McKale perfect elixir for Wildcats' road struggles

The Wildcat women's hoops team hasn't lost a home game since Nov. 22, 2002. The UA has won 25 straight in McKale Center, including 21 by double digits.

Sounds like just what the Wildcats need after a pair of frustrating losses in Los Angeles ÷ including a two-point loss Sunday at Southern California ÷ that knocked them out of first place in the conference.

"I think that (USC) game obviously was very disappointing, but I can't fault our effort," said UA head coach Joan Bonvicini. "We played extremely hard."

Arizona (18-7, 10-4 Pacific 10 Conference) will embrace McKale's friendly confines when it faces Oregon State (14-9, 8-6) tomorrow night at 7 and Oregon (12-12, 4-10) Saturday at 2 p.m.

"I think it's really healthy," said Bonvicini of Arizona's success at home. "I could talk about being on the road next time, but I think we're the same team (on the road)."

But junior guard Dee-Dee Wheeler said McKale has become somewhat of a crutch for the team.

"It probably has. We definitely need to start competing on the road," Wheeler said. "In the (NCAA Tournament), we're not going to be here. We're going to be away and neither team is going to have home-court advantage. But we definitely need to up our play on the road."

The Wildcats swept the Beavers and Ducks in Oregon three weeks ago, accounting for two of Arizona's three Pac-10 road wins.

Seniors Grzyb, Duger to be honored Saturday

Seniors Aimee Grzyb and Jessica Duger will be honored as part of "senior day" in McKale Saturday during Arizona's final home game of the season.

With eight more games in an Arizona uniform, the 5-foot-7 Grzyb would become the UA's all-time leader in games played. Former Wildcats Lisa Griffith and Felicity Willis share the current record of 122 games.

Arizona has just four games remaining on its regular season schedule, but a Pac-10 Tournament championship game appearance and one game in the NCAA Tournament would put Grzyb over the top.

Duger, who transferred from Yavapai College before the 2002-03 season, has played in 18 games for the Wildcats, including 10 this season. Averaging 1.1 points per game in 2003-04, the 5-foot-10 Duger made her only 3-point attempt of the season in the waning moments of Arizona's 77-59 win over California Feb. 7.

Duger said her emotions will be mixed Saturday.

"I think it'll be sad because it'll be the last time I play college basketball, especially on my home floor, and happy in that I feel like I've fulfilled all my goals and I've achieved everything I wanted to achieve," she said. "I've got to go out headstrong."

Polk, Wheeler, Grzyb climb all-time scoring list

With her 14-point performance Sunday at Southern California, sophomore center Shawntinice Polk crashed the Wildcats' top 20 all-time scoring list.

Polk has 933 points in her brief UA career, good for 19th in school history. She is on pace to hit the 1,000-point mark in Arizona's final regular season game at Washington ÷ the first time in UA women's hoops history that the milestone would be accomplished in a player's first two seasons.

Meanwhile, Grzyb and junior guard Dee-Dee Wheeler continue to climb the ranks of the UA greats.

Grzyb has 1,127 points as a Wildcat, good for 10th all-time. She needs 19 points to move into the No. 9 spot.

With 1,293 career points, Wheeler needs seven more to become Arizona's fourth all-time scorer, and 23 points to move into third.

"I didn't even know that," Wheeler said. "It doesn't mean anything to me at all because I can be scoring 25-plus, and we still have losses just like this past week against UCLA and USC.

"I definitely would take the points away if we could have a victory."

Home sweet home

Arizona's minimum effort at home is equal to its maximum output on the road.

The Wildcats have scored no less 70 points in a home game this season. They have scored no more than 70 away from McKale.

Wheeler said the team's familiarity with McKale is the culprit.

"It's just the atmosphere. It's just knowing that you're at home, knowing that you're playing in front of your fans," Wheeler said.

"We practice on those baskets. We do everything here at McKale and you're just used to it."

Wildcats (not) in the rankings

It took eleven weeks for the Wildcats to reenter the AP top 25, and just one week to find the exit.

After falling at UCLA and Southern California last weekend, the Wildcats, who were No. 24 in last week's poll, received just six votes this week ÷ the fewest they've garnered all season.

Arizona received 11 votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll.