GAME NOTES: The 21st-ranked Arizona Wildcats welcome the Oregon Ducks to town for a Pac-10 Conference showdown. Oregon has lost three of its last four games since winning eight of the first nine this season. The Ducks struggled mightily at the offensive end on Thursday, as they produced their lowest output of the campaign in a 62-54 loss to Arizona State in the league opener. As for Arizona, it opened Pac-10 play on a much more positive note by disposing of Oregon State on Thursday by a 76-63 margin. The Wildcats are now 10-3 overall, including 8-1 at home, and the three losses have all come against outstanding competition. Arizona owns a commanding 39-20 series lead over Oregon, but the Ducks won two of the three meetings last season.

Oregon is averaging 83.3 ppg this season on 50.1 percent shooting from the floor, and the team is limiting opponents to 73.8 ppg. The Ducks are outrebounding foes by 5.4 rpg, and five players are scoring in double figures. The top offensive performer for Oregon is Malik Hairston, as he is posting 17.3 ppg on the strength of his 52.2 percent accuracy from three-point range. Maarty Leunen is a powerful frontcourt performer who is netting 15.2 ppg to go along with 10.2 rpg. Tajuan Porter (14.5 ppg), Bryce Taylor (13.7 ppg) and Joevan Catron (10.8 ppg) round out the group. In the loss to Arizona State on Thursday, the Ducks connected on only 2-of-17 three-pointers and were outscored 17-8 at the foul line. Hairston scored 14 points in the setback for Oregon, which played without Catron because of a foot injury. He will be out 3-6 weeks.

Arizona's Jerryd Bayless has a knee injury that may keep him out of action today. Considering that Bayless is averaging 18.5 ppg to lead the team, his status figures to have a major impact on the outcome of the game. Chase Budinger, who averages 16.3 ppg, will have to play an even bigger role than usual if Bayless can't go. The same can be said of Jordan Hill, who contributes 14.1 ppg and 7.7 rpg. Arizona is netting 74.6 ppg while holding the opposition to 65.1 ppg. In the league-opening win over Oregon State on Thursday, both Budinger and Hill scored 20 points to help offset the absence of Bayless. Hill had 14 rebounds for the Wildcats, who connected on 53.1 percent of their field goal attempts and only turned the ball over nine times. A 19-9 advantage in points from the foul line also helped the cause.

Go with Arizona as the home crowd will give the Wildcats enough of a push to win a close game. Hill and Budinger will again be the difference.