Arizona State's Veal latest to get Conference honors - Pac-10 Notes

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat ASU senior shooting guard Jeremy Veal (21) looks for an opening between Arizona's Eugene Edgerson (33) and Jason Terry (31) during the rivals' match up Jan. 15 at McKale Center. The Wildcats will face the Sun Devils again this weekend at the Arizona State Activity Center.

Veal, who is second in the conference in scoring, might have to carry more of the load during Saturday's game against Arizona, since Ahlon Lewis and Bobby Lazor are not in top form. Lewis, the conference's top assist man, has been slowed by a shoulder injury, while Lazor has a bad ankle.

"I think both are getting a lot of treatment," ASU head coach Don Newman said. "Hopefully (today) or Thursday they will be as close to 100 percent as they will be for Saturday."It is quite possible that the most electrifying basketball player in the Pacific 10 Conference plays for a team that the average basketball fan would not bother seeing when it comes to town.

Oregon State's Benjamin - Pac-10's best kept secret?

Oregon State's sophomore guard Corey Benjamin has taken the conference by storm, averaging a league-high 20.7 points a game. He ranks sixth in field goal percentage and seventh in steals. Unfortunately, his numbers have been overshadowed by his team's poor play. The Beavers are just 2-9 in the conference.

"He has really stepped it up," OSU assistant coach Rich Wold said. "He is slowing down and being patient, which has helped him on the offensive end."

Benjamin has proved he can put a lot of points on the board at any given time. Twice this season the former All-Pac-10 Freshman Team selection has scored 36 points in a game. He did it against Oregon and Arizona State. His 36 points tied the Sun Devils' Mike Batiste for individual high in points on the season.

"The bottom line is he is a very talented young man with a lot of potential," Wold said. "His biggest thing is taking the ball to the basket."

Just ask Arizona's Josh Pastner, who was dunked on by Benjamin in the final moments of the Wildcats' 93-80 win in Tucson. Benjamin finished the game with 24 points and was named Pac-10 Player of the Week afterward.

Washington and ASU riding a fine line

More than state pride will be at stake during Saturday's Arizona-Arizona State matchup in Tempe. The Sun Devils are currently tied with Washington for fourth place in the conference with 6-5 marks. Both teams are walking a fine line for selection into the NCAA Tournament, and need to finish the season strong.

"ASU has more quality wins from a committee standpoint," UCLA Steve Lavin said.

Lavin is, of course, referring to the Sun Devils' upset road wins over Stanford and Cincinnati. ASU also played Kansas down to the wire during an early season game.

Newman knows, however, that it might take one more big win to get the call from the committee.

"We are playing a third rank team that is top in the conference," Newman said. "There is no better way to enter (the tournament) than to beat them."