The Jekyll-and-Hyde Arizona Wildcats

On Thursday night, a listless Arizona Wildcats’ squad struggled mightily against the Washington Huskies — the same team Arizona beat by 15 a month earlier at McKale Center.

Jerryd Bayless missed 12 of his 18 shot attempts, with Washington’s perimeter players constantly hounding him each time he touched the ball.

Two nights later, a completely different mentality took hold.

With their backs against the wall and their tournament hopes in serious jeopardy, the Wildcats submitted an exemplary defensive effort in their 65-55 road win over No. 17 Washington State.

The Cougars shot a mere 34 percent from the floor, and the Wildcats (17-10, 7-7 Pac-10) went from on the bubble to in the mix, literally overnight.

Arizona fans have ridden a roller-coaster ride of emotions following this team. Many have attempted to explain this hot-and-cold phenomenon. Many have failed.

Of course, interim head coach Kevin O’Neill has a simple explanation for the squad’s ebb and flow, and it has little to do with the Wildcats’ game-to-game effort level.

“I feel like we give excellent effort just about every game,” O’Neill said. “It’s just that the other teams in this league are really good.”

The facts back up O’Neill’s claim.

Nine of the 10 Pac-10 teams boast overall records above .500. In fact, Washington — the ninth-place team in the conference — not only beat the Wildcats on Thursday night, but also took down the mighty UCLA Bruins — a team that might end up with a No. 1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

“This league is just brutal,” said senior Jawann McClellan. “Anybody can beat anybody else.”

O’Neill said this team has only three losses he calls “stinkers” — Jan. 5 versus Oregon, Feb. 2 at UCLA and Feb. 21 at Washington.

“Let there be no doubt; Washington made us play badly,” O’Neill said. “The other teams in this conferences have star players, great coaches and scouts.”

Saturday night’s win over Washington State set the tone for what is sure to be a crucial homestand this weekend, when the Los Angeles schools come calling for Arizona’s final pair of games at the McKale Center this weekend.

First up, the USC Trojans (17-9, 8-6) tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

The Trojans might be the only team who can compare injury-bug bites with the Wildcats.

USC will likely be without the services of all-purpose guard Daniel Hackett, who has been sidelined with a stress fracture in his lower back.

The sophomore has been one of USC’s finest perimeter defenders and has proven to be an ideal complementary piece to the flashy O.J. Mayo — the reigning Pac-10 Player of the Week.

Arizona is still without Nic Wise or Bret Brielmaier. O’Neill said he doesn’t expect to see either in action until the Pac-10 tournament, at the earliest.

The Wildcats won the first meeting, 80-69 in L.A. Chase Budinger led all scorers with 29 and McClellan scored a career-high 23, exploiting USC’s triangle-and-two match-up zone defense with a number of key outside jumpers.

“I don’t expect them to play that defense again,” McClellan said.

The senior from Houston will likely split defensive duties on Mayo with Jerryd Bayless. He said he has no tricks on his sleeve to slow down the 20.1 points-per-game scorer.

“I’m not going to be talking trash or anything like that,” McClellan said. “Jerryd and O.J. have more of a history.”

Bayless has upped his scoring average to 29 points per outing in the five games since Wise went down with a knee injury.

In other news, the Wildcats found out that Mohamed Tangara — who is scheduled to graduate with a degree in family studies this spring — will forego his final year of eligibility, freeing up another scholarship for next season.

The junior big-man from Mali will take part in Sunday’s Senior Day.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747

Game details

USC (17-9, 8-6) at Arizona (17-10, 7-7)

At McKale Center, Tucson, 7 p.m.

TV: ESPN, Cox channel 24

Radio: Wildcat Radio Network, 1290-AM, 107.5-FM