TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona Wildcats (4-1) will look to extend their win streak to four games on Tuesday night as they face the Incarnate Word Cardinals (0-6) on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m. MST in McKale Center. Tuesday's game will be streamed on ArizonaWildcats.com and can be heard on 1400 AM with Derrick Palmer on the call.
Tuesday, Nov. 27 vs. Incarnate Word at 6:30 p.m. MST
Live Stream: ArizonaWildcats.com
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
FROM THE TIP
- Arizona is coming off a dominating win over South Carolina State, where they tied the record for fewest points allowed in one game in school history with 32. It was also the first time the Wildcats have won by at least 40 points since Nov. 11, 2011.
- Cate Reese became Arizona's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Monday after recording her second double-double of the season with 19 points and 16 rebounds against South Carolina State.
- Aari McDonald is tied for the lead in the national scoring race at 26.6 points per game. Against Loyola Marymount, she tied the single-game school record with 39 points while going 20-23 from the free throw line, which set new single-game free throw records.
- All four of Arizona's wins have come by at least 22 points this season and have two wins of 30 or more.
Series vs. Incarnate Word
First Meeting
Scouting the Cardinals
Incarnate Word is still looking for their first win of the season as they enter Tuesday's contest with a record of 0-6. Starr Omozee leads the Cardinals in scoring and rebounding at 9.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. The Cardinals are coming off a 72-64 loss against Weber State. Incarnate Word has faced two teams Arizona will take on later in the year in Arizona State and San Diego State. They lost to ASU 81-43 and lost to San Diego State 81-38.
Aar it Out
After all the anticipation, redshirt sophomore guard
Aari McDonald is finally eligible to put on the block A and represent the Wildcats on the court after transferring from Washington back in 2017. She stormed onto the scene and tied the single-game record with 39 points against Loyola Marymount (11/13) and is currently tied for the national lead at 26.6 points per game. She also broke both free throw records against LMU, going 20-23 from the charity stripe. During her freshman season in 2016-17, McDonald was named Pac-12 All-Freshman after averaging just under 10 points per game while shooting 47% from the field in 24.1 minutes per game. She started in 21 games for the Huskies, who would advance to the Sweet 16.
McDonald Named Pac-12 Player of the Week
Aari McDonald was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Nov. 19 after averaging 32 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 assists and 2.7 three-pointers per game on 56% shooting from the field over the three games. In two games in Honolulu, she averaged 28.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.5 three-pointers per game on 64% shooting from the field and was named the Bank of Hawaii Classic MVP. She had her second 30-point game of the season on vs. Portland after scoring 32 points with a career-high five made three-pointers and a career-high seven assists.
Reese's Buckets
Cate Reese entered the season with lofty expectations, and she has surely lived up to those expectations in the first few games. The freshman became the first Wildcat since Shawntinice Polk in 2002 to record a double-double in her collegiate debut and became the first freshman to score at least 20 in her first career game since Davellyn Whyte in 2008 after scoring 21 points and bringing down 10 rebounds in the opener on Nov. 9 against Idaho State. Against South Carolina State, she became the first Wildcat to grab at least 16 rebounds in a game since Davellyn Whyte (Feb. 19, 2013) and is the first freshman to do so since Shawntinice Polk (Mar. 23, 2003). Through five games, Reese averages 16.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, which is the most of any freshman in the Pac-12. Reese was named to the Bank of Hawaii Classic All-Tournament Team after averaging 18 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two wins. As a senior at Cypress Woods High School, Reese averaged 30.6 points and 15.3 rebounds per game and was also named an honorable mention All-American by the Naismith Trophy.
Reese Named Arizona's First Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
Cate Reese was named Arizona's Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Monday after her 19-point and 16-rebound performance against South Carolina State on Friday. Reese becomes Arizona's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in school history. Reese, who averages 16.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game through the first five games of her career, led all scorers and rebounders in Friday's dominating win over South Carolina State.
Sam I Am
Sam Thomas had a typical
Sam Thomas game in the opener, scoring 15 points, bringing down nine rebounds and swiping four steals. She also showed improvement from three as well, knocking down three of her four attempts. Against South Carolina State, Thomas was a menace on the defensive end, blocking a career-high five shots and tied her career-high with four steals. She is one of just two players in the Pac-12 to be in the top seven in both steals and blocks per game. Last year, Thomas was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team after leading all Pac-12 freshmen in rebounding (7 rpg), steals (1.5 spg), blocks (1.3 bpg) and minutes (36.3 mpg), making her the first Wildcat to be named First Team All-Freshman since Davellyn Whyte in the 2009-10 season.
Old Man Dominique
Ask anyone to characterize redshirt junior
Dominique McBryde's game and they will all say "old man game." McBryde, who transferred from Purdue after the 2016-17 season is poised to have a big year for the Wildcats after sitting out the 2017-18 season. While at Purdue, McBryde was named honorable mention All-Big-Ten in 2017, averaging 6.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while making 25 starts. She had her first double-figure scoring game of the season on Friday against South Carolina State with 10 points to go with six rebounds.
Buenos Dias, Lucia
Junior guard
Lucia Alonso returns to the court for year three with a ton of experience, playing 1,088 minutes last season to go along with 887 minutes the year before. The only player in Arizona history that played more minutes in their first two years was Arizona Ring of Honor inductee Davellyn Whyte, who played 2,095 in her first two seasons. The junior Spaniard tied her career-high with nine assists against Seattle with just one turnover. Over her last three games, she has an assist/turnover ratio of 17/3. Last year, Alonso finished the season third in minutes per game (36.3), 10th in three-point percentage (39.1%) and 14th in the Pac-12 in assists per game (3.1). Known as a knockdown three-point shooter, Alonso has the second-highest career three-point percentage in school history (39.2%).
It's Her Destiny
Destiny Graham is the lone four-year senior on the team who started her career at Arizona. Not only that, she is the only player on the roster who played for former head coach Niya Butts. She didn't miss a shot from the field against Seattle, shooting 4-4 for 10 points off the bench. Graham is poised for a big senior year after having a career year in 2017-18, averaging career highs in both points (8.1 ppg) and rebounds (6.4 rpg). Graham was the first off the bench in the opener and played 24 minutes while grabbing six boards.
Cats Dominate the Bank of Hawaii Classic
Arizona took the long flight to Honolulu for the Bank of Hawaii Classic on Nov. 16 and 18 against Seattle U and Portland, and came home with two convincing wins. In the two games, Arizona won by a combined 52 points and shot a combined 51.2% from the field while averaging 88 points per game.
Aari McDonald and
Cate Reese were named to the Bank of Hawaii Classic All-Tournament Team, with McDonald being named the MVP.
It's Been a While
Friday's 41-point win over South Carolina State featured a few milestones that hadn't been reached in some time. First off, the Wildcats hadn't won by 40 or more points since Nov. 11, 2011 when the Wildcats beat Georgia Southern by 42. Additionally, Arizona's 54 total rebounds is the most in one game since Nov. 13, 2016 when the Wildcats also had 54 against Alcorn State. The 32 points allowed to South Carolina State also tied a school record for fewest points allowed in a single game (Iona, Dec. 28, 2010).
Off to a Hot Start
Over its last three games, Arizona is shooting a combined 49.5% after shooting a combined 35.3% in the first two games. In these last three games, Arizona has obviously shot over 45% from the field in each game. Last year, the Wildcats shot over 45% in just two of their 30 games.
Lock it Up
The Arizona defense has been swarming so far through the first five games. The Cats are allowing just 53.6 points per game, which is second in the Pac-12 and are allowing opponents to just 32.1% shooting, the top mark in the conference. Against South Carolina State, the Bulldogs shot just 19.6% from the field, which is 0.2% higher than the school record for lowest field goal percentage allowed in one game. So far, Arizona has forced the opponent to shoot below 35% three times this year as opposed to last year when opponents shot under 35% just four times all season. Individually,
Tee Tee Starks is the only player on the roster to record at least one steal in each game.
Bringing Energy off the Bench
After averaging six points per game off the bench in the first two games of the season, the Arizona reserves are averaging 21.7 points per game over the last three games.
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