Victory imperative in final stretch of season
When the Arizona men's basketball team faced Southern California on Jan. 7 in McKale Center, the game was an important step forward after their first conference loss earlier in the week.
However, there wasn't the "win or go home" mentality that now faces the Wildcats (13-7, 6-3 Pacific 10 Conference) as they head west to take on USC (14-6, 5-4) Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on FSN Arizona.
"We can't afford any more losses right now," junior center Kirk Walters said. "We have to go out winning."
The feeling around Tucson seems to be similar to that of a team already in the NCAA tournament - one loss and that would be it.
"We have some big games coming up, and we have to get the win," freshman forward Fendi Onobun said. "Everybody is trying to get better, and everyone wants to win."
The up-and-down season for the Wildcats seemed a bit more under control after two home wins against tough Stanford and California squads and a win in Wells Fargo Arena against ASU, but the season took a downward turn once again after being blown out at the hands of defending national champion North Carolina.
With the Tar Heels game behind the Wildcats, this weekend's trip against both USC and No. 14 UCLA could affect Arizona's postseason status, as the Wildcats have only nine conference games left before the Pac-10 tournament entering the weekend.
"(There is) a lot of work for us to do, but it will be an interesting week and certainly a week that will make a huge impact in where we finish in the league," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said.
With the Wildcats' worst loss of the year behind them, they can look with optimism at the traffic jam that is the Pac-10 conference.
| Pac-10 basketball standings | ||
| School | Pac-10 | Overall |
| UCLA | 7-2 | 17-4 |
| California | 6-3 | 12-6 |
| Arizona | 6-3 | 13-7 |
| Stanford | 6-3 | 10-7 |
| Washington | 5-4 | 16-4 |
| USC | 5-4 | 14-6 |
| Oregon | 4-5 | 10-11 |
| Oregon State | 3-6 | 10-10 |
| Washington State | 2-7 | 9-9 |
| Arizona State | 1-8 | 7-11 |
Arizona is currently tied for second with No. 16 Washington and Stanford, all one game back of the Bruins.
"This will be a huge road trip obviously for us," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said. "There are a bunch of (teams) now (in contention for the Pac-10 title). UCLA with a one-game lead, but a lot of people in that spot (are) directly behind them and USC (is) only one game behind them."
Arizona beat the Trojans 74-63 in the first meeting of the season with junior point guard Mustafa Shakur leading the way with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.
"It's always been a win game type of thing," Shakur said of team's backs against the wall. "We're not going out there trying to lose games. We just have to put it together."
Shakur said that after the North Carolina game, he evaluated his performance constructively.
"I look at the things I did well and the things I could have done better and take it with a grain of salt and keep moving (on)," he said.
The two road games offer another chance to improve on their slip-ups, and Arizona needs a strong weekend to stay in the thick of the conference race.
"We have the water at our neck right now, but I think we'll pull through," Onobun said. "All we can do is keep looking forward, like we're driving a car. You aren't looking in the rearview mirror, you're looking in the front window."