Last night in McKale Center, the Pride of Arizona pep band played for both teams - each featuring a mixture of players from the UA wheelchair basketball teams and the men's and women's basketball teams.

A crowd of about 4,000 turned out for the 22nd annual Lame for a Game fundraiser put on by the Disability Resource Center's Adaptive Athletics program.

Janet Olson, DRC event coordinator, said the event typically raises around $35,000 from the $5 ticket sales, but this year's may have brought in more due to raffle tickets sold at the game.

Jodi Charvoz, DRC event coordinator, said the money raised from the event would help fund adaptive equipment, such as special wheelchairs, travel costs to tournaments and scholarships for adaptive athletics athletes.

"It's fun to get out here and sort of see what it's like," said Shawntinice Polk, a UA women's basketball player, of the wheelchair basketball players. "We know how hard they work, and they do very well. We can't even get up and down the court or shoot."

Men's basketball players also admitted the difficulty of playing in a wheelchair.

"I played horrible," said Ivan Radenovic, a men's basketball player. "It was hard, but it's cool to be here with these guys having fun."

Jennifer Frame, a women's wheelchair basketball player, echoed the sentiment, noting it is the team's one annual public relations event.

"I've played the last three years and this is my last time, so it's exciting," said Frame, a molecular and cellular biology senior.

Frame said the team took third place in the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Championship in February.

Undeclared sophomore Kaolin Young said she was glad the white and blue sides were mixed with all four basketball teams.

"It shows great teamwork," Young said. "It lets you see a different side of the basketball players in a fun, relaxed mood."

Jessica Scarpinato, a health education junior, said she came to the game to see the basketball players enjoying a pressure-less matchup.

"We're die-hard basketball fans - we came to see a laid-back game where we're not stressed out," said Scarpinato, who attended last year's game.

Head football coach Mike Stoops, who helped coach the white team, said he was happy to help any way he could for the "great cause."

"It's fun to be here and give back to the community in the offseason," Stoops said.

During half time and after the game, children and students seeking autographs swarmed the men's basketball players. The players launched miniature basketballs they had signed into the crowd.

Olson said the team signed 800 of the balls.

"What does that say about them?" Olson said. "It's pretty nice."

Wally Foxcroft, physiology senior and former UA mascot Wilbur Wildcat, said he came to "check out the new guy."

"You sign a lot of autographs when you're here, so he's probably hurting right now," Foxcroft said.