TUCSON, Ariz. – After facing a trio of top-10 teams, the Arizona Wildcats (13-5, 3-4 Pac-12) will be back in McKale Center on Friday night to face the USC Trojans (11-6, 1-5 Pac-12) at 7 p.m. MST on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
Friday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. MST vs. USC
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Anne Marie Anderson & Joan Bonvicini)
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
 
FROM THE TIP

• After facing four-straight top-25 teams, including three-straight top-10 opponents, the Wildcats are back home against a non-ranked foe in USC on Friday night. Arizona is looking to break their first three-game losing streak of the season.
   
• Aari McDonald was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 on Jan. 9 and is the first player in school history to make the list since Shawntinice Polk (2003-04).
   
• McDonald, the nation's third-leading scorer, and has scored at least 15 points in all 18 games this season, making her the first Wildcat to do so.
   
• Cate Reese was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. Reese is the first player in school history to win one, let alone two Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards.
   
• McDonald is the first player since Adia Barnes (97-98) to score 30 points in five games in one season.

Last Five vs. USC
2/11/18: at USC 78, Arizona 52
2/26/17: at Arizona 67, USC 62
1/27/17: at USC 58, Arizona 54
2/28/16: Arizona 63, at USC 56
2/5/16: USC 67, at Arizona 57
 
Scouting the Trojans
USC broke their five-game losing streak on Sunday after taking down rival UCLA on the road and are now 1-5 in conference play. The Trojans have three double-figure scorers in Minyon Moore (14.6 ppg), Aliyah Mazyck (13.5 ppg) and Mariya Moore (12.7 ppg). Minyon Moore is also fourth in the Pac-12 in assists per game as she averages 6.1 helpers per game and is third in the Pac-12 with 2.4 steals per game.
 
Aar it Out
After all the anticipation, redshirt sophomore guard Aari McDonald is 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 in just the second game of the season and is currently the nation's third-leading scorer at 24.9 points per game. The Fresno native is also the first player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 18 games of the season and was the first player in school history to score 30 points in three-straight games. Additionally, McDonald became the first Pac-12 player to score 30 points in three-straight games since the NCAA's all-time leading scorer Kelsey Plum had four-straight in Jan. 2017 and has scored at least 30 points in five games this season, becoming the first Wildcat to do so since Adia Barnes had five during her senior season (1997-98). 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 to Wooden Award Midseason Top 25
McDonald was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list on Jan. 9 and is the first Wildcat since Shawntinice Polk (2003-04) to be named to the list. She is one of six Pac-12 players on the list, the most of any other conference in the country, and is one of five underclassmen (Frosh & Soph.) on the list.
 
A Premier Bucket Getter
No player in Arizona history has led the nation in scoring and only two Wildcats (Adia Barnes and Dee Dee Wheeler) have led the conference in scoring. In fact, only Barnes averaged at least 20 points per game in one season when she scored 21.8 per game during her senior season (1997-98). In order for McDonald to break the single-season scoring record, McDonald needs to score 204 more points. She has scored 449 through 18 games and the Wildcats have 11 more regular season games.
 
NCAA's Leading Scorers
1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa): 26.2
2. Cierra Dillard (Buffalo): 25.0
3. Aari McDonald (Arizona): 24.9
   
Pac-12, Most Games in a Single Season with 30+ Points - Since 1999-00
2016-17    Kelsey Plum, Wash                17
2013-14    Chiney Ogwumike, Stan         14
2015-16    Kelsey Plum, Wash                10
2014-15    Kelsey Plum, Wash                7
2011-12    Nneka Ogwumike, Stan         6
2018-19    Aari McDonald, Ariz             5
 
Three-Time Pac-12 Player of the Week
Aari McDonald was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the third time this season on Jan. 7 after averaging 33 points, eight rebounds and five steals per game against Colorado and Utah on the road. She won her second on Dec. 3 after averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals in Arizona's two wins against Incarnate Word and San Diego State and won her first 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.
 
Reese's Buckets
Cate Reese 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 against Idaho State. Reese averages 12.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, making her the second-leading scorer and leading rebounder among freshmen in the Pac-12. Reese had her best weekend in the Pac-12 as she scored 18 points against Oregon State and 16 against Oregon, two top-10 teams.
 
Reese's Boards
Against Montana, Cate Reese became the 10th Wildcat to grab at least 18 rebounds in a game, was the first since Ify Ibekwe (Feb. 13, 2011) and is the first freshman to do so since Polk (Dec. 22, 2002). Reese, who averages 7.8 rebounds per game is the ninth-leading rebounder in the Pac-12 and averages the most among all freshmen in the Pac-12. Head coach Adia Barnes' career-high in rebounds was 18 back on Jan. 7, 1995.
 
Reese Arizona's First Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
Cate Reese was named Pac-12 Freshman of the week for the second time this season on Jan. 21 after averaging 17 points, five rebounds and two steals on 58% shooting against the Oregon schools, who were both ranked in the top 10 at the time. Reese became Arizona's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Nov. 26 after her 19-point and 16-rebound performance against South Carolina State.
 
I'll Have a Double-Double
Reese has the second-most double-doubles among all freshmen in the Pac-12 with four. After scoring 20 points and grabbing 18 rebounds against Montana, Reese became the first freshman since Ify Ibekwe to have four double-doubles in one season. Additionally, the last player to have five or more double-doubles in a season was Davellyn Whyte in the 2012-13 season.  
 
Reese Cashes in From the Charity Stripe
Reese leads Arizona, is first among freshmen and fourth overall in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage as she is shooting 85.4% (41-48) from the line. The Cypress, Texas native has had three such games where she has been perfect from the line with at least five attempts.
 
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, but then struggled on the offensive end in the next six games averaging just 5.7 points per game. The sophomore has gotten back to her old ways in lately as she has scored in double-figures in seven of her last 11 games. Although her offensive production hasn't been there all season, she has brought it day in and day out on the defensive end, recording at least three steals in seven games. Thomas is the only player in the Pac-12 to be in the top seven in both blocks and steals.
 
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 has been one of Arizona's most crucial players, especially on the defensive end, after sitting out the 2017-18 season. Against Arizona State, she was a menace on the defensive end, recording a career-high four steals while blocking two shots for the second game in a row. 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 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. Known as a knockdown three-point shooter, Alonso has the highest career three-point percentage in school history at 40.4%. She has made at least three three-pointers in five games this season and needs five more three-pointers to become the 10th player in school history with 100 made three-pointers.
 
Most Made Three-Pointers in Arizona History
6. Julie Brase – 125 (118 games)
7. Natalie Jones – 117 (126 games)
8. Kama Griffits – 110 (56 games)
9. Monika Crank – 106 (118 games)
10. Lucia Alonso – 95 (78 games)
 
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. Last season, Graham had a career year in averaging career highs in both points (8.1 ppg) and rebounds (6.4 rpg). She returned to the rotation against Long Beach State after missing four games and was effective in her 20 minutes off the bench, scoring eight points and bringing down four rebounds. On Jan. 23, it was announced that Graham would be attending the So You Want to be a Coach program in Tampa Bay in April.
 
A Familiar Five
Arizona is one of four teams in the Pac-12 to have the same starting lineup in every game they have played this season. To add to that, Arizona had the same starting lineup in every game last season, making the Wildcats the only team in the Pac-12 to only have two different starting lineups between the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
 
Lock it Up
The Arizona defense has been swarming so far this season allowing just 58.3 points per game, which is third in the Pac-12 and are allowing opponents to just 37.8% shooting, which is also the third-best 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% seven times this year as opposed to last year when opponents shot under 35% four times all season. Arizona is averaging 9.3 steals per game on the season which is second in the Pac-12 and have two of the top seven players in steals per game (McDonald, 2nd and Thomas, 7th). Arizona is one of two teams to have two players in the top seven in steals per game (Washington State).
 
Winning Big
All but four of Arizona's victories has come by at least 20 points this year and they also have four wins of 30 or more. On average, Arizona outscores their opponent by 11.5 points per game, which is fifth in the Pac-12. On that same note, in every single one of Arizona's wins, they led by at least 10 points at one point in the game.
 
It's Been a While

• Aari McDonald became the first player since Shawntinice Polk ('03-'04) to be named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List.
   
• McDonald is the first player since Adia Barnes ('97-'98) to score 30 points at least five times in one season and was the first in school history to have three-straight 30-point games.
   
• The Wildcats have beaten two ranked opponents (No. 17 ASU & No. 24 Cal) this season. The last time Arizona won two conference games, as well as back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, was during the 2002-03 season.
   
• Arizona won 11-straight games for the first time in school history from mid-November to early-January.
   
• UA won three of their first four conference games for the first time since the 2004-05 season.
   
• The last time Arizona won at least 13 of their first 18 games was back during the 2000-01 season.
   
• The Wildcats beat Colorado at the CU Events Center for the first time in school history.
   
• Aari McDonald is the first player since Davellyn Whyte to record at least eight steals in one game (Dec. 12, 2012). She finished one off the school record.
   
• Arizona received votes in the AP poll this week. The last time Arizona was ranked was the 2004-05 season.
   
• The Wildcats won their games against South Carolina State, Incarnate Word and Montana by 40+ points, which is a feat that has never happened as the Wildcats have never won three games in one season by at least 40 points.

Heating Up
After struggling from the field in the first two games of the season, Arizona has seemed to find its shooting groove in the last 13 games. In the first two games of the season, the Wildcats shot a combined 35% (41-116) from the field and have shot a combined 45% (409-918) from the field over their last 15.
 
The Clutch Gene
In the last 30 seconds of the quarter, Arizona is shooting 26-59 (44%) from the field. There have only been four games in which Arizona did not make at least one shot in the last 30 seconds of a quarter (Portland, Colorado, California and Oregon).
 
Knocking Down the Trey
Arizona has had three games this season where they have made at least 10 three-pointers. Last year, Arizona made 10 or more three-pointers in just two of their 30 games. Aari McDonald (36), Lucia Alonso (27) and Sam Thomas (19) lead the way for Arizona.
 
Let It Fly
Arizona was getting their threes in during the San Diego State game, especially in the first half when they took 20 three-pointers. At the end of it all, Arizona finished with 32 three-point attempts, which is tied for the second-most in school history. Aari McDonald and Lucia Alonso combined to make 10 as they each made five triples, while McDonald tied the school record with 14 attempts.
 
Taking Care of the Ball
Turnovers were an issue in the first two games of the season as the Wildcats averaged 20.5 turnovers. Coach Adia Barnes made a point to her team to take care of the ball and since then, the Wildcats average just 11.7 turnovers per game in the last 16 games, including just four against Oregon State, which ties the record set last year at Oregon State and six against California which is tied for the second-fewest in school history. The Wildcats boast the best turnover margin in the Pac-12 with a margin of +5.0 as they force the most turnovers per game in the Pac-12 (17.7) and commit the third-fewest (12.7).
 
Barnes' Numbers vs. USC as a Player
Arizona head coach Adia Barnes averaged 18.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game against USC during her playing days. Her best game came on Jan. 4, 1998 when she scored 30 points and brought down eight rebounds in a winning effort. The Wildcats had a record of 5-3 against USC during her playing days (1995-98).
 
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