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The game against USC will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

By University Communications
February 26, 2008

Arizona (17-10, 7-7 Pac-10) opens the final homestand of the regular season vsersus USC (17-9, 8-6 Pac-10) Thursday in a nationally televised game on ESPN. This is ESPN’s first stop in McKale Center since Nov. 16, 2004.

Seeding for the Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament will be on the line as these teams are among a group of five teams in the middle of the pack separated by two games in the loss column.

The Wildcats put forth a solid effort on both ends of the court to earn a much-needed win, 65-55, Saturday at Washington State. The UA limited WSU to season-low totals of 17 field goals and a 34.0 field goal percentage, while shooting 50 percent and placing three players in double figures.

Chase Budinger, who hit his first five shots from the floor, knocked down two key 3 pointers in the second half to keep the Wildcats in the lead, and Jerryd Bayless scored all 20 of his points in the second half. It was the UA’s third win over a ranked team this season.

The Trojans enter play Thursday coming off a 81-53 win at Oregon State. Through 26 games, USC averages 68.9 points per game and shoots 48.5 percent from the field. Opponents shoot 38.8 percent from the floor and are outscored by an average of 6.6 points per game.

Thursday’s game is the 91st meeting of the two schools with Arizona holding a 54-36 series advantage. The UA has won 15 of the last 21 meetings in the series, which dates back to 1922, including the last contest, 80-69, in Los Angeles on Jan. 31. All-time, Arizona is 27-9 in series games played in Tucson, 24-27 in Los Angeles and 3-0 in neutral-site games.

In their last meeting, Budinger scored a game-high 29 points and Jawann McClellan added a career-high 23 points to lead Arizona to a victory. The duo scored 28 of the Cats’ 46 second-half points as the team came from behind to win. The UA used a 20-7 run over 4:12 late in the half to take control of a contest that featured seven ties and 11 lead changes. Three-point shooting proved to be the difference as Arizona connected on 47.6 percent (10-of-21) and outscored USC, 30-12, from behind the arc.

Following Thursday’s game, Arizona hosts UCLA in the final home game of the regular season. Tip-off on Sunday is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST and can be seen nationally on CBS-TV.