Diogu, from Garland, Texas, averaged 26 points, six rebounds and one block while shooting 66 percent from the floor in a home sweep of the L.A. schools.