Desert determination

Four games remain on the Huskies schedule. One of the most pivotal games is tonight at 5:30 against No. 17 Arizona. The Wildcats remember losing at Washington on Jan. 29 like it was just yesterday.

"Every game in front of us is huge," Husky coach Lorenzo Romar explained. "We win the game, we're in second place. I think we are going to face a buzz saw; they are going to play at a high level."

Arizona (17-7 overall, 9-6 Pac-10) is reeling somewhat even though it remains ranked in the top 25. Getting beat at Oregon State 90-84 last weekend combined with the desire of wanting revenge for its defeat at the hands of the Huskies means Arizona will be dangerous at McKale Center, where the team is 11-1.

"We are real excited to have a chance to sweep Arizona, that's big time," said Husky guard Will Conroy. "Not just sweep them, but it puts us in good position at second place."

Many publications picked Washington to finish eighth in the Pac-10 and, after starting the conference season at 0-5, the Dawgs like where they currently stand, third in the league.

The Huskies have not been this high in the conference standings this late in the season since basketball shorts were thigh high: the final day of the 1986-87 season.

"Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to do your best," Romar added. "These last six weeks we feel like we have come together as a team and played some good basketball."

Washington (13-10, 8-6) learned a lot in its 77-72 loss against No.13 NC State Sunday. The game had a similar feel to an NCAA tournament contest featuring two teams that have never played one another before.

That loss to the Atlantic Coast Conference's second-place squad was the toughest game the Wolfpack had on its home floor since its win over then No.1 Duke.

"It felt like we were in the NCAA tournament and it shows we can play any team in the country," Husky guard Nate Robinson said. "[NC State] gave us confidence because they know we should have had that game won. It wakes us up and shows us that it is right there, all we have to do is play hard and we'll get the job done."

If history plays a factor in Washington's road trip, it could be in serious quicksand.

The Huskies have lost 13 consecutive games in Arizona and have been swept 13 out of the past 15 times by 'Zona and ASU. Their last win was an 80-79 upset over the Wildcats in 1996.

"It's going to be tough, I can't lie," Robinson said. "They say it's hard beating the same team twice, but I think we can get the job done."

Getting the win would strengthen the Huskies' hopes of getting to the Big Dance. ESPN.com currently lists only Stanford and Arizona as locks for the tournament, but if Washington can take care of Arizona with undefeated Stanford looming three games later it could be in business.

Due to a down year in Pac-10 teams, finishing third in the conference holds no justice. Three of the five teams that made the NCAAs last year (Oregon, Cal and Arizona State) are out of the picture, making Washington anxious to get its foot in the door.

For now, the Huskies are throwing records out the window and simply putting it all out on the court to see what happens. With the NC State loss under their belts and wins in eight of their past 10 games, confidence and production are at a season high.

"Everybody's heads-up right now. We're in the Pac-10 tournament for sure so we already know we can win three games in a row. We just got to go out and be mature as men and get it done," Conroy said.