Arizona Daily Wildcat
The UA women's basketball team (10-19 overall, 5-12 in the Pacific 10 Conference) will take on intra-state rival Arizona State tomorrow at the University Activity Center in Tempe in the season finale for both teams.
The Wildcats, who are in ninth place in the Pac-10 and have lost 10 of their last 11 games, are looking to snap a five-game losing streak. The UA hasn't won since Feb. 16, when it barely got past UCLA 63-61.
The UA is coming off a home sweep by the Washington schools and played what senior shooting guard JiJi Sweet called a "Jekyll and Hyde"-type performance in the series.
Against the No. 17 Huskies March 2, Arizona shot 56 percent from the field in the first half after jumping out to an 11-point lead to open the game. After a one-point UW lead at the half, the Wildcats rallied and took the lead with 7:42 remaining but the Huskies jumped ahead down the stretch.
Against the Cougars, Arizona was down 22 points at halftime and could not recover.
"These losses have really taken a toll on our confidence," said UA coach Joan Bonvicini. "It's been a tough year. It seems we pick and choose when to play hard. But I can say that we are learning from every game."
Sweet, incidentally, will play her final game for the Wildcats this weekend, concluding a solid four-year career as a Wildcat.
Sweet suffered a sprained left knee in practice Feb. 15. She has been fitted for a custom brace and has played sparingly since then. Sweet made her final start of the season against Washington State, in her final appearance at McKale Center. She should see very limited action this weekend.
"This weekend is our last chance to play well, get a win and end the season on a positive note," Bonvicini said. "I really feel it's important that we play hard and be able to carry that feeling of playing together as a team into the summer."
Tip-off in Tempe tomorrow is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.