Thursday tip-off: Arizona faces road test at Oregon

Setting up the day in college basketball:

Best bet: Arizona coach Sean Miller promised some hard practices in the days between the Wildcats' first loss and their Pac-12 opener. They returned to the court determined to demonstrate their work Sunday, and archrival Arizona State paid the price in a 24-point rout.

But now the sixth-ranked Wildcats embark on their first conference road trip, beginning Thursday night at Oregon (10:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Networks). Arizona wasn't quite as sharp away from the McKale Center during its pre-conference slate, and the Ducks enter on a six-game winning streak that also includes a rivalry win in their league opener against Oregon State. Sharp-shooting G Joseph Young (20.1 ppg) drained five treys in that outing, which certainly got the attention of the defensive-minded Wildcats.

Number of the day: 88.3. Not unlike the high-flying football squad that helped put Brigham Young on the sports map, the Cougars are looking to put a fan-friendly product on the basketball court. They boast the nation's highest-scoring average at 88.3 points a game heading into the week. Though the 80 they put up in their West Coast Conference opener was seven too few against Gonzaga, the Cougars have won their next three league contests in impressive fashion averaging against 92 points in those victories. They return to action tonight at home against Pepperdine (11 p.m. ET, ESPNU).

Days until Selection Sunday: 66.

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