TUCSON, Ariz. – Redshirt freshman Taryn Griffey filled up the stat sheet Tuesday night, scoring 13 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and dishing out nine assists in Arizona's 71-37 exhibition win over Eastern New Mexico.
Griffey, making her collegiate debut after sitting out last season with an injury, was a perfect 4 of 4 from the free throw line and committed just one turnover in 35 minutes in front of 1,003 fans at McKale Center.
“I loved it; it was a very surreal feeling,” Griffey said of her first college game. “I was just really excited to be out there.”
The freshman point guard from Seattle had plenty of help in the first game of the season. Junior Malena Washington scored 26 points in 39 minutes and junior Breanna Workman added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Lauren Evans, making her Arizona debut, had 10 points in 36 minutes. Freshmen A'Shanti Coleman and Michal Miller also contributed. Coleman had four points, six rebounds and two blocks and Miller hit a pair of 3-pointers in the win to finish with six points.
Griffey, Evans, Coleman and Miller all made their Arizona debuts in the game.
“The good thing for us is a lot of the players you saw on the floor didn't play last year or are newcomers,” Coach Niya Butts said. “They had the opportunity to get a lot of minutes. We have a lot of good film to dissect, and I feel pretty good about that.”
The Wildcats outscored the Greyhounds 17-12 in the first quarter. The veteran Workman paced the young team early, scoring eight points and grabbing three rebounds in the opening frame. She was 4 for 4 from the floor.
Arizona led 34-24 at halftime after again outscoring Eastern New Mexico 17-12.
In the third quarter, Griffey, Washington and the Wildcats got rolling. Butts' team outscored Eastern New Mexico 30-7 and took a 64-31 lead after the frame. Griffey got her teammates involved with six assists in the third and Washington got hot from long distance, knocking in four of five 3-point tries. Washington had 24 points by the end of the third and Griffey already had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
“We did a much better job than I thought of moving and recognizing what spots were open,” Butts said. “We had a pretty good feel for the game with the time and score situations and we were shooting with much more confidence (in the third quarter).”
Griffey again paced the Wildcats in the fourth to wrap up the game and ensure a victory for Arizona.
“This was her first game in about three years and I'm pretty happy with that,” Butts said of Griffey. “She was one assist away from a triple-double…I don't think she was really happy with me when I told her to pull it out and not try for another pass at the end of the game. Hopefully she can continue to do that. Obviously it is our job to continue to help her growth, her game and manage her minutes.”
For the game, the Wildcats shot 46.4 percent from the floor and hit 9 of 19 3-pointers. The Wildcats were able to hold the Greyhounds to just 12 field goals for the entire game on just 21.1 percent shooting. Arizona also won the battle on the boards, outrebounding Eastern New Mexico 42-32.
“I think we played really well,” Workman said. “I didn't know how today was going to go because new people are not really used to how fast the game goes, but I think everybody filled in pretty well. It was a good flow.”
The Wildcats will officially open the regular season Saturday at Toledo. Tip-off is set for 10 a.m. MST.
