The Front Row: Duel in the Desert

SHOWDOWN IN TEMPE: This year’s Territorial Cup has much more on the line than regional superiority.

Arizona (5-6, 4-4 Pac-10) squares off against Arizona State (9-2, 6-2) for the 81st time tomorrow evening at Sun Devil Stadium (6 p.m., ESPN2, radio 1290 AM), renewing one of the area’s most heated rivalries.

An Arizona win gives the Wildcats their second straight 6-6 season and their first potential bowl berth during Mike Stoops’ four-year tenure.

An Arizona State win gives the No. 13 Sun Devils a chance to take home the Pac-10 crown and possible spot in the Rose Bowl.

The Wildcats are still riding high on the momentum from their big win over Oregon on Nov. 15, while the Sun Devils are still reeling from their Thanksgiving loss to the resurgent USC Trojans.

This matchup will come down to Arizona’s No. 2-ranked passing offense against Arizona State’s No. 3 pass defense. Something will have to give, but it appears as if Willie Tuitama and his cadre of young wide receivers have discovered a winning rhythm together.

Look for Spencer Larsen and Antoine Cason to end their regular-season college careers with one more monster game against their hated rivals. Cason is also playing for the Thorpe award and a potential first-round spot in next spring’s NFL draft.

Sun Devils’ coach Dennis Erickson has his squad playing at a high level, but I look for the red-hot Wildcats to win their fourth game in a row and propel themselves into bowl consideration.

The pick: Arizona 31, Arizona State 24.

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WILDCAT PRIDE: For the first time this season, the Arizona Wildcats finally put together 40 minutes of quality basketball.

Instead of letting Cal State Fullerton linger, the Wildcats (4-2) came out fired up from the opening tip and blew out the Titans 91-65 at McKale Center Wednesday night.

Chase Budinger finished with 17 points in 19 minutes—including 10 points in the game’s first five minutes.

Had the game remained close, Budinger might’ve scored 40. The Titans had no answer for him.

Instead, Budinger spent more than half of the game resting, allowing Jerryd Bayless to shine.

The lightning-quick guard led all scorers with 21 points and, more importantly, took better care of the basketball.

After turning the ball over seven times at Kansas on Sunday, Bayless only committed three turnovers Wednesday night.

With No. 9 Texas A&M paying the Wildcats a visit on Sunday afternoon, the Wildcats needed a game like this in order to prove to themselves what they’re capable of doing when everyone is on the same page from the opening tip to the final horn.

Check Sunday’s edition of the Green Valley News for a full scouting report on the Aggies.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747