Yesterday began the early signing period for all UA sports, excluding football and soccer.

The highlight of the day was the signing of Tucson prep phenom Lacey Nymeyer to the UA women's swim team.

Nymeyer, who is a straight-A student at Marana Mountain View High School and was the national 18-and-under champion in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, was relieved to make it official. She chose the UA over California, UCLA and Brigham Young. [Read article]

On a night when the McKale Center crowd welcomed back a Final Four hero from Arizona basketball's only National Championship, in 1997, it was the team of the future that ended up stealing the show.

The UA men's basketball team hit Lute and Bobbi Court last night when the Wildcats squared off in their first exhibition game of the team's 100th year and provided the home crowd with a 109-66 thumping of the Sydney Comets. [Read article]

UA basketball fans can take off their coats, because things just got real hot in Tucson.

On a day when local temperatures dipped into the 50s, sophomore standouts Andre Iguodala and Hassan Adams provided enough heat to keep the 14,005-person McKale Center crowd warmed up for hours, en route to a 43-point drubbing of the Sydney Comets, an Australian club team.

Those same fans had better keep their umbrellas handy, however, because while the Wildcats' dynamic duo couldn't do anything about the rain outdoors, the pair only made things worse inside. [Read article]

In need of wins, Oregon may be exactly what the doctor prescribed for the UA volleyball team - the Ducks have yet to win a home or true road match.

Arizona (12-13, 6-8 Pacific 10 Conference) hits the Oregon Trail, facing UO (3-20, 0-14) tonight and Oregon State (14-12, 4-10) in Corvallis on Friday.

On top of a 15-match losing streak and having lost 19 of its last 20, Oregon lost its starting setter, sophomore Jodi Bell, for the season after she tore her ACL in Oregon's last match. After earning the starting nod last year as a true freshman, Bell earned honorable mention freshman All-Pac-10 honors. [Read article]

UA football player Lamon Means, 19, is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of assault. Means is accuses Means of punching a man in the face during a party in July.

A resident of the 1000 block of East Hampton Street filed a police report July 27, in regard to an incident that occurred during a party at his home, reports stated.

Upon arriving, an officer saw a crowd of at least 50 people leaving the house and came across the man, who said he'd been hit in the face by Means, reports stated. [Read article]

Arizona vs. USC

If Arizona finds a way to win this one, fans will find a way to tear the goalposts down. Unfortunately - or fortunately, if you're a member of the athletic department - that won't be necessary. The Wildcats have been solid in their last three home games, being outscored by a combined one point against TCU, UCLA and Washington. They might keep it close for a while, but they'll lose by more than one Saturday. [Read article]