Amit Tamir hopes to help Cal win in Tucson for the first time since 1994.

No. 24 California at No. 1 Arizona

GAME TIME:	Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (FoxNet)
LAST MEETING:	Arizona 90, California 78 (March 8, 2002)
SERIES:	Arizona leads, 40-23

Arizona's game against Stanford on Thursday night was the best evidence that no team, no matter how powerful, gifted or talented, can turn it on and off. While Stanford played a great game, and was the rightful victor on Arizona's home court, the Wildcats did not play with energy and passion until midway through the second half.

After making a furious comeback, Arizona could not sustain it, and failed to make plays down the stretch in a 82-77 loss to the Cardinal. Whether it was the distractions associated with the Kansas hotel controversy, or simply a failure to mentally prepare, when it was combined with a quality opponent showing up ready for a fight, Arizona could not answer.

That said, Arizona is still the best team in the country.

Like Arizona, the Golden Bears are lacing up after a loss. Cal had a difficult time containing Arizona State's Curtis Millage on the perimeter and Ike Diogu inside, and lost to the Sun Devils, 75-70, on Thursday night. A win at Arizona State has become a dicey proposition under Rob Evans, and dropping this game says nothing negative about Cal, rather it speaks very well of how good Arizona State has become.

Cal is a solid, well-drilled and well-schooled basketball team. The Bears do nothing intricate or fancy, but give a deceiving look. When the Bears take the floor, they intimidate no one but the ball boys, yet find ways to win.

Arizona Breakdown: Arizona is the best offensive rebounding team in the Pac-10, and perhaps, the nation. The Wildcats have size, athleticism and quickness, and make a priority of getting to the glass. The offensive backboard is an equal-opportunity scoring area, and Arizona devours missed shots.

Arizona is also the deepest grouping of athletes in the nation, and they can play at a faster pace than almost anyone in the country (with the exception of perhaps Louisville), without worry about wearing themselves out. When Arizona forces turnovers, hits the offensive glass, and plays hard and hungry, there are few teams out there that can beat the Wildcats.

The Wildcats feed off of transition, turnovers and second shots, and do a great job of playing off of penetration. Arizona runs a numbered break, runs several set plays out of a 1-4 set, or a box set, and does a great job of screening the weakside for skip passes to shooters. On the defensive end, Arizona is a man-to-man team, and will run and jump full court. Arizona wants to play hard and aggressive defense, and when the Wildcats do, they are tough to score on. Arizona has quick, strong and long-armed athletes, and size inside to block or change shots.

Jason Gardner is the leader, and should be getting more attention as one of the college game's great point guards. Because we are so seduced by scoring, Gardner gets overlooked, despite having averaged over 20 points per game last year. This year, he has more weapons around him, and does not have to score. Gardner is a quick, strong and physical point guard who loves to penetrate and draw contact to get to the free throw line.

Luke Walton is the finest big-man passer in the country. He is versatile and skilled, has great body balance, keeps his feet, and can hit open shots. He still does not look completely comfortable out on the floor after returning from multiple sprained ankles, but is getting there. Also up front is Ricky Anderson, who has a great feel for the game and is a jack-of-all-trades for Lute Olson. Anderson is a good shooter with his feet set, and is a very good offensive rebounder.

Salim Stoudamire is a difference-maker for Arizona. He is a fine shooter with deep range and is very competitive. Stoudamire is a catch-and-shoot guard, and he must be made to put the ball on the floor. He is also a very good defender, but cannot afford fouls. When Stoudamire got into foul trouble against Stanford, Arizona suffered on both ends.

Hasaan Adams and Andre Iguodala give Olson two thoroughbred athletes who run the floor and defend. Adams is the best offensive rebounding forward in the freshman class, and among the very best in the nation. Arizona's big guys are very good, and very underrated. Channing Frye is a solid defender and rebounder. He can shoot the ball stepping away from the post. Isaiah Fox is a big body who can go up with strength and finish, while Dennis Lattimore is a power player who is mobile and good on the glass.

California Breakdown: Cal runs several set plays into motion offense, usually a 4-around-1 look. The Bears run some box sets, staggers and ball screens, and try to get high low looks. Braun has also used a 2-3 high set with two guards and two wings, with passing and cutting. Defensively, the Bears are solid. Cal is a man-to-man team, with designated double teams, switches and some traps and rotations. Cal will also play some 2-3 zone that is fairly effective at taking away vision, with the use of bump switches, and some 1-3-1 zone.

Cal's three top scorers -- Joe Shipp, Amit Tamir and Brian Wethers -- are the undisputed leaders of this team. Shipp is a strong athlete who can really shoot the ball with range, and he pulls the trigger with ease from deep. He can put it on the deck and drive it, and he has mid-range skills as well. Shipp is averaging over 23 points in Pac-10 games on 60-percent shooting. He likes the baseline, looks to post off of some of his cuts, and is a very good rebounder for his size.

Tamir is a terrific shooter and passer, and is a tough matchup because he can drift to the outside. As a power forward, Tamir can be difficult to guard, and he is very effective around the high post. Tamir averages 17 points in Pac-10 games, but has been a better rebounder this season, grabbing six per game. Tamir is tough to deal with once he gets going, so defenders have to be vigilant, and not give him anything easy to start his roll. Tamir had 39 on Oregon last year, and hit several bombs against Kansas to get Cal back into its 80-67 loss to the Jayhawks.

Wethers is a hard-nosed, fearless player who has a good shot-fake and drive. He is a real competitor. He has mid-range ability, and he can guard anyone on or off the ball. Wethers averages 14 points in Pac-10 games, and like Tamir, is a capable passer.

Cal's guards were the major question marks coming into the season, but Braun has gotten good play out of A.J. Diggs, a solid leader and defender who gets steals and uses his quickness to bother handlers, get deflections and key Cal's defensive pressure. Diggs is a lefty, and needs to hit open shots, because people have backed off of him. Richard Midgley, a 6-1 freshman guard, has been a pleasant surprise. He is a throwback player, one who plays tough and can be plugged into a lot of different spots. Midgley can make 3s, get rebounds from the guard spot, and had 23 points against USC last week.

Key Matchup: Joe Shipp vs. Salim Stoudamire
Shipp California	Stoudamire may not guard Shipp, but these two players are of vital importance to the success of their respective teams. Both provide skills their teammates cannot replace, and both are capable of big nights. Shipp leads the conference in scoring, and is doing it with incredible efficiency, hitting over 60 percent of his shots in Pac-10 play and over 85 percent of his free throws overall. Stoudamire had 32 against Kansas, when he hit 6 of 9 from 3-point range. The lefty can really stretch a team's defense out, and needs to be found in transition and guarded tightly without helping off.	Stoudamire Arizona

Key Stat
Free Throw Shooting
Arizona and Cal both shoot over 23 free throws per game in Pac-10 play, with Cal shooting over 70 percent as a team and Arizona shooting only 63 percent. Arizona's poor shooting from the line against Stanford was one of the big differences in that game's outcome. A team cannot give away 10 or more points at the line and expect to win.

What to Watch For
The Difference In Defenses
Watch the way Cal defends, and how it differs from Arizona's defense. Cal does not pressure the ball as much as Arizona does, nor does Cal take as many chances. The Bears stay in front of you, and force teams to shoot over them. Also watch how proficient Cal is at running its offense. Cal makes you guard, and does not take quick shots.