UA stops Stanford's McKale winning streak

Arizona men's basketball coach Lute Olson got his 299th Pacific 10 Conference win Saturday, five short of UCLA legend John Wooden.

Though the numeral of Arizona's 90-72 victory over Stanford wasn't as significant, the outcome was just as meaningful.

"This feels so good," said senior center Channing Frye, who had not beaten Stanford in McKale Center prior to Saturday. [Read article]

The Arizona women's basketball team recorded its third loss in as many games as the Wildcats fell to California, 70-61, Saturday at Haas Pavilion.

The Wildcats (15-8, 7-5 Pacific 10 Conference) were held to a season-low 29 percent from the field and were out-rebounded by the Golden Bears 58 to 40.

Arizona will not be able to improve off its 2004 record, which it ended with a 14-4 conference mark and shared the Pac-10 Championship with Stanford, because the team picked up its fifth Pac-10 loss. [Read article]

Coming off an undefeated season, the No. 12 Wildcats expected big things from junior ace John Meloan.

Meloan delivered beyond expectations in his first start of the season Friday by flirting with a no-hitter for 7.2 innings before giving up a line drive to nine-hitter Ryan Barba just over junior second baseman Brad Boyer's glove.

"After he hit it, I thought, oh, be right at the second baseman, but I saw the way it went up and I knew it was over his head, and I was kind of kicking myself because I knew I'd shown him enough curveballs, and he hadn't shown any sign of hitting them, but I think he was tired of looking bad," Meloan said. [Read article]

On a rainy, windy afternoon Sunday, Kristie Fox gave teammate Caitlin Lowe a birthday present to remember: a quick exit from Hillenbrand Stadium.

Fox had three hits and six RBI and the No. 2 Arizona softball team defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 9-0 in five innings on the final day of the Pepsi Arizona Softball Classic.

The nine runs were a welcome surprise for the Wildcats (5-0), whose previous four games on the weekend were decided by three runs or fewer. [Read article]

Move over Hassan Adams. It's Channing Frye's turn to make the SportsCenter Top 10 List.

Six minutes into the second half of the Wildcats' 90-72 nationally-televised drubbing of Stanford Saturday, Frye threw down a two-handed, rim-rattling, Adams-like dunk - the type of slam rarely seen from the 6-foot-11 senior center.

"I just got it and was like, 'You know what? I'm tired of missing lay-ups,'" Frye said. "To be honest, I didn't even know where I was. I just saw the rim kind of in the corner of my eye. I was like, 'Whoever's there, I'm sorry.'" [Read article]

The UA Icecats struggled against injuries and talented ASU in two hard-fought losses Friday and Saturday in Tempe.

"(The Icecats) showed a tremendous amount of character," head coach Leo Golembiewski said of his team's 4-2 Friday loss and Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss.

"They showed more heart in these games than any other all season," he said.

Arizona (10-11-1) overcame deficits both nights to play even with the No. 13 Sun Devils (15-5) before falling. [Read article]

The wind tried, as did the opponents, but nothing could knock the Arizona women's tennis team off its five-game winning streak.

The No. 39 Wildcats showed they are gearing up for Pacific 10 Conference play Saturday, sweeping the No. 51 University of San Diego.

Seniors Maja Mlakar and Dianne Hollands had the day's toughest doubles match, defeating USD's Jennifer Brown and Lauren Kazarian 8-5. [Read article]

The No. 22 Arizona gymnastics team defeated California in Haas Pavilion Friday night, setting a new season high with 194.900 points to the Bears' 189.850.

The Gymcats also set a season high on the floor exercise with a total team score of 49.050.

"It was a good meet. I'm very pleased with how they performed," said Arizona head coach Bill Ryden. "This was the first meet all year without a fall. The team really came together." [Read article]

The Arizona track teams continued their recent success Saturday in Flagstaff as seven more athletes qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, 33 for the Mountain-Pacific Championships and 12 posted personal bests.

"I was ecstatic," UA head coach Fred Harvey said. "The way the athletes have really matured and come through has been tremendous."

Sophomore Nikki Martin paced the women's team, winning the 60-meter dash in 7.41 seconds. [Read article]