The Oregon women’s basketball team is about to embark on its toughest road trip of the season, as it heads to the desert to take on the Arizona schools.
But something is different.
The Wildcats — who actually jumped up two spots to No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll — have lost three straight games, the latest of which a 67-57 loss to in-state rival Arizona State.
The unranked Sun Devils, however, have won their last four.
Which game will be more difficult? Wildcat head coach Joan Bonvicini has an idea of which team should be tougher, but isn’t sure if her players will rise to the occasion.
“I can’t give you a reason why we’re not playing well enough,” Bonvicini told the Arizona Daily Star. “But I know that prior to two weeks ago, we played hard. We had fun. We played with a lot of confidence.”
“We have such a young team, a lot of our bodies right now are breaking down,” Krista Warren told the Arizona Daily Star. “It’s affecting our attitude. And not knowing [that] when that happens, you need to step it up even harder and play with a lot more heart.”
The Wildcats haven’t lost four straight games since the 1994-95 season. That streak could be broken Thursday against Oregon.
Meanwhile, the Sun Devils and Ducks are sitting atop the conference, sharing the Pac-10 lead with 4-2 records.
Arizona State hadn’t beaten the Wildcats in seven years prior to Saturday’s win in Tempe, Ariz. The success of the Sun Devils has brought fans out of the woodwork, as a Wells Fargo Arena record women’s hoops crowd of 5,379 watched Arizona fall.
Much of the Devils’ success is due to the play of center Melody Johnson and guard Amanda Levens, head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. Johnson and Levens sat out last season after transferring from Colorado and Old Dominion.

“When they beat us here at home [last season], Charli pulls me and Amanda aside and says they’re not beating us here again,” Johnson told the Arizona Republic after Saturday’s win. “I said that sounds good to me. That was in the back of my mind today, so I’m glad we could fulfill that for her.”
If Oregon beats Arizona and the Sun Devils overcome Oregon State Thursday, then Saturday’s Ducks-Devils matchup will be even sweeter.
Because the winner would sit alone as first in the Pac-10.

Hoffman keeps rollin’
Trojan forward Ebony Hoffman, a freshman, was named Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week on Monday, and rightfully so.
Hoffman terrorized the Ducks last Thursday by scoring 19 points and grabbing 17 rebounds in her first career double-double.
But it wasn’t her last.
Against Oregon State last Saturday, Hoffman scored on a layup with 26 seconds left in overtime as USC went on to win in dramatic fashion, 69-67. The freshman phenom recorded her second straight double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Note: Hoffman also scored the layup and free throw to beat Oregon.
Can you say, “red hot?”

Ducks afloat in the rankings
Oregon remained in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll at No. 21, dropping just one spot despite losing to Southern California at McArthur Court last Thursday.