The Pac-12 opener Thursday night against Cal will be the first look at how the Arizona women’s basketball team matches up in the conference.
The Wildcats face the Bears at 7 p.m. at McKale Center.
Heading into the season, Arizona was picked to finish last in the Pac-12. Coming off a few rocky seasons, the Wildcats had a new coach, Adia Barnes, who was introducing a new culture and a new style of play. No one knew what to expect.
The team took it all in stride, ending nonconference with a 9-2 mark. The Wildcats’ two losses to North Texas and Kansas came on early-morning starts. After each defeat they shook it off and won the next time out.
Since November the team has seen many exciting moments, including:
- Malena Washington scoring a career-high 26 points against New Mexico State with 14 coming in overtime.
- Taryn Griffey making four three-pointers against George Mason, as the team went on to tally 10.
- LaBrittney Jones moving into fourth place on the all-time block leaders list in UA history with 123.
- Dejza James and Breanna Workman each picking up their first career double-doubles. For James, it was 14 points and 14 rebounds against Utah State. Workman had 12 points and 10 rebounds against New Mexico State.
- JaLea Bennett making 6 of 6 free throws against Southern Utah. She is hitting 82.1 percent of her free throws, putting her in fourth place in the Pac-12.
- Lucia Alonso starting all 11 games at guard as a freshman. She scored 15 points in the first 20 minutes against Florida Atlantic.
- Lauren Evans putting up these numbers against Portland State: 13 points, 4 steals, 3 assists and 3 rebounds.
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Barnes talked to the Star about her team and the upcoming Pac-12 season:
Q: What has surprised you about your team during nonconference play?
A: “Nothing really has surprised me. Although, I have been impressed with our play. While we haven’t put in 40 minutes of good basketball, we’ve put in 20 minutes and 10 minutes. I can see what we are capable of doing and it’s exciting. We are getting better day by day, are more athletic and execute our offense better than I thought we would.
“The defense is improving daily. We’re not going to be the biggest or the team with the most depth . As we learn to win we will be more successful. We’re not looking ahead; it’s just one game, one play, one practice at a time. It’s about the task at hand to get better.”
Q: Which players have improved at a much faster pace than anticipated?
A: “I’m happy with Taryn (Griffey). She hasn’t been in games as much as we’d like, but she has a high basketball IQ and has been great. I’m impressed with Breanna (Workman) and Dejza (James) in the post. They have been good leaders coming off the bench. And, Lucia (Alonso) knows the offense better than anyone else on the team. As a freshman she has been playing a lot. With the language barrier (she’s from Leon, Spain) and playing the hardest position at guard, she’s been doing a great job.”
Q: After the Utah State game, you mentioned that LaBrittney Jones should be an All-Pac-12 player and you want to help her get there. What do you see in her skills that put her in that company?
A: “She should’ve been Pac-12 last year, but it has to do with wins. She is good at posting up and rebounding, is versatile, athletic and can shoot the three. She is undersized to play post, yet brings bigger players off the basket. She can average a double-double — has that timing on blocks. She has a lot of special gifts and can be a professional player.
“On blocks she’s got the ability to read and anticipate the timing, which is great. I can’t teach that. She’s not 6-3, she’s 6 feet, but plays bigger and looks bigger.”
Q: Your team was picked to finish last in the Pac-12. What does it need to do to compete in the league?
A: “We have to mix things up, be creative on defense, have a good offensive strategy and be prepared to win. It’s a lot of coaching. We don’t have the depth, so we have to be aggressive in half court and find the creative ways (to work around this). Boxing out is important, and switching — starting on one thing and then switching, which is hard. We need more strategy and tactics to win games because in the Pac-12 there is better coaching.”
Q: The Pac-12 is shaping up to be one of the top conferences. Who looks tough this season?
A: “UCLA has good athletes and is great in transition. Cal, I think they are capable of winning the league. They were picked to finish sixth and they are better than that. Their guards have been shooting the ball well.
“In the Pac-12, there is not one easy game. Our first weekend is tough (with Cal and Stanford). You can’t overlook Washington — I know those women. There is not one team that isn’t talented. Even Wazzu is playing well right now.”
