It was a question of effort and focus.Arizona men’s basketball head

coach Sean Miller felt like his team had regressed in its loss to Oregon State Saturday, a truth so frustrat-ing that he called it the lowest point during his time in college basketball.

When the Wildcats (13-12, 7-6 Pacific 10 Conference) face the ASU Sun Devils (18-8, 8-5) in McKale Center this Sunday at 3:30 p.m., they will answer two questions: Will they recover from their 63-55 loss to the Beavers and will they be able to remain focused if the ball doesn’t roll their way against ASU?

“Over 40 minutes, as a team, you’ve got to be able to deal with those times in a game when you miss shots,” Miller said. “You’re going to have those peaks and valleys of-fensively against (ASU). While those valleys happen, can you continue to be tough-minded?”

That focus was lost against Oregon State and its deliberate zone defense. It’s an issue that has Miller worried against a stingy ASU team.

“If there’s a silver lining in last week-end,” he said, “did we learn and are we able to improve?”

The Sun Devils fell to Arizona 77-58 in Tempe earlier in the year, snapping ASU’s five-game winning streak against the Wildcats.

With ASU coming off a sweep of the Oregon schools in two 10-point victories, Arizona won’t their previous vitory too high above the Sun Devils’ heads. The Wildcats came out sluggishly during the first half, then exploded for 52 points in the second,

but they don’t expect to catch the Sun Devils off-guard again.

“That can’t happen this game,” junior Jamelle Horne said. “We don’t even want the game to be close.

“It was a great environment in Tempe,” he added. “Probably midway through that second half, it was so

DWfriday, february 19, 2010

Nicole Dimtsios — Sports Editor — 520•626•2956 — sports@wildcat.arizona.edu

sports

dailywildcat.com

friday, february 19, 2010

Fresh faces: Baseball welcomes 23 new players to the roster — B2

Stacked schedule: Difficult, winding road to Oklahoma City for Wildcats — B3

Alan Walsh/Arizona Daily WildcatSenior point guard Nic Wise goes for the layup agaisnt ASU on Jan. 23 in Tempe. Sunday’s game is the final one in Wise’s career against the rival Sun Devils.

Take twoWildcats can regroup against Sun Devils

after Oregon State disappointmentBy Kevin Zimmerman ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

ASU, page B6

Arizona baseball dusts off the plate in 2010

“Wait till next year,” the old Brooklyn Dodgers saying goes.

These words surely ran through the mind of Arizona baseball head coach Andy Lopez last season, during what he described as the most disappointing season in his coaching career.

“It was a nightmare,” Lopez said. “An absolute nightmare.”

But when the first pitch crosses home plate this Friday night against Utah Valley at Sancet Stadium, it means next year is finally here, and with it a clean slate for the Wildcats.

“I think everyone is just getting real fired up,” said freshman pitcher Kurt Heyer. “It was three months ago we were talking about it, and now it’s finally here.”

Character issues got in Arizona’s way last season, with players often missing class and even practices.

With off-field issues translating to poor play on the field, Lopez quick-ly rid Arizona of the disease before it spread and is now ready to compete with a roster full of dedicated players.

“I don’t think we’ve had one day (this year) where anybody hasn’t been on the field,” Lopez said. “It’s been a whole one-eighty. It’s been fun for me because like I said, last year was a dif-ferent experience.”

Twenty-three newcomers will don the cardinal and navy this year, and the large crop of freshmen is expected to shoulder the load and point the pro-gram back in the right direction.

Mindful of his young squad, Lopez created a schedule that begins with 26 straight home games, hoping to ease the freshmen into college baseball.

He made it clear, however, that his freshmen needed to be ready to play this weekend and has been trying to instill a veteran mentality into the younger players from day one.

“(The freshmen) are going to have to play. No ifs, ands or buts; They’re

playing,” Lopez said. “My job, I felt like for the past few weeks, (was) to just get them prepared to do that.”

It will be a juggling act for Lopez during the first few series as he tries to solidify a rotation and a starting lineup.

Freshmen like Heyer, Alex Mejia and Seth Mejias-Brean will have the chance to make an impression on Lopez early on, having earned the opportunity by improv-ing under the guidance of veteran players.

“We’ve got a lot of really good freshmen that have come a long way,” said junior Bryce Ortega. “We have some older guys that have shown them what to do and they’ve come along really nicely.”

Even though the freshmen are be-ing asked to do a lot, it helps that they are not alone. They will be able to pick each other up when they make mis-takes and experience the transition into col-lege baseball as a group.

“You kind of build that bond together and you know everyone gets ner-vous,” Mejias-Brean said.

“But I like that we have a lot of younger guys that I can grow up with for the four years that I’m here.”

The pitching rotation is set for the first series against the Wolverines. Heyer will handle the Friday night assignment, with sophomore Kyle Simon following on Saturday and redshirt junior Daniel Workman rounding out the staff on Sunday afternoon.

However, plenty of questions still remain entering this weekend’s series with Utah Valley.

Can Simon step up and take on the role of ace of the staff? Will the freshmen experience jitters in their first college games? Can the team come together despite the new faces?

These are questions that will remain unanswered until the season progress-es, but one thing is certain — Arizona is not making excuses.

“We do realize that we are young, but that’s not an excuse for us to play young,” Workman said.

By Michael Fitzsimmons ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

Arizona is just one win away from becoming the

seventh program to win 2,500 collegiate

baseball games.

Taming the Tigers

They may have already completed their first games in collegiate softball, but the six freshmen on the Arizona softball roster have never had the experience of playing in front of the Hillenbrand Stadium crowd.

One thing’s for sure: The season home opener against the No. 5 Missouri Tigers will be a weekend they’ll never forget.

“It’s gonna be a surreal feeling com-ing out here in front of a big crowd and an intense game,” said freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler.

This will be the first chance for

the Arizona crowd to officially see the promising freshman in action, something that the young Wildcats are hoping to deliver on in Saturday’s double header and Sunday’s game.

Although the butterflies may have subsided a little after finally getting on the field and starting the season, a series against another top-notch pro-gram will stir them up again.

“I’m very excited,” said freshman Baillie Kirker. “I’ve heard that there’s a lot of crazy fans here, and I’m very excited to be part of the experience in-stead of watching from the stands.”

Despite already pitching for Arizona this season, Fowler still feels nervous

going into her first home game.“I don’t know if (the butterflies) will

go away for a while,” Fowler said. “You know, just playing softball. The game hasn’t changed, it’s just a different level, a different atmosphere.”

After starting off the season with a six-game win streak at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, the Wildcats return home for an early season test against Mizzou.

The freshmen, however, won’t have any time to get used to playing at Hillenbrand Stadium before a formi-dable opponent comes into town. The meeting with another top-5 team is an

Gordon Bates/Arizona Daily WildcatJunior center fielder Lauren Schutzler takes a hack at a pitch during a Feb. 6 practice at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Wildcats will open the home season on Saturday against No. 5 Missouri.

Wildcats open home season against top-5 team By Nicole Dimtsios

ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

NO EASY BUCKETSHoops searching for season sweep of ASU in McKale

DESERT REVIVALAfter a sour ending to last season, UA poised to try again

SIMON SAYS Sophomore pitcher gears up to anchor young staff

B6B3

B2

IF YOU gOArizona vs. ASU

McKale CenterSunday

3:30 p.m.

MIZZOU, page B3

For one last time, Sean Miller apologized for his team’s poor effort against Oregon State.

Then it was an all-genuine appreciation and reward to students at Thursday’s pep rally hosted by Miller and his staff.

“ASU versus UA is as big as it gets,” Miller told students in McKale Center.

Miller warmed up the crowd of approximately 300 students by refreshing his self-imposed chants from the beginning of this season.

Next the UA coaching staff picked students to run through one of the Wildcats’ baseline out-of-bounds plays, giving away free pizza to his participants.

Students, most of whom didn’t wear the proper attire, then ran through a coast-to-coast layup drill.

Finally, Miller challenged volunteers to replicate his trick plays with the ball, awarding successful students boxes of pizza.

“I know how much every gets excited for this next game,” Miller told the crowd. “Your support, it goes deeper than you realize.”

While one student asked about the UA’s self-imposed men’s basketball sanctions, Miller looked into a more positive light regarding the future health of his program.

“There will be a day when you come to McKale Center and you ask yourself, ‘How many will they win by today?’” Miller said.

— Bryan Roy

Miller entertains Arizona fans

B2 • friday, february 19, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

Of the Arizona baseball players, 23 will wear Arizona across their chests for the fi rst time this season, making it diffi cult to pinpoint one player who needs to step up for the Wildcats in 2010.

But if there is anyone who can come into his own and take this team to the promised land, it’s sophomore pitcher Kyle Simon . The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder pitched some huge games for the Wildcats as a true freshman last season, resulting in a 3-5 record and 6.03 earned run average in 74.2 innings pitched.

With last year’s ace Preston Guilmet now in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system, Simon will be given the opportunity to anchor an extremely young but talented Arizona pitching staff.

“Last year I ended the year being the Saturday guy and I just kind of went to summer ball trying to perfect a few pitches and I did that,” Simon said. “So now I’ve taken over the role as the ace of the staff.”

“We’d like for (Simon) to jump in that spot on Friday night and set the tempo,” added head coach Andy Lopez .

Simon was forced into a starting role last season, and started 11 times, the second-most on the staff. As expected for a true freshman thrown into some high-pressure situations, Simon struggled with inconsistency, but made up for it with impressive outings against top-notch competition.

With a lethal two-seam fastball, Simon has all of the makings of a No. 1 guy, and he’s been motivated to make the best of the opportunity.

“I’ve worked my ass off for it,” Simon said of becoming the team’s Friday-night starter. “I’m real excited to go out there and turn the program from what people have perceived it last year to an actual sold team this year.”

Simon said that he spent the summer and fall working on some pitches, most notably a breaking curve ball, and the coaching staff is confi dent that the 19-year-old is poised to shoulder the load.

“(Simon) pitched last year for us in very tough situations against some strong opponents,” said assistant coach Shaun Cole , who handles most of the pitching staff duties.

“The good thing that (Simon) brings

to the table is he has a very even-keeled demeanor,” Cole said. “You can never tell if he gave up a home run, or if he just had a 1-2-3 inning, and I think that’s huge for a Friday-night guy.”

Redshirt junior Daniel Workman — who went 3-1 with a 3.86 earned run average last season in 15 appearances — is expected to be the No. 2 starter, but he’s not far behind Simon.

If Simon falters in the No. 1 role, don’t be surprised if Workman takes over. He added a sharp slider to his repertoire in the offseason, and should be one of the Wildcats’ most reliable arms all season long.

The Wildcats return only six pitchers to the program from their disastrous last season, but the young arms that Lopez and his staff have brought in are expected to provide depth that Arizona didn’t have last season.

“I think we’ve got a deeper pitching staff this year,” Workman said. “Last year we had more talented guys and this year we’ve got a deeper staff that can go out there and throw.”

Lopez expects freshman hurler Kurt Heyer , a freshman out of Huntington Beach, Calif., to step into the No. 3 spot on the staff, and his fellow players have been equally impressed.

“Kurt Heyer is most defi nitely most dominating out of all of them, I would say,” said freshman shortstop Alex Mejia . “He’s defi nitely improved a lot in the weight room and on the fi eld.”

“He’s a workaholic,” Simon added.Due to minor ailments affl icting

both Simon and Workman, Heyer will actually start tonight’s game. Although his No. 1 status is only expected to last the weekend, he will certainly push Simon and Workman all season long.

While Heyer has been the most impressive, all of the freshmen have done their part in the offseason, providing the coaching staff with a feeling of confi dence that doesn’t usually come with such a young and inexperienced staff.

“They’ve done a great job,”

Cole said of the freshmen pitchers. “My goal is to have not just a Friday-night guy, but I want a Friday-night guy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and I think this year we have a chance of doing that even though we’re very young.”

While the freshmen pitchers are certainly still in question, the

success of the team as a whole relies heavily on the success of Simon. If he can

use his size and last year’s

experience to set the tone for the Wildcats,

the rest of the team should follow suit.

“If the Friday-night guy can go out there and get outs,”

Lopez said, “our pitching staff gets a chance to watch and say, ‘OK that’s how he’s getting those guys out, and those are the

weaknesses we can attack on Saturday and Sunday.’”

The pitcher out of Huntington Beach, Calif. , is expected to be the Saturday night starter for the Wildcats. He throws hard and works hard, and those two things should equal success for Heyer.

The standout

quarterback at Cienega High School chose baseball and Arizona. Whether it is at his natural position of shortstop or the more likely spot at third base, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound infi elder should contribute this season .

The defensive-minded shortstop may be so good in the fi eld that junior Bryce Ortega — the team’s top defensive player — could make the move to second base.

The power-hitting lefty should see time at fi rst or third base early in the season. Where he ends up remains to be seen, but the 6-foot, 221-pound North Dakota product should bring some pop to the lineup.

The pitcher out of Indianapolis, Ind., is most noted for his sharp-breaking ball and has the makeup to close out games for the Wildcats.

Key returnersThe walk-on junior will undoubtedly take a leadership role this season and may very well be doing so from second base. Ortega shined at shortstop last season, but with fresh-man shortstop Alex Mejia, Ortega’s services

may be better at second base.

Last season: .324, 57 runs, 3 hr, 33 rbi

Coming off of a Collegiate Baseball All-American season last year, Selsky is expected to hit third and roam right fi eld for the Wildcats.

Last season: .318, 36 runs, 7 hr, 21 rbi

The 6-foot-5 sophomore will take the role of the number one guy this season. He has the stuff of the Friday night guy, but whether or not he fl ourishes in that role has yet to be seen.

Last season: 3-5, 6.03 ERA, 19 appearances, 11 starts, 74.2 innings pitched

The sophomore earned collegiate baseball All-American honors last season at third base, but will move back to his natural position of catcher this season.

Last season: .299, 21 doubles, 4 hr, 39 RBI

The Nogales native is one of only two seniors on the team and will defi nitely be in the lineup on a daily basis. Whether it’s at third, fi rst or in the outfi eld, Valenzuela will be a true leader for the Wildcats this season.

Last season: .277 , 11 doubles, 14 RBI

The redshirt junior is one of the few upperclassmen on the pitching staff. He will start the season as the No. 2 pitcher, but may challenge for the No.1 spot as the season progresses.

Last season: 3-1, 3.86 ERA, 15 appearances, six starts, 42 innings pitched

At one point, Arizona head coach Andy Lopez said junior infi elder Bryce Ortega was the best defensive shortstop he’d ever coached. But it is looking more and more like Ortega will spend most of his time at second base this season.

Freshman Alex Mejia is expected to earn the spot at shortstop, although Lopez indicated that the positions and lineups will take some time to solidify.

“We’re thinking about it,” Lopez said of moving Ortega to second. “It may be Mejia at short, it may be Ortega at short. … I’m going to be honest with you guys, you may see a different lineup for three weeks, honest to goodness.”

Ortega has been taking some reps at second base, a position that he had actually never played.

“You know it’s not too much different from shortstop,” Ortega said. “There’s a few little things I had to work on, but I feel really comfortable over there so wherever coach wants to play me, I feel comfortable.”

Ortega, who hit .324 in 54 starts last season, will undoubtedly be “taking one for the team” with a move to second. Mejia is regarded as an impressive defensive shortstop, and a shift to a new position would be more diffi cult for a freshman than for a junior team leader. If Mejia does end up at shortstop, Ortega expects him to do well.

“He’s really knowledgable about the game,” Ortega said of Mejia. “He’s been able to pick up on all the things we like to do at Arizona, so wherever they put him, if they put him at short, he’ll do fi ne.”

Bandy back at homeSophomore Jett Bandy , who earned Collegiate Baseball

All-American honors last season , will also be shifting spots on the diamond, as he will move back to his natural position of catcher after playing most of last year at third base.

“I’ve always been a catcher,” Bandy said. “I played third base a lot in high school and I played third base last year, but it’s just good to be back home behind the plate.”

Bandy, who hit .299 with 21 doubles , four home runs and 39 RBIs in 47

games last season, will not be the

consensus, everyday catcher, however. Lopez

admitted the catching position is

competitive right

now with Bandy and Pima Community

College product and redshirt junior Jake Meskin. “Me and Jake, we work real hard, we know our pitching staff,”

Bandy said. “It doesn’t really

matter who’s back there, me or Jake, we’re going to help

the team out tremendously.”

Batter up The UA baseball team opens its season with a revamped roster and an eye on the World Series

“I can speak for the entire pitching staff and the whole team:

We’re aiming for Omaha.”— junior pitcher Daniel Workman

By Mike SchmitzARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Stepping into the spotlight Shifts on the diamond

By Mike SchmitzARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Kyle Simon Favorite MLB team:

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Favorite MLB player: Tim Lincecum

Favorite movie: “Dazed and Confused”

Guilty-pleasure song: Anything Michael Jackson

Kurt Heyer

RHP

Alex Mejia

INF

Cole Frenzel

1B/3B

Nathan Cunningham

Nathan

RHP

Bryce Ortega

INF

Steve Selsky

OF

Kyle Simon

RHP

Jett Bandy

C

Daniel Workman

RHP

Rafael Valenzuela

Rafael

INF/OF

Impact freshmen & top returners

SethMejias-Brean

Seth

INF/OF

Bryce Ortega Favorite MLB team:

Seattle MarinersFavorite MLB player:

Ken Gri� ey Jr. Favorite movie:

“Ace Ventura: Pet Detective”Guilty-pleasure song:

“Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus

Rafael Valenzuela Favorite MLB team:

Boston Red SoxFavorite MLB player:

Manny RamirezFavorite movie: “Shooter”Guilty-pleasure song:

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper

Alex Mejia Favorite MLB team: Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimFavorite MLB player: George Brett/Ozzie SmithFavorite movie: “Training Day” Guilty-pleasure song: Any old school rap

Alan Walsh/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Alan Walsh/A

rizona Daily W

ildcat

Tim Glass/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Gordon Bates/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Visit dailywildcat.com

to meet the rest of this year’s baseball team.

B3 arizona daily wildcat • friday, february 19, 2010 •

Head coach Mike Candrea’s 2009 Arizona softball team ended the year under the spotlight of history.

It set — blew away, really — the NCAA record for the number of home runs in one season.

But in their final game, the Wildcats gave up a record 14 runs to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Women’s College World Series. They didn’t score a single run themselves.

“I’ve never lost 14-0 in my life,” said outfielder Brittany Lastrapes. “I can handle losing, that’s part of the game, but to be embarrassed like that is just something I never want to feel again.

“Coach (Candrea) reminds us, we remind each other; we never want to feel that again.”

Arizona now has a chip on its shoulder.And it also has a large portion of the record-

setting offense returning. Arizona lost key seniors third baseman Jenae Leles to graduation and utility player Sam Banister to exhausted eligibility but returns the entire outfield as well as seasoned senior K’Lee Arredondo at shortstop.

Refocused and ready for another World Series appearance, the Wildcats have a highly touted freshman class, which includes pitcher Kenzie Fowler, a veteran core and a rekindled team-oriented dugout.

Whether they finish first, second or 10th, the Wildcats don’t want to have regrets.

“Obviously, I’ve thought about (last

year),” Candrea

said,

referring to the two embarrassing losses that ended Arizona’s 2009 season. “I (had to) look down and see how much ass I have left after those two games and I’ve decided to come back and get after it.

“That’s what the game’s all about is you learn and hopefully you take that feeling,” he added. “You can’t just show up and expect things to happen. It’s been a little bit of a

motivation.”

Fowler the phenomFor those who like

rounding numbers, UA freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler had a .00 ERA during her senior season in high school. It was actually a .048 ERA that warranted

her two-time national Gatorade Player of the Year awards, making her one of the most highly-regarded softball recruits in history.

“She deserves every piece of (credit). Whatever she gets, she deserves,” said freshman first baseman Baillie Kirker of Fowler. “Having that coming into our program is great. It gives us a lot of attention, and she deserves that attention.”

Fowler brings a large contrast to last year’s one-dimensional, offense-reliant team. Senior Sarah Akamine struggled through injuries last year, and the inconsistent bullpen behind her was only more detrimental.

Now, the senior is pleased to take a backseat to Fowler as she recovers from offseason back surgery.

“This will probably be my most exciting year just to watch and actually take in everything,” Akamine said. “I’ve been waiting for this. You know what, (Fowler) is a great pitcher. I think we’ll be a good combo together. We both have different styles. We both have different go-to pitches.”

And the humble Fowler, who has been clocked throwing fastballs at speeds higher than former UA great Jennie Finch, is happy to have the support.

“I think Sarah (Akamine) and I compliment each other really well,” she said. “It’s always nice when you have more than one pitcher that can get the job done.”

Depth of fieldArizona won’t use its newfound pitching as

an excuse to lose low-scoring games.The Wildcats want to score.Despite losing two of their top-four home

run hitters, the speed and depth of the bench has improved over last season due to a strong recruiting class.

“Our one-through-nine could be very scary,” Arredondo said. “Our entire bench could pinch-hit for everyone.

“Maybe one person hits curve balls better than screwballs,” she said. “It’s nice we have that person that we can throw in (and say) ‘This person’s throwing screw balls, we’ll throw you in,’ and knowing that they can probably get a hit for us.”

Candrea pulled in Peoria Sunrise Mountain High School’s Brigette Del Ponte, who could serve time at second or third base, and Matte Haack, a shortstop converted to third baseman out of Katy,

Texas. He also recruited first baseman Baillie Kirker out of California’s Crescenta Valley

High School to take over for departed senior Sam Banister.

The versatility and talent of his 2009 recruiting class will give Candrea options if injuries hit.

“We simply have more pieces to the puzzle this year than we did last,” Candrea said. “But still it comes down to performing when you need to.”

Chemistry concernsSubtle comments have alluded to regrets about

last year’s flawed ending.“We’ve gotten closer as a team,” Akamine said.

“We’ve had team barbeques, we’ve all gone to the movies together. We’ve done a whole bunch of stuff together that we didn’t do last year.”

Then there were the comments from the Hall of Fame head coach.“One of the big things that I found with the last

couple years (is) I don’t feel like we’re that good of a team,” Candrea said. “We performed at times very well, but when it came down, I don’t think there was a lot of trust with one another.

“If you look at the finals in the World Series, you’re going to see things that happen and how

kids respond in a positive way, those teams are there for one reason, (and) that’s trying to win that ultimate goal,” Candrea said. “I just felt that we were a little bit selfish.”

During the fall, Candrea’s concerns were heard loud and

clear throughout the dugout.He stressed the

importance of team camaraderie during that time and even held a team session with a sports

psychologist. So far, the results have been

positive.Candrea said the

players had

some

of the better fall classroom performances that he’s seen in past years. Also, the team’s veterans have experiened a change in attitude.

“We all get along very, very well this year,” Arredondo said. “That’s just so great to come out to the field knowing that there’s nothing going off the field that’s going to affect how we play on the field. It’s just nice to know this early in the year that we are getting along and that everyone is doing their part.”

opportunity to rack up big wins early in the season.

“It gives us an idea of where (we) are real quickly,” head coach Mike Candrea said of taking on Missouri.

“(Missouri is) a very formidable op-ponent,” Candrea said. “They’re talented, so it will be a very good test for us.“

Both the Wildcats (6-0) and the Tigers (2-1) were in Oklahoma City, Okla., for the Women’s College World Series last year, but the two teams never met. They were both knocked out after losing two games — Arizona to Florida and Alabama, and Mizzou to Arizona State and Georgia.

In the 10 times the Wildcats have faced Mizzou, Arizona has come out on top the last nine times, with the most recent win coming in 2007, when they swept the Tigers at Hillenbrand.

Arizona’s freshmen are stepping into starting roles right away. Kirker, Matte Haack and freshamn Brigette Del Ponte will likely see time on the corners for the Wildcats. Regard-less of if they’re ready, the Arizona newcomers will have to step up big this weekend.

“There’s not a lot of places in the country where the fan support and the atmosphere is like it is here,” Candrea said. “For our young kids, it will be a good eye-opener for them and another step they need to take.

The Arizona softball team is diving head first into the 2010 season.

Accomplished sports programs often begin their seasons by playing inferior teams to build up a winning record and solidify their spots atop the national scene early in the season.

Not so for Arizona softball.Arizona began the season at the No. 4

position, and, after a 6-0 start at the Kajikawa Classic, have risen to the No. 2 spot.

The historically-sound Wildcats jump into a nationally-ranked schedule in their first weekend of play at Hillenbrand Stadium when the No. 5 Missouri Tigers roll into Tucson for an early season top-5 showdown.

In the Cathedral City Classic, which takes place next weekend, Arizona will go up against five teams, four of which have earned some national talk.

“For me, I’ve never dodged the op-portunity to play good people,” said head coach Mike Candrea. ”I think you learn more from good opponents than playing weak opponents, so I think it’s a good thing for us.”

The rest of the season won’t get any easier for the Wildcats.

“It’s a test to see where we really are,” said shortstop K’lee Arredondo. “To play three games against a really good squad is going to test our ability for Pac-10s.”

The Pacific 10 Conference is, simply put, stacked. Six of the eight teams that compete in the Pac-10 are nationally ranked, with defending national cham-pion Washington sitting at No. 1.

The travel situation for Arizona also changes this year. The Wildcats will now play a weekend series against each of the Pac-10 teams, either all three at Hillenbrand Stadium or all three on the road. In years past, the season series between teams have been split between the two schools’ venues with either two games at home and one on the road or one game at home and two away.

“It’s different than in past years, but I think it’s a good thing.” Candrea said. “It will be a little different playing the same opponent three times in a row.”

Extra bases• Last year, Arizona played 31 per-

cent of its games against teams that were ranked in the top 25 nationally at the beginning of the 2009 season.

• In this year’s remaining schedule, the Wildcats will play 20 games against teams that are currently ranked in the top 25 nationally (35.7 percent). If you count teams that received votes in the rankings, that number jumps to 41 percent.

• Missouri, Michigan, Washington and Arizona State — along with Arizona — all made it to the Women’s College World Series in 2009. The Wildcats will have to face all four of those teams this year.

By Nicole Dimtsios ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

Loaded schedule

awaits softball

MIZZOUWildcats tested early at Hillenbrandcontinued from page B1

RedemptionBouncing back from an unsettling 2009 finish

Lauren SchutzlerFavorite song:

“Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus

Favorite movie: “This Is It”

Favorite TV show: “Grey’s Anatomy”

Bad habit: Everything must be in order

K’Lee ArredondoFavorite food:

SpaghettiFavorite song:

“The Truth” by Jason AldeanFavorite movie:

“The Blind Side”Guilty pleasure:

Ice cream

Brittany LastrapesFavorite movie:

“Titanic”Favorite food:

Crab legsFavorite celebrity:

Derek JeterBad habit:

Putting syrup on everything

Stacie Chambers

Baillie Kirker

Karissa Buchanan

Kenzie FowlerFavorite song:

Anything by Britney SpearsFavorite movie:

“Avatar”Guilty pleasure:

Hollywood gossip and tabloidsBad habit:

Buying too many headbands

By Kevin Zimmerman ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

Ernie Somoza/A

rizona Daily W

ildcat

Ernie Somoza/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Ernie Somoza/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Gordon Bates/Arizona D

aily Wildcat

Gordon Bates/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Matte HaackBrigette Del Ponte

Victoria KempKristen Arriola

Mike Christy/A

rizona Daily W

ildcat

B4 • friday, february 19, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

As the 2010 indoor track and fi eld season comes to a close, Arizona is constantly fi ghting to improve — the women’s team is No. 16 in the nation, while the men’s squad sits at No. 18.

“Rankings are all good and everything, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t bring it at a meet,” head coach Fred Harvey said.

This weekend, a small group of Wildcats are headed to Walkup Skydome for the NAU Tune Up meet . This is the last

meet before the Mountain Pacifi c Sports Federation championships and the second-to-last chance these athletes will have to qualify for the NCAA National Championships.

“This meet is to keep them on queue going into the conference championship,” Harvey said. “For the hurdlers, it’s a chance to get a better national qualifi cation.”

Of the few athletes who are head-ing north this weekend, senior hurdler Chris Titsworth will be looking to pro-visionally qualify for nationals in his last eligible indoor season.

“I don’t really care about my place,” Titsworth said. “I just want a time that will take me to nationals.”

He’s not content with this performance this season and is out for more in the next couple of weeks.

“I’ve had a (personal record) … but until I get on the podium, I’m not done,” he said.

For junior LaTisha Holden , this weekend is all about business.

She’s not looking to challenge any other racers but herself.

“I don’t really pay attention to names, unless it’s my own,” Holden said. “It’s one of the last chances I have to make my national time what I want it to be and improve my rank. I just want to secure my spot.”

Even though this week’s meet won’t be as big as the Mountain Pacifi c Sports Federation championships, there is still some pressure on Holden.

“When we get to a championship meet, it’s the best of the best,” she said. “I won’t get that feeling at Flagstaff, but I need to run it as fast as I can.”

Feb. 20 Missouri Tucson, Ariz. Noon Missouri Tucson, Ariz. 2 p.m.Feb. 21 Missouri Tucson, Ariz. NoonFeb. 26 BYU Cathedral City, Calif. 4 p.m. Fresno State Cathedral City, Calif. 6:30 p.m.Feb. 27 Cal Poly Cathedral City, Calif. 11 a.m. Hawaii Cathedral City, Calif. 2 p.m.Feb. 28 Baylor Cathedral City, Calif. 10 a.m.

March 3 New Mexico State Tucson, Ariz. 4 p.m. New Mexico State Tucson, Ariz. 6 p.m.March 4 Northern Iowa Tucson, Ariz. 4 p.m.March 7 St. John’s Tucson, Ariz. Noon Idaho State Tucson, Ariz. 2 p.m.March 8 St. John’s Tucson, Ariz. 6 p.m.March 12 Northern Colorado Tucson, Ariz. 5 p.m. Illinois-Chicago Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.March 13 St. John’s Tucson, Ariz. 3 p.m. Creighton Tucson, Ariz. 5 p.m.March 14 Minnesota Tucson, Ariz. 1 p.m.March 18 Louisville Fullerton, Calif. 9 a.m. Michigan Fullerton, Calif. 11:15 a.m.March 19 Oklahoma Fullerton, Calif. 9 a.m.March 20 New Mexico Fullerton, Calif. 6 p.m.March 21 Virginia Fullerton, Calif. 9 a.m.March 26 @ New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. 5 p.m.March 27 @ New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. NoonMarch 28 @ New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. Noon

April 1 @ ASU Tempe, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 2 @ ASU Tempe, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 3 @ASU Tempe, Ariz. NoonApril 7 UTEP Tucson, Ariz. 4 p.m. UTEP Tucson, Ariz. 6 p.m.April 9 @ Washington Seattle, Wash. 6 p.m.April 10 @ Washington Seattle, Wash. 4 p.m.April 11 @ Washington Seattle, Wash. NoonApril 16 Stanford Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 17 Stanford Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 18 Stanford Tucson, Ariz. NoonApril 23 Oregon State Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 24 Oregon State Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.April 25 Oregon State Tucson, Ariz. NoonApril 30 @ California Berkeley, Calif. 3 p.m.

May 1 @ California Berkeley, Calif. 1 p.m.May 2 @ California Berkeley, Calif. NoonMay 7 @ Oregon Eugene, Ore. 6 p.m.May 8 @ Oregon Eugene, Ore. 4 p.m.May 9 @ Oregon Eugene, Ore. NoonMay 13 UCLA Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.May 14 UCLA Tucson, Ariz. 7 p.m.May 15 UCLA Tucson, Ariz. 1 p.m.

Feb. 19 Utah Valley 6 p.m.Feb. 20 Utah Valley 6 p.m.Feb. 21 Utah Valley NoonFeb. 26 Long Beach State 6 p.m.Feb. 27 Long Beach State 6 p.m.Feb. 28 Long Beach State Noon

Mar. 2 UNLV 5 p.m.Mar. 3 UNLV 1 p.m.Mar. 5 Cal State Fullerton 6 p.m.Mar. 6 Cal State Fullerton TBAMar. 7 Cal State Fullerton NoonMar. 9 St. Joseph’s 5 p.m.Mar. 10 St. Joseph’s 1 p.m.Mar. 12 Northern Colorado 4 p.m.Mar. 13 Northern Colorado 1 p.m.Mar. 14 Northern Colorado NoonMar. 16 Wichita State 6 p.m.Mar. 17 Wichita State 6 p.m.Mar. 19 Sacramento State 4 p.m.Mar. 20 Sacramento State 1 p.m.Mar. 21 Sacramento State NoonMar. 23 New Mexico 6 p.m.Mar. 24 New Mexico 6 p.m.Mar. 26 Oregon* 6 p.m.Mar. 27 Oregon* 6 p.m.Mar. 28 Oregon* Noon

April 1 at California* 2:30 p.m.April 2 at California* 2:30 p.m.April 3 at California* Noon

*Pac-10 games

FEB

FEB

MARCH

MARCH

APRIL

APRIL

MAY

With 23 newcomers sporting the cardinal and navy for the Arizona baseball team this season, it’s fortunate that the Wildcats will play their fi rst 26 games at the friendly confi nes of Jerry Kindall Field.

“Obviously this was the year that I thought we were going to be very young, which we are, and it would be good to be at home for as long as we could and kind of get comfortable with college baseball,” said head coach Andy Lopez.

The team won’t hit the road until April 1

when it moves Pacifi c 10 Conference play to the road in Berkeley against California. The 26-game home stretch is the lon-gest since 1967 when the Wildcats hosted 39 home games before leaving Tucson.

“That’s defi nitely a huge advantage for us,” said redshirt junior pitcher Daniel Workman. “It’s going to be important with the newer guys this year – playing in a home atmosphere from the get-go.”

— Mike Schmitz

The Arizona gymnastics team travels to Alabama this week to face the No. 1-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. This will be the toughest test of the season for the Gymcats as they try to get back on track after two consecutive losses.

“We looked good before (in prac-tice) and have had hiccups in meets,” said head coach Bill Ryden . “We have been training hard; we never let it get them down. We are going there very confident.”

The Gymcats expect there to be around 10,000 fans in the stands. The Southeastern Conference is known for having passionate fans and large turnouts at their meets.

“I have never competed against any team that has had that many fans be-fore,” said sophomore Deanna Graham . “I don’t know if it’s going to make too much of a difference, I guess it will be exciting if you look up into the stands. When we are on the fl oor, you don’t really notice who is around you, and when you are competing, you really don’t hear anything.”

The Gymcats have averaged just more than 1,000 fans in McKale Center so it will be an adjustment the team will have to make quickly.

“I think it pumps us up,” Ryden said. “They are not afraid of the opposition or afraid of the fans. I just think it will be exciting for us.”

Ryden has talked to his team this week about what they should expect from such a large crowd. He also said that his upperclassmen have done an excellent job in talking to the under-classmen and giving them any advice.

The Gymcats have focused hard in practice all week and are ready to prove that on Saturday.

“I think we are looking at that as more of a challenge and just for us to get out there and show them that we are really good at gymnastics,” Graham said.

Assistant coach Colleen Johnson

A pack of Brigham Young University Cougars is coming with an undefeated 8-0 record and the No. 60 ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association to LaNelle Robson Tennis Center to take on the Arizona men’s tennis team.

“(BYU is) a lot better than their ranking is right now,” said men’s head coach Tad Berkowitz . “They’ve already beaten several ranked teams. But we’re motivated to play these guys, and it will be a good opportunity to play these guys on our home courts.”

Four of the Cougars’ eight wins have come against ranked opponents, and the Wildcats will have their hands full with what should prove to be an exciting match.

The men’s tennis team (4-1) , who is ranked No. 23 in the nation by the ITA, plays BYU today at noon, and it

will host South Alabama (2-2) Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

After two close 4-3 wins against No. 73 New Mexico State and California Polytechnic State University, San Louis Obispo last weekend, Berkowitz said, “We didn’t dodge one, but two bullets this weekend.”

However, he said that those close calls were good for the team.

“I’m happy with how we were tested so strongly,” he said. “That’s great to have to have certain guys step up to come up clutch for the team, and it’ll only make us stronger down the road.”

While BYU is the clear highlight of the weekend for the men, the University of South Alabama cannot be overlooked even though on paper they seem like an easy matchup. Last weekend, the Mustangs of Cal Poly, who currently hold an 0-4 record, gave UA one of its closer matches of the season, so anything is possible.

Berkowitz insists that his team is up to the challenge though, and, af-ter showing grit last weekend, why wouldn’t they be?Women home after Texas road trip

While the women (6-1) currently hold their fi rst ranking by the ITA all season at No. 56, head coach Vicky Maes still holds to the fact that it is simply a “bonus” right now and that the team is taking it one match at a time.

That approach should help with two ranked teams coming into Tucson this weekend.

On Saturday, the women are set to face No. 47 San Diego State (4-3) at noon while No. 57 ranked St. Mary’s (5-1) is around the corner at LaNelle Robson Tennis Center for a match at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Wildcats had an extra day of practice this week, which they feel will give them an added edge this week-end, especially with doubles, for which

Maes feels a “mental advantage” is earned from added double practices.

“Both teams will battle us hard, so we cannot have too many letups,” Maes said. “Though St. Mary’s may have had the better results so far this year, San Diego State beat us last year, so we know we’re going to have a challenging two days ahead of us.”

Last season, San Diego State beat UA 4-3.

But it is a new year and the Wildcats’ method of taking it one match at a time has slowly been paying off. Maes is staying wary of their upcoming schedule and not taking anything for granted.

“Certainly, our efforts have paid off well so far, but we know matches will get tougher and tougher as the weeks go by,” she said. “We are a team that’s competing hard and looking to take advantage of the opportunities we have, one at a time.”

The Duel in the Desert will be renewed this weekend when the Arizona wom-en’s basketball team makes its annual trek to Tempe to take on its archrival, the Arizona State Sun Devils, in part two of the women’s hoops State Farm Territorial Cup Rivalry Series on Saturday.

With four wins in its last fi ve games, Arizona (13-11, 6-7 Pacifi c 10 Conference) can have some solid confi dence and momentum in trying to defeat a strong Arizona State (15-9, 7-6) team — a team that they haven’t beaten since January of 2005.

Fortunately for the Wildcats, the Sun Devils aren’t living up to their usual

standards this year, as their sixth-place standing in the Pac-10 is one of the lowest conference standings for ASU.

The Sun Devils are currently coming off split results during their contests with the Oregon schools over the past weekend. With this in mind, Arizona can feel confi dent having won their previous two games.

In January, when the Sun Devils came to Tucson, both teams managed to keep it close until the top of the sec-ond half. With the game tied at 44, Ari-zona State took Arizona for a ride with an 11-0 run initiated by leading scor-ers Becca Tobin and Danielle Orsillo . The Wildcats, although they mounted an impressive comeback, were never able to recover.

Arizona continues to work on its rebounding, which has been the theme of practice the entire season. Rebounding can either be the team’s closest ally or its worst nightmare. When it’s able to rebound, it wins, if not, the outcome is completely up in the air.

“(Simply) By putting one foot in front of the other and by crashing the boards, we’ll get results,” Butts said. “Hopefully that continues.”

In their previous game against Cali-fornia State, Northridge, the Wildcats almost doubled the Matadors in re-bounds. This success brings hope and confi dence to the Arizona players and coaches alike.

The Sun Devils are a quick team, and the Wildcats must adjust and continue

to focus on getting back to protect the basket, as well as continuing to drive the quick transition offense for the entire game.

With a steady and focused mindset, the Wildcats hope to be able to fi nally stifl e a Sun Devil team that has been plaguing them for quite some time.

Arizona forward Ify Ibekwe had a game high 25 points and 16 rebounds against Arizona State in the last meeting, and she, along with help from her team, needs to put shooting pressure on the Sun Devil defense.

“We have to mentally ready to play and focused,” Ibekwe said. “What we have to do is be disciplined offensively and defensively, and everything else takes care of itself.”

Chance for W-hoops to split vs. ASUBy Dan Kohler

ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

By Nathan ComerfordARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

By Galo MejiaARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

By Kevin NadakalARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Schedules SoftballBaseball

‘Home is where the heart is’Noteworthy games

No. 3 California State, Fullerton on March 5, 6 and 7

No. 8 ASUon April 20 and May 15, 16 and 17

Tests for tennis in weekend home stand

UA hits final meet before Mt. Pac championships

Liz Patterson is ranked No. 1 in women’s high jumper in nation.• Brigetta Barrett is ranked No. 4 in women’s high jump and is one •

of only four freshmen ranked nationally.Courtney Hayes is ranked No. 15 in women’s high jump.• Luis Rivera-Morales is ranked No. 3 in men’s long jump.• GYMCATS, page B5

Gymcats square

off with Alabama

B5 arizona daily wildcat • friday, february 19, 2010 •

Saturday, February 20 at 8pmUA Centennial HallCall (520) 621-3341 • uapresents.orgTickets also available at the UA Student Union Memorial Center BookStore.Event Sponsors: Maria & Thomas Tilton

Exclusively for Students/Faculty/Staff Just $15*

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Staff PicksKevin Zimmerman

Assistant sports editorNicole Dimtsios

Sports editorMike Schmitz

Sports reporterMichael Fitzsimmons

Sports reporter

Team finishNational runner-up

Arizona didn’t lose much from last season and now has a chip on its shoulder after bowing out in the 2009 Women’s College World Series in embarrassing fashion. The Wildcats now have the pitching, but Kenzie Fowler is still a freshman — as pitchers go, Florida’s Stacey Nelson and Washington’s Danielle Lawrie have the advantage of experience.

National ChampionshipWhat the Wildcats were missing last year was

consistency, either in the circle or at the plate, de-pending on the day. This season, head coach Mike Candrea and Arizona have the answers to fi ll both vacancies in ace Kenzie Fowler and last year’s number one offense.

Fourth place in the Pacific 10The Wildcats were selected to fi nish fi fth in the

Preseason Coaches Poll, but with the new blood in the program after last season’s nightmare of a season, I expect Arizona to surprise some people. It may take some time to hit stride, but a fourth-place fi nish in the Pac-10 is realistic for this group of youngsters.

Fourth place in the Pacific 10Once head coach Andy Lopez can iron out the

early-season wrinkles that will surely come with a very young team, I think Arizona can compete in the Pac-10 and prove that last year was a fl uke.

MVP

Brittany Lastrapes The team’s lead-off hitter last year hit a team-

high .480 batting average while tallying 104 hits on the 2009 season — the second highest player on the team had only 72. Plus, the speedy junior will come through in the clutch.

Kenzie FowlerFowler is the heir to the Arizona pitching

throne. Despite being an addition to Wildcat softball, no one has more power than Fowler. The freshman pitcher has been recorded at speeds higher than Jennie Finch’s and has the ability to make even the best batters look ridiculous.

Jett BandyLooking to build on Collegiate Baseball

All-American honors, Bandy will be responsible for guiding a young pitching staff through the Pac-10 as he moves back to catcher. I think Bandy makes the biggest impact behind the plate and with his bat.

Bryce Ortega After turning in a fi rst team All-Pac-10 season

last year — .324, 53 runs in 54 starts at shortstop — Ortega will be looked to as a leader in the fi eld and near the top of the batting order. With so many youngsters in the fi eld, Ortega will play a huge role in the Wildcats’ success this season, and I’d expect the former walk-on to answer the bell and perform as the team’s best all-around player this season, whether it is at shortstop or second base.

X-factor

Sarah Akamine If the Wildcats can squeeze solid innings out

of the often-injured Akamine, that much more pressure will be off ace Kenzie Fowler to carry the team on her shoulders. That will be the key: Giving Fowler the season to develop in time for the World Series.

Lini Koria The backup catcher for the Wildcats could

make a big impact in the batter’s box this season. After fi lling the role of designated hitter for Arizona in 2009, Koria will be able to both improve her numbers and supply the power in the middle of the lineup to drive in runs.

Kurt Heyer The freshman hurler is expected to be the team’s

number three starter on Sundays. While returning pitchers Kyle Simon and Daniel Workman have already proven what they can do at the collegiate level, Heyer is still a question mark. If he is really as impressive as the coaching staff and players say, he could transform the pitching staff from average to almost untouchable.

Kyle SimonThe Friday-night assignment is Simon’s for the

taking. If he can set the tone as the ace of the staff, the team will be successful.

was formerly a gymnast at the University of Florida, so she has firsthand knowledge of what the team will experience. Johnson tries to stay away from telling the Gymcats about her personal experience because she wants the team to face it on their own.

“I think we will just constantly remind them to stay calm and to block out the arena,” Johnson said. “I have told them some of my experience, but I have never said, ‘From my own experience.’”

The Gymcats have had a road warrior mentality this season and have often performed much better

on the road.“It helps us because they get all day to rest,”

Ryden said. “All we will be doing tomorrow is sit-ting on a plane, sitting in a van and then sleeping in a hotel.

“They actually get more rest (before) away meets. I honestly could ask every single one of them, and they would say we are more comfort-able on the road.

“You are supposed to be on a plane sitting and sleeping, and they are all very good at sleeping on a plane.”

Road provides extra rest, concentration for Gymcats

GYMCATScontinued from page B4

Softball

Softball

Softball

Baseball

Baseball

Baseball

B6 • friday, february 19, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

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quiet — I’ve never heard it like that in Tempe.”

This time, the Wildcats will have the McKale Center crowd behind them as they face their third zone defense-oriented team in a row. Un-like the Beavers, who switch between a 1-3-1 and a 2-3 zone, ASU will play with the same match-up zone de-fense throughout.

“They’re very sound with what they do, they’re on the same page,” Miller said, crediting ASU head coach Herb Sendek for instilling ceaseless effort in his Sun Devil team. “They’re going to win with very, very good half-court defense.”

Another focus for the Wildcats is containing the Sun Devils’ 3-point shooting, which Miller said was a cata-lyst for past ASU wins. Five Sun Devil players shoot at least 37 percent from beyond the arc.

But focusing on themselves is the biggest key for the Wildcats, especially after the humbling loss to Oregon State.

Against the Beavers, Arizona strug-gled to play a slower-paced, grind-it-out style of basketball. When they couldn’t score, which was partially due to poor shooting from key contribu-tors, the Wildcats began forcing shots.

And when the forced shots didn’t fall, those struggles snowballed into poor defense and frustration.

Against ASU, Miller would simply like to see his old team return — the one that had developed maturity and resiliency to go with talent. From the players’ perspective, though, the the answer is simple.

“I just think effort was the most evi-dent thing we needed,” Horne said of the loss to the Beavers. “I think there’s going to be a lot more fire.”

Arizona head coach Sean Miller took the media podium Thursday, hoping to clear up his post-game comments fol-lowing Saturday’s loss to the Oregon State Beavers.

He wanted to give credit where credit was due.

“I don’t know if it came out neces-sarily after the game like I really want-ed it to,” Miller said. “I thought Oregon State did a terrific job. They made key plays in key moments.”

The head coach gave credit not only to the Beavers’ execution but also to their success in frustrating the Wildcats.

Acknowledging the lack of effort from his own team, Miller said the loss reminded him of a football game with one team in the lead and the other throwing pass after pass, losing the time-of-possession battle.

“One team has the ball for a total half, and when your team has a chance to go out there, we’re passing the ball. We’re in a hurry to score,” Miller said. “It’s 3-and-out.”

In basketball terms, the Wildcats rushed quick shots, attempting to score their way back into the game.

It didn’t work.Arizona forced a transition game that

wasn’t ignited by strong defense. In-stead of shooting their way back into the game, they got caught playing poor de-fense and showing poor shot selection.

“Your offense starts to make you frustrated while you sit on defense for 35 more seconds,” Miller said, adding that his young team’s perfor-mance resembled the start of their season in November. “While you break down on defense, you want to make it up right away. It was a sign of an immature team.”

Shooting through the FoggArizona’s key shooters — notably its

starting back-court of sophomore Kyle Fogg and senior Nic Wise — struggled from the field, making the entire team feel pressured to try quick buckets and prompting poor shot selection.

The pair went a combined 2-for-16 against the Beavers and had a frustrat-ing 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

But they learned a lesson.Miller cited NBA forward Tim

Duncan’s poor shooting but relentless rebounding Wednesday, saying that players need to find another aspect of their game to help the team when their shots aren’t falling. The San Antonio Spurs’ big man shot a lowly 4-for-23 from the field but made up for the off-night with 26 rebounds.

Instead of contributing in other ar-eas, the struggling Wildcats became frustrated.

Fogg admitted that he sometimes puts too much pressure on himself and that he let that affect him as the game developed.

“I just let my bad offense get to me on defense,” the starting guard said. “I just got unfocused and had a bad game that night.”

Fogg wasn’t the only player to strug-gle. On Sunday, everyone appeared out of sync except junior Jamelle Horne, who had 15 points and 14 rebounds.“When guys sat and watched film,

they kind of realized that they didn’t really play as hard as they maybe thought they were,” Horne said.

Maybe the freshman-heavy Arizona roster hit the so-called “freshman wall.” Miller said he didn’t believe it, but Horne said it was “that time of the season,” where the rigorous schedule caught up to players physically.

“You’re walking around a little slower

to class than you were,” he joked.Fogg admitted he had hit a

mental wall. He said people had a right to criticize him for playing poorly and that moving on to Sunday’s match-up with ASU is now the main concern.

“Individually, I definitely didn’t do enough to prepare for the game,” Fogg

said. “It definitely showed on the floor. “I just want to help the team win,”

he added. “Really, I just got to be sure to catch up on sleep and go shoot the ball whenever I can, after practice, just at night, on my own.

“Just play ball away from it all, just by myself. That’ll help me get everything together and get focused for Sunday.”

Alan WalshArizona Daily WildcatFreshman forward Derrick Williams is blocked by an Oregon State defender in the Wildcats’ 63-55 loss on Feb. 13 in McKale Center.

HOOPS NOTES

By Kevin Zimmerman ArizonA DAily WilDcAt

Reflecting on regressionDefensive struggles sink Wildcats

ASUMiller looks for growth to resumecontinued from page B1

After the second round of play, the UA men’s golf team has climbed to fifth place in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Honolulu, Hawaii, although they are now 10 strokes behind leader California which sits at 18-under-par.

After a rough first day, the Wildcats bounced back with four of five players either at or below par. Juniors Jonathan Khan and Tarquin MacManus both bounced back from above-par first rounds, as each shot a 3-under-par 69.

Arizona is five strokes behind fourth place Brigham Young (-13), and two strokes ahead of sixth place Southern Methodist (-6). Cal holds a two-stroke lead over Texas A&M (-16).

For the second consecutive tournament, the Golden Bears have a player in the running for an individual championship, as junior Stephen Hale sits atop the field at 8-below-par.

MacManus is in a tie for 16th at 2-under-par, while Tom Conran, competing as an individual, is in a tie for 57th at 4-above-par.

The final round beings today with a shotgun start at 11 a.m.

— Alex Williams

BRIEFM-golf sits fifth after second round in HI Olympics quick hits

Lysacek upsets Plushenko for gold medal

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Evan Lysacek brought down the champion.

Lysacek became the first U.S. man to win the Olympic gold medal since Brian Boitano in 1988, shocking everyone - maybe even himself - by upsetting defending champion Evgeni Plushenko on Thursday night. Plushenko came out of retirement with the sole purpose of making a little history of his own with a second straight gold medal.

The last to skate. Plushenko held up both index fingers when he finished, as if to say, “Was there ever any question?” As it turned out, yes.

White’s showstopper caps second Olympic gold

WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The fans were waiting. Shaun White could see them packed in the stands at the bottom of the hill ready for snowboarding’s greatest showman — all of 23 years old — to go do his thing.

Laying down a victory lap for the ages, White put an exclamation point on the most successful day in U.S. Winter Olympics history Wednesday by landing — barely — his latest invention: the Double McTwist 1260.

White has renamed the trick — which requires him to cram two board-over-head flips inside of 3 1/2 turns — “The Tomahawk.”

Focus on Vonn only figures to increase after gold

WHISTLER, British Columbia — A cam-era caught Lindsey Vonn dabbing on makeup minutes after becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic downhill.

Looking up, she realized the scene was being relayed to a giant videoboard near the finish area.

“I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Vonn said after Wednesday’s victory. “There was a lot of expectations and a lot of pressure coming into these games, and I stood up to that, and I fought back today.”

US men’s hockey beat Norway 6-1VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It took

nearly all 60 minutes for the U.S. hockey team to get the blowout it wanted.

Nursing a two-goal lead for much of the final two periods, the Americans broke it open against Norway on Thursday when defenseman Brian Rafalski scored twice in the final three minutes of a 6-1 victory.

— The Associated Press