Nov. 16
What can Arizona do for an encore?

Coach Lute Olson's Wildcats were impressive in beating a pair of top-five teams -- Maryland and Florida -- at Madison Square Garden to win the IKON Classic. Now the Wildcats have three more tough tests ahead, all against ranked squads: at Texas (Nov. 17) and home vs. Kansas (Dec. 1) and Illinois (Dec. 4).

It's a sad commentary to give up your eligibility without a guarantee. Second-round choices don't get a guaranteed NBA contract and the money that goes with it.

The Longhorns will be out for revenge. Back in January, Arizona handed Rick Barnes' team an 80-52 rout at Arizona's McKale Center.

This weekend's game is in Austin; Erwin Center is the site where a top Illinois team lost last season.

Leadership will be a factor against such a rough schedule.

Senior point guard Jason Gardner was a real PTPer at the Mecca, Madison Square Garden. It was so special because of what he went through last year. Gardner had to deal with peer pressure, and that led to his decision to apply for the NBA draft.

Then Gardner saw teammates Richard Jefferson, Michael Wright and Gilbert Arenas decide to go pro -- and as it turned out, they all got drafted. Gardner had to wonder about his talents and abilities, and maybe that occupied his mind. After attending the NBA draft camp, he changed his mind and returned to Arizona.

People told Gardner that he wouldn't be selected in the first round. If you aren't picked in the first round, you are fighting for survival. Second-round choices don't get a guaranteed NBA contract and the money that goes with it.

It's a sad commentary to give up your eligibility without a guarantee. I think about Wright, who was selected by the Knicks in the second round and was cut. Now he's heading back to Phoenix -- not for the Suns, but for the ABA franchise there.

Imagine giving up a chance to play for Arizona, to work under a staff with Olson, Jay John, Jim Rosborough and company. I wish Michael Wright the best. He had a solid career with the Wildcats, and he is certainly a good kid.

	Arizona guard Jason Gardner was MVP of the IKON title game.

Gardner had his moment at the Garden. I wonder what guys who entered the draft early and didn't make a roster thought when they saw Gardner on national TV last week! The Arizona guard got all of the TV exposure and notoriety while, most importantly, getting better and better.

Lots of smaller players are playing in the NBA today. So who knows, maybe the 5-foot-10 Gardner will get a chance to make somebody's roster in the future.

He will walk out with a degree from Arizona, and he got the gold trophy from a tournament that included two top-five teams.

Gardner made one big play after another, including a huge four-point play -- he was fouled on a made 3-pointer and sank the free throw -- that changed the game against Maryland.

Gardner is a PTPer, not only for making a good decision on the court but also off of it. Now he's ready for more challenges against the surf-and-turf schedule ahead for Arizona.