Bruins to face an Arizona team on the edge
UCLA BASKETBALL REPORT
A loss Sunday would put Wildcats one step closer to a sub-.500 Pac-10 finish and the possible end of a 23-year streak of NCAA tournament appearances.
TUCSON -- UCLA has won six straight games against Arizona and has taken over as the muscle atop the Pacific 10 Conference after its back-to-back titles and consecutive Final Four appearances.
Formerly the Pac-10 kingpins, the Wildcats (17-11, 7-8) now are facing the chance they might finish below .500 in the league for the first time since the 1983-84 season and possibly miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in 24 years.
Arizona this season has been without its legendary coach, Lute Olson, who took a leave of absence for reasons that have remained private. Three of the Wildcats' top seven players have missed a combined 22 games due to injury, including point guard Nic Wise, who is out at least until the Pac-10 tournament after having knee surgery last month.
The almost weekly drama caused interim Coach Kevin O'Neill to say Saturday, "This is been the toughest year of my coaching career. I feel confident in saying that."
And here comes UCLA, ranked No. 4, 25-3 overall and leading the conference at 13-2.
O'Neill calls the Bruins "perhaps the toughest defensive team in the country." He lists UCLA's 82-60 win at Pauley Pavilion a month ago as one of three losses this year in which his team lost its fight.
In the Bruins' six straight wins over Arizona, they are averaging just under 80 points and have won by an average of nearly 13 points a game. "For some reason," UCLA junior Josh Shipp said, "we play well against Arizona. I think we really get up for them."
The Bruins will encounter a raucous atmosphere in Tucson. It is Arizona's final home game and the Wildcats' senior class of Bret Brielmaier, Daniel Dillon, Jawann McClellan, Mohamed Tangara and Kirk Walters will be honored. O'Neill said Olson may be on hand to congratulate the seniors who have gone 49-13 at McKale Center.
O'Neill said he understands the streak of 23 straight NCAA appearances, the longest ongoing streak, is at risk. UCLA Coach Ben Howland continues to insist the Pac-10 will get six NCAA bids, though he said the league "would be hard-pressed to get in a team with less than a 9-9 conference record."
Howland also called the 23 straight bids "a phenomenal achievement and it's a testament to Lute Olson and what a great program he has built. To have that kind of staying power over two decades is incredible. It's very difficult."
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