CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA center Shawntinice Polk goes to the bucket during the Wildcats' victory over UCLA earlier this season in McKale Center.

UA looks to stay atop Pac-10 against Devils

This isn't your standard Arizona-Arizona State matchup.

The stakes and expectations could be higher for tomorrow's game at 6:30 p.m. in Wells Fargo Arena than any previous UA-ASU women's basketball showdown.

The Wildcat women's hoops team (16-4, 8-1 Pacific 10 Conference) will try to put some distance between itself and Arizona State (12-6, 6-3), which is looking to pay back the Wildcats for a loss in Tucson four weeks ago.

With a win in Tempe, Arizona would put itself in position to take sole possession of first place in the conference when it faces Stanford Thursday in McKale Center

"There's all kinds of motivation for this game," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "I think when you play your rival, the intensity is going to go way up. The key is winning on the road and not thinking ahead. For us, that's ASU, and there's a lot on the line for both teams."

The Wildcats have been a second-half team this season, and the Jan. 2 meeting with ASU in Tucson was no exception. Arizona turned a 37-37 halftime deadlock into an 81-60 rout, outscoring ASU 44-23 in the second frame. The Wildcats were 17 of 28 (61 percent) from the field in the second half, limiting ASU to 8 of 23 shooting (35 percent).

"It's definitely important we start well and start strong, and our kids are ready," Bonvicini said.

UA sophomore center Shawntinice Polk and junior guard Dee-Dee Wheeler poured in 23 points apiece on Jan. 2. Polk added a game-high of 10 rebounds and six blocks.

"The first time against ASU, (Polk) just had a gleam in her eye and she really looked to score right away," Bonvicini said.

In that game, Polk was able to stay out of foul trouble, something that has plagued her all season ÷ especially on the road.

Bonvicini said it's just a matter of how often the officials decide to blow the whistle.

"It wasn't like that at Oregon State. I think it depends on the crew, honestly," Bonvicini said. "I don't think she's played any different (on the road)."

ASU head coach Charli Turner-Thorne hopes Polk's foul woes continue tomorrow night.

"I hope it happens," she said. "She's a key player. Wheeler's a key player. They both definitely hurt us last time.

"We've just got to be aggressive and play a lot better than we did (in the first game)."

Wildcat freshman forward/center Shannon Hobson, who saw just five minutes in Arizona's first meeting with the Devils, will make her third straight start at power forward tomorrow night. Hobson scored 10 points in Arizona's 65-54 win at Oregon State Saturday.

"(Hobson's) been a very consistent hard worker," Bonvicini said. "She's feeling more comfortable, and part of it is that she plays more now instead of just thinking. She did a great job Saturday."

Arizona's 3-1 Pac-10 road record will be tested tomorrow, as the Devils were perfect at home on the season until Southern California nipped them, 68-65, in ASU's last game in Tempe.

The Wildcats haven't beaten ASU on the road in three years, nor have they swept the season series with the Devils in that time. ASU has beaten Arizona by an average of 16 points in Wells Fargo in their last three meetings, including last year's 73-58 rout.

"I said this last time, and that is the team that adjusts to the other team's defense and rebounds well will win the game," Bonvicini said.