Citizen Staff Writer
Wildcat blog
One win does not a season make. Apparently one loss does not a season break.
After Thursday night’s 106-97 win over No. 23 Washington, Arizona junior forward Chase Budinger said he didn’t feel the game was “a do-or-die situation.”
So, is it do-or-die with interim coach Russ Pennell?
“We can’t put that kind of pressure on ourselves,” he said. “In a lot of people’s minds, we’re dead and gone. That’s fine with me. I hope people forget about us because we can then sneak up on people.
“What if you lose, then are you dead?”
The Wildcats can’t think like that, the coach said.
Arizona, with a 13-8 overall record, sits in seventh place in the Pac-10 at 3-5.
The Wildcats likely need to finish 10-8 in Pac-10 play to reach their 25th straight NCAA Tournament, the nation’s longest current streak. They also could get the automatic Pac-10 bid by winning the conference tournament in Los Angeles.