SALT LAKE CITY – The Arizona Wildcats (12-1, 2-0 Pac-12) are coming off a thrilling victory over the Colorado Buffaloes on Friday and will finish up the weekend in Salt Lake City to face the Utah Utes (12-1, 1-1 Pac-12) on Sunday afternoon at noon MST. Sunday's game will be aired live on the Pac-12 Networks.
 
Sunday, Jan. 6 at Utah at noon MST
TV: Pac-12 Networks (Krista Blunk & Maylana Douglas)
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
 
FROM THE TIP

• Arizona set a new school record on Friday night after they won their 11th-straight contest by knocking off Colorado in a thriller. The Wildcats are off to their best start since the 1999-00 season and are 12-1 for the third time in school history ('99-'00 & '95-'96).
   
• The Wildcats are one of five teams in the nation to allow fewer than 51 points per game and are the only team in the Pac-12 to do so.
   
• Aari McDonald is the nation's third-leading scorer at 24.8 points per game, which also tops the Pac-12. She is the only player in the country to average 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals per game and is the first player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 13 games of the season.
   
• UA is the only team in the nation to lead their conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, three-point percentage defense and steals per game.
   
• Arizona won at the CU Events Center for the first time in school history on Friday.

Last Five vs. Utah
1/21/18: Utah 80, at Arizona 56
12/29/17: at Utah 89, Arizona 55
1/8/17: Arizona 81, at Utah 70
1/15/16: Utah 60, at Arizona 55
3/1/15: at Arizona 64, Utah 41
 
Scouting the Utes
Utah suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Arizona State on Friday night by a score of 65-63. The Utes are led by Megan Huff, who averages 19.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Daneesha Provo scored 13.5 points and Dre'Una Edwards is scoring 12.3 points per game and grabbing 7.7 rebounds per game as a freshman. Utah outscores their opponents by an average of over 20 points.
 
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 in just the second game of the season and is currently the third-leading scorer in the nation at 24.8 points per game. She has already surpassed her total points scored from her freshman year in which she scored 273 points in 28 games. The Fresno native is also the first player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 13 games of the season and is the only player in the country to average 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals per game. She was magnificent on both ends of the floor against Colorado, scoring 32 points and finished the game with a career-high eight steals, which is tied for the second most in school history. 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.
 
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 332 more points. She has scored 322 through 13 games and the Wildcats have 16 more regular season games.
 
NCAA's Leading Scorers
1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa): 26.8
2. Cierra Dillard (Buffalo): 25.4
3. Aari McDonald (Arizona): 24.8
4. Najai Pollard (Delaware State): 24.3
5. Kierra Anthony (Louisiana Tech): 24.1
 
McDonald Pac-12 Player of the Week Again
Aari McDonald was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time this season 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. She 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 entered the season with lofty expectations, and she has surely lived up to those expectations. 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 against Idaho State. Through 13 games, Reese averages 12.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, which are both the most of any freshman in the Pac-12.
 
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 8.7 rebounds per game is the sixth-leading rebounder in the Pac-12 and averages the 10th-most among all freshmen in the country. 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 Arizona's Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Nov. 26 after her 19-point and 16-rebound performance against South Carolina State. Reese became Arizona's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in school history.
 
I'll Have a Double-Double
Reese has the third-most double-doubles among all freshmen in the country with four through 13 games, which is also tied for the most among all freshmen in the Pac-12. 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 and is first among freshmen in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage as she is shooting 85.7% (30-35) 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 five of her last six games and is averaging 11 points per game during that stretch. 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 five 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 is poised to have a big year for the Wildcats after sitting out the 2017-18 season. She has started to get it going as of late, as she is averaging 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 55% shooting over her last six contests. McBryde didn't have it going in early on as she was averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 41% shooting in her first four. She has scored in double-figures in three of her last five games while scoring in double-figures just once in her first seven. 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 40.5%. She has made at least three three-pointers in five games this season after making four against Colorado.
 
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. 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). 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.
 
Lock it Up
The Arizona defense has been swarming so far through the first 13 games. The Cats are allowing just 50.5 points per game, which is first in the Pac-12 and fifth in the country and are allowing opponents to just 33.3% shooting, which is also the top mark in the conference. The Wildcats are the only team in the nation to lead their conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, three-point percentage defense and steals per game. 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. Over the last eight games, Arizona is averaging 12.4 steals per game.
 
Winning Big
All but three 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 23.3 points per game, which is third in the Pac-12 and 11th in the nation. 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

• Arizona has won 11-straight games for the first time in school history.
   
• UA has won their first two conference games of the season for the first time since the 2010-11 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 is off to their best start since the 1999-00 season and are 12-1 for the third time in school history ('99-'00 & '95-'96).
   
• UA knocked of then-ranked No. 17 Arizona State on Dec. 30, making it the first time Arizona had beaten a ranked team since Jan. 14, 2016 (Cal).
   
• Arizona received votes in both the AP and coaches 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 11 games. In the first two games of the season, the Wildcats shot a combined 35.3% from the field and have shot a combined 47% from the field over their last 11.
 
The Clutch Gene
In the last 30 seconds of the quarter, Arizona is shooting 21-43 (49%) from the field. There have only been two games in which Arizona did not make at least one shot in the last 30 seconds of a quarter (Portland and Colorado).
 
Knocking Down the Trey
The Wildcats have struggled from deep in past years, but the three-point shot has become a weapon for Arizona this season. Arizona has had three games where they have made at least 10 three-pointers. Last year, Arizona made 10 or more three-pointers in two of their 30 games. Aari McDonald (24), Lucia Alonso (24) and Sam Thomas (16) 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 12.5 turnovers per game in the last 11 games. The Wildcats boast the best turnover margin in the Pac-12 with a margin of +5.7 as they force the most turnovers per game in the Pac-12 (19.4) and commit the fourth-fewest (13.7).
 
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