Arizona women's basketball head coach Joan Bonvicini should be careful of what she wishes for.

When Ruzomberok, a Slovakian club team, was scheduled for the Wildcats first and only preseason game, Bonvicini was looking forward to a physical matchup against an experienced team.

Oops.

Ruzomberok beat Arizona 80-61 in front of 955 people at McKale Center last night.

"They were a quality opponent that took advantage of every chance they had," Bonvicini said. "The only good thing I can say is that a loss like this will get everyone's attention."

Ruzomberok certainly got Arizona's attention. Thirty-year-old guard Iveta Bielikova took UA freshman Lisa Griffith to school, putting up 17 points and dishing out 11 assists. Griffith countered with five points and two assists, but was generally kept off balance by the defensive pressure and quick first step of Bielkova.

"We just didn't come together as a team today," Griffith said. "They were a veteran team. When they saw their opportunity, they went straight for the throat."

Arizona was led by forward Adia Barnes' 18 points and eight rebounds. Still, the 5-foot-10 Barnes was often caught in a forest, as were most of the Wildcats, who seemed unable to lose their defenders. Arizona continually forced the ball inside, part of the reason for its 29 turnovers.

"We were letting them determine how we play," Barnes said. "We weren't playing our roles. We didn't get into a groove and we didn't execute."

Ruzomberok, on the other hand, excelled in the post. Center Renata Hirakova scored 20 points down low while forward Dagmar Hutkova added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

"I wasn't intimidated by their size," UA center Jacque Barrington said. "We just weren't doing what we normally do. It was all about execution."

The Wildcats' execution looked a good deal like a team that was playing its first exhibition game of the season. Ruzomberok was coming in after winning its first three games on its American tour. Ruzomberok beat UNLV by 45 points on Friday and then beat Northern Arizona by 1, 59-58 on Sunday.

"The experience was a big factor," Bonvicini said. "But this was a game we could have played better in. We didn't have the intensity I would have liked and we didn't do a lot of the basics it takes to win."

Ruzomberok controlled the second half, outscoring Arizona 17-6 in the first 6 1/2 minutes. The Wildcats committed numerous turnovers, allowing Ruzomberok to convert transition baskets. Ruzomberok built a 75-53 lead with 5:50 left in the game and never let up. Bonvicini countered by substituting most of her players in, but never found a combination that lit a fire under the Wildcats.

"We need to play with more intensity," Bonvicini said. "I expected more from my veteran players. We showed our youth."

Ruzomberok set the tone less than a minute into the game with a Bielikova three-pointer. They the team went on a run, taking a 17-9 lead before Arizona came back to tie the game at 20. Arizona then took a 23-21 lead after a Ruzomberok free throw and a three-point play by guard DeAnglea Minter. Both teams played about even until Ruzomberok ran off four points in the last minute to take a 36-31 halftime lead.

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