By NOEY KUPCHAN
STATS Writer
Derrick Williams has carried Pac-10-leading Arizona for much of the season. His teammates are starting to step up as well.
After escaping with a two-point victory at Washington State last month, the 12th-ranked Wildcats will try to sweep the Cougars and remain undefeated at home Thursday night.
Following a career-best 27-point effort from point guard Lamont Jones in its 107-105 triple-overtime victory Feb. 5 at California, Arizona (21-4, 10-2) defeated Arizona State 67-52 on the road Sunday night thanks in large part to junior Kyle Fogg's career-high-tying 26 points.
Williams leads the Pac-10 in field goal percentage (63.7) and ranks second with 19.2 points per game, but the sophomore forward finished with 12 against the Golden Bears and 11 versus the Sun Devils while his teammates led the way.
"Derrick Williams deserves a lot of credit and part of the credit he deserves is when teams try to collapse on him, sometimes his presence alone opens up some shots for his teammates," coach Sean Miller said.
Fogg's six 3-pointers Sunday helped the Wildcats to a season-best sixth consecutive victory -- their longest run under Miller. They return to Tucson after three straight on the road seeking to improve to 14-0 at home for the first time since finishing a perfect 14-0 at the McKale Center in 1998-99.
Arizona sits one game ahead of second-place UCLA in the Pac-10, and while Miller is pleased with his team's position, he knows that patience will be a key in capturing its first regular-season conference championship since 2004-05.
"As we move towards March, everyone is consumed with the tournament and who's in it and all of those things," said Miller. "But for us to get what we want out of it and to have a real chance to win our conference - which would be remarkable on our end - we have to stay focused on the task at hand and we have to pay close attention and prepare for Washington State."
Williams recorded 17 points and a career-high 19 rebounds in a 65-63 win at Washington State on Jan. 22.
The Wildcats had lost three straight in the series before that win and Miller knows that Thursday's matchup won't be easy.
"Washington State - every game we've played against them the last two years has been a tough battle," said Miller. "Klay Thompson is a remarkable offensive player. ... DeAngelo Casto does as good of a job defending the basket as anyone we play against."
The Cougars (17-8, 7-6) are coming off a 75-71 win over Cal on Saturday night that featured five Washington State players scoring in double figures.
Thompson, who along with Williams was named to the Naismith Trophy midseason watch list Friday, saw his offensive woes continue. The junior swingman scored 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting and is averaging 11.5 points - 9.1 fewer than his conference-leading mark - on 35.6 percent shooting in his last four games.
Thompson hit 4 of 16 from the field and was held to nine points against the Wildcats last month, but Casto is averaging 17.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in his last three meetings with Arizona.
Washington State is surrendering a conference-low 68.0 points per game on the road but could have trouble slowing down a Wildcats team averaging 79.4 at home.
