TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona Wildcats (5-16, 1-9 Pac-12) welcome the Washington State Cougars (9-13, 2-8 Pac-12) to town on Friday night for a game at 6 p.m. MST on the Pac-12 Networks. The Wildcats are riding a two-game winning streak over the Cougars and will look to make it three in front of a plethora of Arizona women's basketball Alumni.
 
Friday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. MST
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Cindy Brunson & Joan Bonvicini)
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
 
FROM THE TIP

• Arizona was swept on the road by the Bay Area schools while Washington State was swept at home against the L.A. schools, so both teams will be looking to get on track in the second half of the Pac-12 season.
   
• Freshman Sam Thomas has hit her stride her in Pac-12 play as she averages 10.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in conference games. Thomas recorded her second-career double-double against Oregon (1/12) with 14 points and 11 rebounds and has scored in double-figures in seven of her last nine games.
   
• JaLea Bennett has taken the scoring up a few notches for Arizona this year as she averages a team-high 14.1 points per game, which is 12th in the Pac-12. The senior has scored in double-figures in a career-high 16 games this season.
   
• Destiny Graham recorded her second career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds against Cal on Friday. The junior leads the team in rebounds in conference play with 6.9 rpg.
   
• Marlee Kyles, who missed three games with a concussion seemed to get her confidence back recently, averaging just under 11 points per game in her last three contests.

 
2018 Women's Basketball Reunion
The University of Arizona Athletics Department and the A-Club invited all Women's Basketball alumni and participants to attend the 2018 Women's Basketball Reunion during Friday, February 2nd through Sunday, February 4th. Team reunions are held every 10 years, and this year it is the year for Women's Basketball to attend exclusive events and special recognitions of players and teams who have helped create the heritage and tradition of Arizona Women's Basketball. Alum who are in attendance will be recognized at halftime on Friday.
 
Last Five vs. Washington State
1/12/17: Arizona 70, at Washington State 62
1/15/17: at Arizona 56, Washington State 55
2/19/16: Washington State 62, at Arizona 61
1/10/16: at Washington State 67, Arizona 46
1/5/15: Washington State 81, at Arizona 70
 
Scouting the Cougars
Washington State is coming off a home sweep at the hands of the L.A. schools, but both games were close as USC edged out a 73-72 win and UCLA won 79-71. The Cougars are in the middle of a three-game skid and have lost six of their last seven. Borislava Hristova leads the way for the Cougars, averaging 18.8 points per game, which is second in the conference. She is also scoring 21.6 points per game in conference play, which tops the league.
 
Thomas Hits Her Stride
Through the first 21 games of her career, Sam Thomas has been rather impressive on the floor. All while playing a team-high 37 minutes per game, she averages 10.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks. After recording the first double-double of the season for any Wildcat against NAU (12/7), she became the first freshman since LaBrittney Jones (2014) to finish the game with a double-double. Her 15 rebounds against Southern Utah is the most since Jones grabbed 15 on Dec. 15, 2013 and her 49 minutes are the third-most in school history. Against Oregon, Thomas recorded her second-career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The freshman has scored in double-figures in seven of the 10 Pac-12 games this season and is the only player on Arizona's roster who is averaging more points per game in conference play than non-conference play.
 
Sam in the Pac-12
In the Pac-12, Thomas is second in minutes played (37.0 mpg), seventh in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and seventh in rebounding (7.8 rpg). She is the top freshmen in the categories mentioned in the previous sentence and is the third leading scorer among freshmen in the Pac-12. Thomas is the only player in the Pac-12 to be in the top 11 in rebounding, blocks and steals. Additionally, Thomas is fourth in minutes per game, seventh in rebounds per game and 13th in blocks in the country among freshmen. Although she's known for her ability to get to the rim and finish, Thomas is shooting 40% (12-30) from downtown in conference play, which leads the team and is ninth in the Pac-12.
 
Where She Ranks Among Arizona Freshmen
Thomas has a shot to break a couple freshman records, and below is a look at where Arizona's top freshmen stood through the first 21 games of their respective careers.
 
Blocks
Shawntinice Polk (2002-03) – 45
LaBrittney Jones (2013-14) – 34
Sam Thomas (2017-18) – 31
 
Minutes
Sam Thomas (2017-18) – 777
Reiko Thomas (2008-09) – 718
Davellyn Whyte (2009-10) – 697
 
We See Ya JaLea
JaLea Bennett is one of the two seniors on the team (Kat Wright) have been looked upon as a leader for the young group of Wildcats this year. Along with Destiny Graham, they are the two remaining student-athletes that played for former head coach Niya Butts. Bennett has turned up the scoring this year as she averages 14.1 points per game, which would be a huge career-high should she maintain and is currently 12th in the Pac-12. The senior has already set a new career-high in total points scored with 298 points. Her previous career-high was 187 total points in 2016-17. She has scored in double-figures 16 times this season, which is a career-high.
 
Marlee Gets Buckets
Freshman Marlee Kyles is Arizona's third leading scorer through the first 21 games of the season by averaging 9.1 points per game off the bench while playing 24.3 minutes per game, which is the sixth-fewest on the team. She started off her career with a bang as she scored 17 in the season opener against Iona (11/10), had 18 against Loyola Marymount (11/22) and had a career-high 19 against Long Beach State (11/28). After missing three games against Colorado (12/31), Stanford (1/5) and California (1/7) and returned against the Oregon schools. She has seemed to get back to her old ways in the last three games, scoring 10.7 points per game over her last three contests.
 
It's Her Destiny
Destiny Graham has stepped up her game so far in 2017. She is scoring 8.6 points (181 total points, a career-high) per game to go along with 6.6 rebounds per game, which is second on the team and are both career highs. Her 6.9 rebounds in conference play also leads the team. Graham recorded her first-career double-double against Southern Utah with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in a career-high 37 minutes and had her second one on Friday against Cal with 10 points and 11 rebounds. The junior has done a good job of getting to the line and making her free throws as she is 58-69 (84%) from the charity stripe, which is second in the Pac-12. She is 17-18 from the line in her last five games. Coming into the 2017 season, Graham had scored in double-figures just three times and has already scored in double-figures eight times this season. On the rebounding side of things, she came into the season with one double-figure rebounding effort and has four this season.
 
Buenos Dias, Lucia
It's hard to believe, but Lucia Alonso is already the third-longest tenured Wildcat on the 2017-18 roster as a sophomore. Alosno has been outstanding from beyond the arc as she is shooting a team-high 42% (30-71), which is ninth in the Pac-12. She has made at least one three-pointer in 12 of her last 14 games, including a current streak of five straight. Additionally, Alonso fourth in minutes per game (35.9) in the Pac-12. Against Hawaii (12/17), Alonso had a terrific game with a career-high 21 points on 8-17 shooting and 3-6 from beyond the arc. The sophomore knocked down three three-pointers against Utah (1/21) on her way to 11 points, the first time she has scored in double-figures since Jan. 5.
 
Your Newest WildKAT
After visiting campus this past April, Kat Wright decided to finish out her college career at the University of Arizona. A transfer from Florida Atlantic University, Wright has 180 career made three-pointers, which would be sixth all-time in Arizona history. Wright was forced to sit out the 2016-17 season due to injury, but during her junior year in 2015-16, Wright lit it up as she made 87 trey balls on 40% shooting while scoring 11.7 points per game. To put that into perspective, only one Wildcat has made more than 82 three-pointers in one season, and that was Lisa Griffith wo made 92 in the 1996-97 season. The highlight of her career came on Jan. 30, 2016 when she drained 11 three-pointers against Charlotte, which is the second-most made three-pointers in NCAA history in a single game. She had her breakout game against Southern Utah as she dropped a season-high 18 points, which is the most she had scored since her 33-point game, and nailed the game-winning three-pointer in double-overtime with eight seconds left on the clock. Wright really turned it on against Oregon, Oregon State and Colorado, scoring in double-figures in three-straight for the first time this season.
 
The Young Guns
Arizona is the only school in the Pac-12 to have freshmen (Sam Thomas and Marlee Kyles) be two of their top three scorers.
 
Heating Up from Downtown
Against Colorado (9-19, 47%) and Utah (6-13, 46%), Arizona shot 15-32 (47%) from three-point range (Jan. 19 & 21). Not only is that the first time this season that Arizona has shot over 40% from three in back-to-back games, it is the first time this season Arizona has shot over 40% from three in one game this season. The last time an Arizona team shot at least 46% from three in back-to-back games while making at least six in each game was back in November of 2015 when the Wildcats shot 18-33 (55%) from three against Toledo (9-18, 50%) and Howard (9-15, 60%).
 
Lock it Up
Against Cal (1/7), Stanford (1/9) and Oregon (1/12) (all ranked opponents), the Wildcats allowed just 58.7 points per game. Oregon came into the game scoring just under 87 points per game, but Arizona held them to 62 points, which is the second-fewest the Ducks have scored all season. The only other team to hold Oregon to under 70 points this season is highly ranked Louisville. It was another great defensive effort on the part of Arizona against Colorado (1/19), forcing the Buffs to shoot just 32% from the field and 26% from downtown.
 
Winning the Turnover Battle
Arizona has done a good job of winning the turnover battle as of late as they have committed more turnovers than their opponent just four times in the last 13 games. During that stretch, Arizona's turnover margin is +15. Against Oregon State, Arizona committed just four turnovers, which is the fewest in school history.
 
Barnes vs. Washington State as a Player
Adia Barnes has a record of 3-5 vs. Washington State as a player and averaged 15.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Her best game against the Cougars came on Feb. 3, 1996 when she scored 17 points and brought down 13 rebounds.
 
They're Called Free Throws for a Reason
Arizona has done a good job of converting their free throws this season as they are shooting at an 75% clip, which is second in the Pac-12. Individually, Destiny Graham ranks second in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (84%).
 
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