At McKale Center • 7 p.m. • FSAZ • 1290-AM, 107.5-FM

Compiled by Bruce Pascoe

Establishing a routine

• Monday was really Friday in Arizona basketball terms, the crunch day between games like the Wildcats will face during the Pac-10 season. So interim head coach Russ Pennell rested his three most heavily used players — Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger and Nic Wise — for most of Monday's practice. "We talked about today kind of being a rehearsal for Pac-10 weekends," Pennell said. "It's actually kind of good for us."

By the numbers

332

Ranking of Loyola Marymount out of 347 teams in USA Today's Sagarin ratings.

39

Average minutes played by Jordan Hill in the past two games.

Pleased with the state of things

• Pennell said he gave a "state of the team" address after the Wildcats watched film Monday. "I told them I was really happy we were 4-1," Pennell said. "I know our critics say, 'Well, you didn't play the tough schedule.' That's fine, but that's who was on the schedule. I think after five games, we've made progress, we're moving in the right direction and getting better at things we weren't quite so good at, especially on the defensive end of the floor. … To this point, I think we've done what we needed to do. Now the ante gets raised a little more."

Who's out

• LMU: Forwards Terron Sutton (ACL) and Tim Diederichs (shoulder) are out for the season; G Vernon Teel (broken foot) is out tonight; F Ashley Hamilton (back) is doubtful.