Wildcats out for redemption against Aussies in exhibition

Robert Henry Becker Arizona Daily Wildcat UA senior forward Bennett Davison defends against guard Miles Simon in the Red-Blue scrimmage. The Wildcats unofficially begin their season tonight at 7:37 against the Melbourne Magic in an exhibition game at McKale Center.

During the team's summer trip down under, the Wildcats were soundly defeated by the Magic, which just finished its season as league runner-up.

"I know our guys will be excited to play them because they trounced us," Arizona head coach Lute Olson said. "I think they had us down twenty points at halftime."

It didn't get any better from there with UA losing 120-96.

However, the Magic's force in the middle, seven-footer Chris Antsey, will not be with the team tonight. Antsey recently signed a contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

The Magic signed centers Tony Ronaldson and Tim Wheeler to replace Antsey.

And the Magic's typical brand of physical basketball that was allowed when the Wildcats were on the Magic's home court, won't be at McKale.

"The NBL (Australia's pro league) is called a lot like the NBA is called up here," Olson said. "They allow it to be a lot more physical. Every year the Aussies come over and they have some foul problems."

Arizona senior forward Bennett Davison offered this excuse for the Wildcats' poor performance in Melbourne.

"They got all of the calls down there," he said. "Now they will have to deal with the Pac-10 refs."

If nothing else, the game will be the Arizona coaching staff's first and only chance to see the Wildcats in a game setting before the regular season begins next Thursday against Morgan State.

"This will be the first opportunity since the tour to see our guys against anybody else except for their teammates," Olson said. "Our goal will be to try to spread time around with our group as much as we can."

The players are ready for real competition as well.

"It has been hard to maintain intensity in practice," forward Eugene Edgerson said. "It gets a little boring day after day. We will be able to see how far we have come over the summer."

Sophomore point guard Mike Bibby said that practice is never boring for him but he is anxious to see the floor against somebody other than a teammate.

"We want to play hard because they were able to beat us in Australia," Bibby said. "But we can come out and know what to expect. Melbourne is tough, but I think we are tougher and better."

The Magic lost to Northern Arizona 77-69 on Tuesday night in Flagstaff. Aussie Mike Kelly had 16 points and Casey Frank had 26 points for the Lumberjacks, who shot a blistering 79 percent from the floor in the second half.