Fun 'n Gun

Both teams like to play an up-tempo, running game.

Arizona head coach Joan Bonvicini is calling it a chess match, but it may look more like an Arizona-Florida football game.

"It's going to come down to which team adjusts better during the game," Bonvicini said. "You've got to concentrate on yourself and do the things that brought you to where you are now. The key is taking care of Arizona."

Talk during yesterday's press conferences centered around the aggressiveness both teams like to play with. Arizona's main strength is forcing turnovers, while Florida's main strength is its athleticism and ability to run at its opponents.

"We're looking to go out and play our game and be the aggressors," UA junior guard Lisa Griffith said. "That's the most important thing, not having any fears."

Arizona (17-10, 12-6 Pacific 10 Conference) had an intense 90-minute practice yesterday before fielding questions from the media. Bonvicini, Griffith and junior guard Felecity Willis all agreed that if the team played Arizona basketball, the Wildcats will have a good chance of winning the game.

"From what I hear, they're very quick and athletic and their point guard is dishing out assists like crazy," Willis said. "Overall, it's going to have to be a team effort for us."

Florida (19-13, 6-8 Southeastern Conference) is the first team to ever make the NCAA Tournament with a losing conference record. The Gators believe they have the edge because they play in the country's top conference.

"Top to bottom, the SEC is the best conference in the country," Florida head coach Carol Ross said. "Both teams come from two quality leagues, with a lot of good teams coming from them."

Florida senior forward Talatha Bingham believes the difficult conference season has prepared the team for the postseason.

"We've been playing in a tough league and beating each other up for three months, now we're looking forward to taking it to someone else," she said.

The Gators feel they have something to prove by being the SEC's eighth representative, but Arizona is ready for that challenge.

"It's something to be in the tournament, (but) now you want to do some damage," Bonvicini said. "This is what you work the entire season for and now you want to have success."

There might not be a game in the first round of the tournament that has better match-ups then this one.

Florida forward Tonya Washington is averaging 16.5 points and eight rebounds per game, and will be facing Arizona junior forward Angela Lackey.

"Lackey is a tremendous player that I absolutely love," Ross said. "She's physical and has range. They have a good combination of players who seem to enjoy playing with each other."

Perhaps the most interesting matchup will be the Arizona backcourt against Florida's Brandi McCain. McCain, one of the country's top freshmen, is averaging 13.1 points and 7.4 assists per game, but it's her speed that's most lethal.

Arizona sophomore guard Reshea Bristol, who helped cool off Stanford's Lindsey Yamasaki last month, may be given the task of defending her.

No matter who gets the job of covering McCain, it will have fall to the whole team's effort if a victory will be in sight for Arizona.

"That's the way we've approached it this whole year and we're not going to change," Griffith said.

The winner of the game will head to the court again Sunday at 6:30 p.m. MST to face whomever comes out on top in the Rutgers-Dartmouth game which will take place immediately following the Wildcats-Gators game.