No. 25 Arizona dropped three of its final four games of 2019, but the calendar has flipped and the Wildcats (10-3) are set to begin Pac-12 play starting with a matchup against in-state rival Arizona State this weekend. As an added bonus, Sean Miller's team will have an extra player who wasn't available to the team for any of those three losses as senior forward Stone Gettings is set to make his return to the floor after missing time with a facial fracture and concussion.

The transfer from Cornell, in his first full season with the Wildcats, collided with another player in UA's game against Penn over a month ago during the Wooden Legacy event in California. Since that time Gettings has missed a number of practices and five games while allowing his injuries to heal.

Gettings has since returned to practice and was recently allowed to participate in full-contact drills signaling his imminent return as the Wildcats prepare to open up conference play this Saturday night.

"He's looking great," Miller said when speaking with the media Thursday. "It's really a shot in the arm for us to get him back. Sometimes you don't value a player until he's no longer with you, and in Stone's case we've really missed him."

The 6-foot-9, California native has been one of the team's key reserves when healthy this season providing the team with another outside shooting presence and a player who is capable of helping contribute around the basket as a rebounder.

During Gettings' time away from the floor, the Wildcats have gone through some ups and downs shooting the ball from outside and his teammates are happy to have another weapon on the floor as he makes his return.

"It's good to have him back in practice," UA senior center Chase Jeter said this week. "We were without him for a long time, so now having him back and in the flow of things is going to help us. It's going to give us even more depth and options on the perimeter.

"Stone can do both. He can be on the perimeter or in the post, so it's good to have him back."

Jeter went on to say that considering how deep of a team Arizona is and how many players have seen the floor this year losing a player like Gettings is something that impacts the group.

Gettings has played in eight games this season and is averaging 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds during his time on the floor so far plus he enters conference play shooting 44 percent from 3-point range.

"In some of the games that he's played in he's quietly made a really positive impact," Miller said. "I think Stone can offensive and defensive rebound. I think he's really clever in terms of his scoring, and he's not just a 3-point shooter. You guys have seen it, he can score around the basket.

"He can come in off the bench and get us points."

The only question remaining for Gettings, who Miller said is a "full go" in practice right now, will be whether or not he has to play with a mask to protect his face. There is a chance he will not need the mask when he takes the floor Saturday night against ASU, but that is something that is still to be determined by the team medical staff.

Arizona is set to host its in-state rival at 7:30 p.m. MST at McKale Center.