TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona women's basketball team (8-2) has returned from Christmas break as they are set to take on the Portland State Vikings (6-5) on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. MST at McKale Center. Tuesday night's game is the final tune up for the Wildcats as they begin Pac-12 play on Thursday night against California.
 
On the Vikings
Portland State enters Tuesday's game with a record of 6-5 and are coming off a 14-points loss to Oklahoma on the 21st. The Vikings average 72.9 points per game, but allow 75.4 through their first 11 contests. As a team, Portland State shoots just a shade under 44% from the field. Sidney Rielly leads the team with 15.7 points per game on 50% shooting and 37% shooting from downtown. Ashley Bolston is Portland State's second double-digit scorer as she scores 14.2 per game. Bolston averages 5.6 assists per game as well and 4.5 boards. The Vikings did face one Pac-12 team in Oregon, but were trounced by the Ducks by a sore of 90-46.
 
Last 5 vs. Portland State
11/30/91: Portland State: 85, at Arizona 76
1/4/87: Arizona 83, Portland State 58
12/6/85: at Arizona 82, Portland State 58
12/9/84: Arizona 74, at Portland State 66
12/18/83: at Portland State 62, Arizona 51
 
LB in the Arizona Record Books
Senior LaBrittney Jones is back for her senior season in Tucson. Jones will go down as one of the great Wildcats as she is sure to climb the record books should all go well. She is currently tied for fourth all time with Marte Alexander in blocked shots with 121. Jones is also 36 rebounds away from cracking the top 10, which shouldn't be an issue as she has averaged a little over 161 boards a year. She already has 82 this year for an average of 8.2. Her average of 6.0 rebounds per game for a career is seventh all time. Finally, Jones needs just 29 points to crack the top 20 in Arizona history. Jones' average of 15.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks are all career highs.
 
Jones in the Pac-12
Through 10 games, Jones averages 15.1 points per game, which is 10th in the Pac-12, 8.2 rebounds per game, which is eighth in the Pac-12 and 2.2 blocks, which is ranked second in the Pac-12. Additionally, Jones' 6.7 defensive rebounds per game is fourth and she is also sixth with 30.2 minutes per game. Jones has led the Wildcats in scoring five times this season and has led the team in rebounds six times.
 
Washington's World
Although she is a senior, Washington is entering just her third season as a Wildcat as she started her career at Tyler Junior College, where she was named a JC All-American. Washington exploded for a career-high 26 points against New Mexico State. 22 of her points came after halftime and 14 of them came in overtime. The senior also grabbed a career-high eight rebounds and made a career-high 10 free throws. She made eight alone in overtime, which would've been set a new career-high even if she hadn't made one before overtime. Washington scored 10 points against Utah State last Thursday, all in the second half. The senior is 16th in the conference in scoring with 13.5 points per game and is second in free throw shooting (87.5%), only behind Washington's Kelsey Plum (92.6%).
 
Buenos Dias, Lucia
Freshman guard Lucia Alonso has started in the first 10 games of her college career at the point guard position. So far, she averages 6.7 points, 3.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, just under one steal and makes about one three-pointer per game. Alonso was red hot from the field against FAU as she scored a career-high 15 points in the first half. For the game, she shot 5-6 from the field and was 3-4 from behind the arc. The Spaniard is second on the team in field goal percentage (38.1%) and is also second in the Pac-12 in minutes per game (33.9), just behind Washington's Kelsey Plum (35.8).
 
We See Ya JaLea
Junior wing JaLea Bennett had a career night against Southern Utah on Nov. 26 as she scored 21 points off the bench for a new career high. Her previous career high was 18 points. Against Southern Utah, she shot 7-11 from the field, made one three-pointer and was 6-6 from the charity stripe. Bennett is fourth in the Pac-12 in free throw shooting (82.1%) and leads the team with 1.6 steals per game.
 
Give 'em That Work
Senior Breanna Workman came off the bench in the first nine games of the season and started against Utah State. Over the last six games, Workman has scored 9.8 points per game and has grabbed 6.5 boards per game. She is also shooting 49% from the floor in that time. Workman has scored 12 points in three of her last five games, which all tie a season high.
 
Go DJ, That's My DJ
Senior Dejza James had the best game of her career against Utah State as she recorded her first career double-double in the first half alone. She finished the game with a season-high 14 points and brought down a career-high 14 rebounds. James has scored in double-figures two out of the last three games and averages 8.7 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game over the last three contests. During that time, James is shooting 65% from the field and has also knocked down two of her five three-pointers attempted.
 
TG For Three
Redshirt Sophomore Taryn Griffey has been through her fair share of adversity as she has undergone multiple knee surgeries, but she is back this year after having a solid start to her college career in the 2015-16 season. Last year, she shot 42.4% from downtown, which was the third-highest three-point percentage for one season in school history. So far this year, has knocked down 42.3% of her threes this year (11-26) and has a career three-point field goal percentage of 42.3% (47-111). Griffey came off the bench and scored a season-high 19 points in a season-high 27 minutes against Florida Atlantic. She was 3-5 from beyond the arc and still leads the team with 11 three-pointers made this season. The redshirt sophomore sat out against San Diego, Grambling State, Kansas and Utah State due to precautionary reasons.
 
Bucket City
Through 10 games this season, the Wildcats average 70.2 points per game. The last time an Arizona team averaged at least 70 points through 10 games was back in the 2011-12 season when the squad averaged 75.8 points per game. Davellyn Whyte averaged 17.9, Candice Warthen averaged 16.8 and Erica Barnes averaged 13.6 points per game. That team had a record of 9-1 through 10 games.
 
Top Five Individual Scoring Efforts
26, Malena Washington (at NMSU, 12/4/16)
23, LaBrittney Jones (vs. North Texas, 11/22/16)
21, JaLea Bennett (at Southern Utah, 11/26/16)
20, LaBrittney Jones (vs. San Diego, 12/7/16)
20, LaBrittney Jones (at George Mason, 11/18/16)
 
About That Third Quarter
It's not even close, the third quarter has been Arizona's best quarter in the 2016-17 season. Through 10 games, the Wildcats have scored 209 points, good for an average of 20.9 points. Arizona outscores their opponents by 5.7 points in the third quarter. The next best quarter for Arizona is the fourth quarter as they have scored 186 (18.6 avg.)
 
Like Clockwork
It's inevitable that Arizona will have at least one big quarter in a game, it just depends on when. Arizona's best quarter of all time though came last game against San Diego as the Wildcats scored 33 points in the third period, which is the most points scored in one quarter in Arizona history. They also hit 12 of their 16 shots, which is the most made shots in one quarter as well. Against Utah State, Arizona outscored the Aggies 21-12 in the third quarter.
 
List of Arizona's highest scoring periods (game-by-game)
Alcorn State: 21 (3rd/4th qtrs.)
George Mason: 28 (4th qtr.)
North Texas: 19 (2nd/4th qtrs.)
Southern Utah: 23 (4th qtr.)
Florida Atlantic: 26 (3rd qtr.)
New Mexico State: 18 (OT)
San Diego: 33 (3rd qtr.)
Grambling State: 24 (3rd qtr.)
Kansas: 16 (4th qtr.)
Utah State: 21 (3rd qtr.)
Average: 22.9 points
 
You'll Get Nothing and Like It
Arizona forced Utah State to score just six points in the third quarter last Thursday, which is the lowest scoring effort any opponent has scored in one quarter against the Wildcats this season. The last time a team scored six points or fewer in one quarter was back on Nov. 18, 2015 when Howard scored just six in the second quarter.
 
Cats Have the Clutch Gene
Through nine games this season, Arizona has shot a combined 48% (71-148) in the fourth quarter and overtime. Additionally, Arizona is 56-74 (76%) from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and overtime.
 
It's a Block Party and LB is Hosting
Senior LaBrittney Jones has 121 career blocks through 94 games, which is good for an average of 1.3 swats per game and is tied for fourth on the Arizona all-time shot blocking list. Last year, she blocked 23 shots in 21 games. Throughout her career, she has posted 32 games where she has blocked multiple shots and as blocked 3+ shots in 17 games. Her career high was set back on Feb. 1, 2015 when she sent six shots into the seats. This year, Jones is second in the Pac-12 with 2.2 blocks per game after blocking four shots against Utah State.
 
Arizona Career Blocked Shots Leaders
1. Shawntinice Polk, 222
2. Ify Ibekwe, 166
3. Elizabeth Pickney, 147
4. LaBrittney Jones, 121
    Marte Alexander, 121
6. Dana Patterson, 91
7. Anne McFadden, 87
 
Give it a Second Chance
Arizona averages 12 second-chance points per game through 10 contests. That was a different story last Thursday against Utah State as the Wildcats scored 22 second-chance points, which is easily a season high. The previous high was back on the season opener when Arizona scored 15 against Alcorn State.
 
Depth Isn't Overrated
Last season, nine Wildcats averaged at least 15 minutes on the floor per game. What is the significance of that? Eight of those players are back for the 2016-17 season, so they know what to expect when it comes to college basketball. So far this season, seven players average at least 20 minutes per game.
 
2016-17 Minutes (min. 20 mpg)
1. Lucia Alonso (33.9)
2. LaBrittney Jones (30.2)
3. Malena Washington (26.4)
4. JaLea Bennett (21.4)
5. Breanna Workman (21.2)
6. Destiny Graham (20.7)
7. Taryn Griffey (20.5)
 
One Last Go Around
Of the 13 players on the roster, six of them are seniors, which is the most in the Pac-12 as no other team has more than four seniors on their roster. Those six seniors include LaBrittney Jones, Malena Washington, Breanna Workman, Lauren Evans, Dejza James and Farrin Bell. They have combined to play in 408 games.
 
Experience Pays Off
Although there is a brand new coaching staff in place, this team is generally made up of players who were a part of the 2015-16 campaign. 11 of the 13 current players on the roster are returning this year and have played in a combined 583 games. Only one other school in the Pac-12 has more than nine returners (Colorado returns 11).
 
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