Stanford not friendly to road teams

Charles C. LaBenz Arizona Daily Wildcat UA freshman forward Eugene Edgerson scrambles for the ball against the Washington Huskies Sunday. The Wildcats will meet up with Stanford on the road tonight.

The Wildcats (19-7 overall, 11-5 Pacific 10 Conference) will face a Stanford team (18-7, 10-6) that is 10-0 at home for the season and needs a good win to keep its hope of a decent seeding in the NCAA Tournament alive.

"It will be a tough game for us, but I'm still confident in our chances," UA freshman guard Mike Bibby said.

As to Stanford's undefeated record at home, Bibby said, "let's just say there's a first time for everything."

The Cardinal have not won a home game by less than 11 points and have made a late-season charge by winning five of their last six games to put themselves in a good position to make the field of 64.

"You look at the combination of the way they play at home and their team right now, and I can't think of a tougher situation," said UA head coach Lute Olson, whose team has a 3-4 conference road mark. "It's not like they have just got by at home, they hav e been blowing good people out."

An example of Stanford's prowess at home was their game against No. 9 UCLA earlier this season. The Cardinal used flawless outside shooting, including a season-high 15 three-pointers, to destroy the Bruins, 109-61.

Stanford has been led by the play of sophomore guard Kris Weems and senior point guard Brevin Knight. Weems has been the team's top scorer in the last three games and is averaging 11.8 points per game for the season. His 43.6 percent mark from three-point territory leads the Cardinal.

"They are great three-point shooters at home, and that's why they are so successful," Olson said. "You can't drop down too much on the inside because of the threat they have from the outside."

If the Wildcats want to beat Stanford, Knight will be the key. He leads the team in both points (15.2 per game), assists (7.6 a game) and steals (68). In his team's win over Cal last Saturday, Knight scored only five points, but finished with 13 assists a nd two steals. In Stanford's last meeting with Arizona, Knight scored 17 in a 76-75 Cardinal loss in Tucson.

"(Brevin) is just a really quick player," said Bibby, who will guard Knight. "The last time we played, I came out a little timid. I just have to go out and play him tight all game."

The only weakness in the Cardinal lineup might be in the middle. Sophomore center Tim Young has suffered from an ailing back in the last couple of games and has consequently seen his productivity decrease.