WILDCAT SENIORS BID FAREWELL

Over the past decade, the number of seniors contributing to college basketball teams has steadily dwindled.

With the fame and fortune available in the NBA or overseas, most top-flight athletes abandon their amateur status as quickly as possible, leaving college well before they earn a degree.

However, this reality will be temporarily suspended this afternoon, when five Arizona Wildcats will take the McKale Center floor for one final time.

Jawann McClellan, Bret Brielmaier, Kirk Walters, Daniel Dillon and Mohamed Tangara will be honored moments prior to the 2 p.m. tip-off between the Wildcats (17-11, 7-8 Pac-10) and the UCLA Bruins (25-3, 13-2).

Even though interim head coach Kevin O’Neill has instilled a “one day at a time” mentality with this team, this year’s senior class couldn’t help but imagine what the atmosphere might be like.

“I’m sure it’s going to get pretty emotional,” McClellan said.

Since arriving on campus after a stellar career at Charles H. Milby High in Houston, McClellan’s career has seen more ups and downs than a whitewater rafting trip.

Even though he came to Arizona with a scorer’s reputation, McClellan has developed into Arizona’s best defensive leader and a de facto coach on the floor.

Currently, he is second on the squad in minutes played (35.5) and serves as the glue that holds this team together.

“Jawann is absolutely essential to everything we do,” O’Neill said.

McClellan will graduate with a religious studies degree and hopes to continue his basketball career on the professional level, then parlay his experience into a coaching job.

“I have received a lot of calls about Jawann, both from NBA scouts and coaches from overseas,” O’Neill said. “If he keeps working hard, he’ll have a shot to make it on the next level.”

Brielmaier graduated from Loyola High School in Mankato, Minn., earning Player-of-the-Year accolades after a stellar senior season.

However, Brielmaier arrived in Tucson without any fanfare, electing to play his way into coach Lute Olson’s rotation solely on the basis of hustle.

He earned the title of “Mr. Hustle” after consistently beating his more athletically gifted teammates to rebounds and loose balls during practice.

He shed the walk-on label last season, receiving an athletic scholarship.

He figured heavily into Arizona’s playing rotation this season, providing a thin Wildcat front line with size and toughness.

Just as Brielmaier was starting to fall into a groove, a separated shoulder on Dec. 22 has caused him to miss 12 of the last 17 games, including six in a row.

O’Neill hopes Brielmaier will be back in action when the Pac-10 Tournament starts in two-and-a-half weeks.

“Losing Bret for this long has really hurt us,” O’Neill said. “He doesn’t commit turnovers and he makes the right play, almost every time.”

Despite the gritty, blue-collar on-court image, Brielmaier, an Interdisciplinary Studies major, is considered the funniest and most easy-going guy on the roster.

Walters, a 6-foot-11 center from Grand Rapids, Mich., first saw action in 2003.

He quickly graduated from “gangly and awkward” to “athletic and effective” between his freshman and sophomore seasons, developing into a genuine shot-blocking threat.

That maturation continued into his junior year, but back problems and a bout with mononucleosis sidelined what looked to be a promising 2006-07 season.

Granted a fifth year of eligibility this season, Walters has not seen the floor much this season, but has played effective in spurts.

Walters will graduate with a health education degree.

“I’ve had so much fun in my time here at Arizona,” Walters said. “When I think of all the great players I took the floor with, from Andre (Iguodala) to Channing (Frye), Salim (Stoudamire), Hassan (Adams) and my teammates now, it’s been a remarkable ride.”

Dillon, an Australian product by way of North Laurel High in Kentucky, came to campus with a reputation as a lock-down defender at both guard positions.

With injuries to Jerryd Bayless and Nic Wise, along with freshman guard Laval Lucas-Perry transferring to Michigan, Dillon’s responsibility has increased throughout the season.

He has seen action in the last 10 Arizona games, bringing a solid — if not spectacular — presence to the back court.

Dillon will graduate with a psychology degree.

Unlike most players with a year of eligibility remaining, Tangara will be honored in today’s festivites.

The big man from Mali is on track to receive his family studies degree this spring and he has decided to transfer to a Div. II school for his senior season.

Tangara has rarely seen the floor this season — five minutes total — but will look to play his way into a rotation next season while freeing up another scholarship for Arizona.

After what is sure to be an emotional pre-game introduction, the Wildcats will need to quickly snap into “game mode” with the mighty Bruins looking to spoil the festivities.

Last time out, UCLA demolished Arizona State 70-49, owning a 34-20 advantage on the boards and hardly breaking a sweat against one of the Pac-10’s tougher teams.

In addition, the Bruins handed the Wildcats their most lopsided loss, an 82-60 drubbing at Pauley Pavillion on Feb. 2.

“They kicked our butts last time out,” Bayless said. “We can’t let that happen again.”

UCLA is led by freshman center Kevin Love, who is not only in the running for the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors, but will likely take home the overall Player of the Year award.

Love is averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds per game this season.

However, this game will likely come down to how Bayless handles the relentless defensive pressure of Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook.

Against USC on Thursday, Bayless was constantly double-teamed, leading to a season-low eight points and six turnovers.

“UCLA is one of the best teams in the country,” McClellan said. “We definitely need to play our best game in order to keep our tournament hopes alive.”

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747

Game details

No. 4 UCLA (25-3, 13-2) at Arizona (17-11, 7-8)

McKale Center, 2 p.m. today

TV: CBS (Cox, channel 13)

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