Pac-10’S Top 10 Teams Clash At Stanford Thursday

Arizona isn’t often in position to pull an upset.

Being ranked in the Top 10 all season can have that effect. But the No. 6 Wildcats get the chance Thursday against Stanford. The Cardinal (18-0) are ranked fourth.

Arizona guard Miles Simon said he celebrated when Kris Weems’ buzzer-beater gave the Cardinal a 74-72 win over Washington last week and saved the nation’s longest winning streak.

“I was rooting for Stanford to win that game,” Simon said. “We want to be the first team to beat them.”

Jason Terry, another guard, had mixed feelings.

“I wanted Stanford to lose, but then again I wanted them to win because they would be undefeated and we could be the team that beat them,” he said.

There is more at stake than bragging rights in the Pac-10’s feature clash. Both teams are 7-0 in the conference.

Arizona (17-3) has won 10 straight, but Maples Pavilion has never been a comfortable place for visitors.

The Cardinal have won two straight at home over Arizona.

The average winning margin in the teams’ last 12 meetings in Palo Alto, Calif., is five points - a year ago, Stanford on a last-second shot.