TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona will play their first game since 2004 as a ranked opponent in the AP poll as they face UC Riverside in McKale Center on Friday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. MST. Friday's game will be live streamed on ArizonaWildcats.com.
 
Friday, Nov. 29 at 4 p.m. MST
Live Stream: ArizonaWildcats.com
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
 
FROM THE TIP

• Arizona is back in Tucson for two games in a few days, starting with UC Riverside on Friday, Nov. 29 with tip-off set for 4 p.m. MST.
• The Wildcats have won their first six games of the season for the first time since the 1999-00 season.
• Arizona is ranked No. 24 in the AP poll for the first time since December 2004 and also moved up to 22 in the coaches poll.
• Arizona's scoring margin of 28.7 is the second-highest through six games in school history.
• The Wildcats are one of six teams in the nation in the top 20 in field goal percentage and field goal percentage defense.
• Arizona leads the Pac-12 in scoring defense (48.7) and is the only team in the conference to allow fewer than 50 points per game.
• Aari McDonald was named Player of the Week last week by ESPNw, the USBWA and the Pac-12 last week after averaging 34 points per game on 79% (23-39) shooting from the field and 100% (20-20) from the line in two road wins.
• Cate Reese recorded her first double-double of the season vs. PVAMU with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
• For the first time since December of 2000, Arizona won three-straight games while scoring at least 80 points in each of those games.
• McDonald was one rebound short of her first-career triple double as she had 15 points, a career-high 14 assists and nine rebounds. 14 assists is the fifth-most in a single game in school history.
• Sam Thomas became the 11th player in school history to make 100 threes in their career at Montana.
• Arizona enters the season as the reigning WNIT Champions and return eight players from last year's team while only losing two to graduation.
• The Wildcats welcome in seven newcomers, including six that were born outside of the United States.
• McDonald was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List, which recognizes the top shooting guard in the country, was named Preseason All-Pac-12 and was named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 and the Wade Trophy Watch List.
• Cate Reese was named to the Katrina McClain Award Watch List, which recognizes the top power forward in the country. Reese scored a career-high 22 points in the season opener.
• Arizona won 24 games last season, the most of any Arizona team in the last 15 years.
• The Wildcats had an 18-win turnaround last season, the largest in school history. It was also the second-largest of any Division I team since 2000.

History vs. UC Riverside
12/21/13: at Arizona 75, UCR 59
12/23/09: at UCR 65, Arizona 53
12/17/08: at Arizona 53, UCR 48
12/7/02: at Arizona 95, UCR 66
 
Another Year of Aari
All-American Aari McDonald had a tremendous season for the Arizona Wildcats last year, finishing the season as the nation's third-leading scorer and the Pac-12's leading scorer at 24.1 points per game. She came into the 2019-20 season as the nation's top returning scorer and the new Arizona single-season scoring record holder. Below is a list of accomplishments McDonald achieved last season.

• Arizona single-season scoring record holder (890)
• AP and WBCA Honorable Mention All-American
• Became the first Wildcat since Davellyn Whyte (2012) to be named an All-American
• All-Pac-12
• Pac-12 All-Defense
• Three-Time Pac-12 Player of the Week
• Arizona Athletics Female Co-Sophomore of the Year
• Scored the fourth-most points in one season in Pac-12 history
• Tied the Arizona single-game scoring record in her second game as a Wildcat on Nov. 13, 2018
• Scored 34 points against Oregon in the Pac-12 Tournament, the most for an Arizona player
• Was the only player since 2000 with 800 points, 200 rebounds, 150 assists and 90 steals in one season
• Is one of two players in Pac-12 history with 800 points and 150 assists in one season (Kelsey Plum)

A Historic Week
McDonald broke the Arizona single-game scoring record on Nov. 17 with 44 points on the road vs. No. 22 Texas. She was incredibly efficient, making 14 of her 18 attempts while making all 14 of her free throws. The junior was named Player of the Week by ESPNw, the USBWA and the Pac-12 after averaging 34 points per game on 79% shooting from the field vs. Chicago State and Texas. 44 points is the second-most any player in the country has scored this season.
 
Preseason National Recognition for Aari
McDonald has garnered a ton of preseason attention this season, as she was named preseason All-Pac-12 and was named to the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Watch List, Wooden Award Preseason Top 30 and the Wade Award Watch List.
 
Flirting with the Trip-Dub
McDonald was one rebound shy of her first-career triple-double against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20. She finished the game with 15 points, a career-high 14 assists and nine rebounds. 14 assists is tied for the fifth-most in school history, while McDonald is the first Wildcat since Reshea Bristol to have at least 14 assists in a game (2001).
 
NCAA Leading Scorers
1. Stella Johnson (Rider): 30.8
2. Dyaisha Fair (Buffalo): 26.0
    Ashley Jones (Iowa State): 24.3
4. Kai Moon (Binghampton): 24.2
5. Chennedy Carter (Texas A&M): 24.0
    Brooklyn McDavid (Pacific): 24.0
7. Ayzhiana Basallo (San Jose State): 23.1
    Borislava Hristova (WSU): 23.0
9. Raina Perez (Cal State Fullerton): 22.8
    Bailey Greenberg (Drexel): 22.8
11. Aari McDonald (Arizona): 22.5
 
Arizona Single-Game Scoring List
                                    Points  Opp.     Date
1. Aari McDonald         44         Texas   Nov. 17, 2019
2. Aari McDonald         39         LMU     Nov. 13, 2018
     Davellyn Whyte         39         Cal       Jan. 16, 2009
4. Candice Warthen       36         GSU     Nov. 13, 2011
5. Aari McDonald         35         UCLA   Jan. 27, 2019
 
Arizona All-Time Scoring List
                                    GP       Points
15. Natalie Jones          126       1,149
16. Yolanda Turner        111       1,144
17. Candice Warthen     115       1,128
18. Kim Conway            112       1,060
19. Aari McDonald        43         1,025
 
Cate the Great
Cate Reese, who had one of the best freshman seasons in Arizona history, will look to take another step in her career after averaging 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last year. During the 2018-19 season, Reese was named Pac-12 All-Freshman and was a three-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, the first in Arizona history. She led all Pac-12 freshmen in scoring and rebounding and also had the most double-doubles of all Pac-12 freshmen. During Arizona's run to the WNIT Championship, Reese averaged over 14 points per game. Before this season started, she was named to the Katrina McClain Award Watch List, which recognizes the top power forward in the country.
 
Season Openers Are Good to Cate
Reese scored a career-high 22 points in the season-opener vs. North Dakota on Tuesday. Last season, she scored 21 points in the opener.
 
I'm Coming Home Again
Reese played in her home state for the first time in her college career against No. 22 Texas and showed out in front of tons of family and friends. In 30 minutes, she scored 17 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had three steals. She was dared to shoot the three, so she went 3-4 from behind the arc, which is a new career high.
 
I'll Have a Double-Double
Last season, Reese led all Pac-12 freshmen with seven double-doubles, and recorded her first vs. Prairie View A&M after a 20-point 10-rebound performance on Nov. 20. Reese is second on the team with 14.3 points per game and averages a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game.
 
Sam I Am
Known as one of the best defenders on the team Sam Thomas was the only player in the Pac-12 to average at least 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Throughout a game, you can find Thomas guarding the opposing team's point guard or center. She became a threat from long distance last year, making 47 threes, the second-most on the team. She is scalding hot to start the season, shooting 62% (22-35) from the field and 59% from three (10-17) and became the 11th player in school history to make 100 career triples at Montana. She has made eight of her last nine field goal attempts.
 
McBryde's Magic
Her numbers may not jump off the page, but Dominique McBryde proves day in and day out how important she is to Adia Barnes and the Arizona Wildcats. Considered the best post defender on the team, McBryde averages two per game, which is tied with McDonald for the most on the team. McBryde will play her second and final year for the Wildcats this season after transferring from Purdue prior to the 2017-18 season.
 
Spanish Smooth
Expectations were high for Helena Pueyo coming into her freshman season, and through three games, she has not disappointed. Pueyo has brought a spark off the bench all year, especially from behind the arc as she has made 10 triples this year, which is tied with Thomas for the most on the team. On the season, she is shooting 56% from the field and 48% from three while playing over 18 minutes per game off the bench, the most of any non-starter. She was the best player on the floor against Chicago State, scoring 11 points to go along with seven steals, five rebounds and three assists. Against Prairie View A&M, she made four of her five three-point attempts and followed that up shooting 6-8 from the field and 2-3 from three at Montana for a career-high 14 points.
 
Nice to Meet You Amari
Amari Carter decided to spend her fourth year of eligibility in Tucson after grad transferring from Penn State this past summer, and she will certainly play an important role for Barnes and the Wildcats. After only playing in one game during her freshman season due to injury, she went on to average over 10 points per game over her next three, including 14.2 per game during her junior season. She is nine points away from 1,000 for her career and will also be a three-point threat for the Wildcats as she averages over one make per game.
 
Buenos Dias, Lucia
Senior guard Lucia Alonso was Adia Barnes' first recruit back when she took over the Arizona program for the 2016-17 season, and her senior season is now upon us. Known as a knockdown three-point shooter, Alonso has the second-highest career three-point percentage in school history at 39.5%. She became the 10th player in school history to make 100 three-pointers in a career last season and is three away from being in a tie for eighth.
 
Most Made 3-Pointers in Arizona History
6. Julie Brase – 125 (118 games)
7. Natalie Jones – 117 (126 games)
8. Kama Griffits – 110 (56 games)
9. Lucia Alonso – 107 (97 games)
10. Monika Crank – 106 (118 games)
11. Sam Thomas – 100 (73 games)
 
Tee Tee is Back
At the beginning of last season, Tee Tee Starks had made the decision that this would be her final year playing college basketball. On senior day, she announced that she will be returning for her final year of eligibility and will be a fifth-year senior for the 2019-20 season. It's no secret that Starks causes absolute havoc on the defensive end, and the numbers show it. In the 15 games against Pac-12 teams she played at least 10 minutes in last season, opponents averaged 64.5 points per game while shooting 40% from the field. In the five Pac-12 games she either missed or played fewer than 10 minutes, opponents averaged 74 points per game and shot 47% from the field.
 
Aussie Aussie Aussie
Tara Manumaleuga has played just 36 minutes this season, but she has taken full advantage of each second as she has made six of her 12 three-point attempts. Manumaleuga went a perfect 3-3 in just six minutes vs. Chicago State.
 
Ranked
For the first time since the 2004-05 season, the Arizona Wildcats are ranked in both the AP poll and the coaches poll. This week, the Wildcats check in at No. 24 in the AP poll and No. 22 in the coaches poll.
 
It's Been 20 Years
For the first time since the 1999-00 season and the third time in program history, Arizona has started the season winning six-consecutive games. In both the 1995-96 and 1999-00 seasons, Arizona won their first nine games of the season and lost their 10th.
 
Highest Scoring Margin in First Six Games
­­1995-96 – 30.8
2019-20 – 28.7
2018-19 – 26.3
1997-98 – 20.7
1996-97 – 18.8
 
Shoot to Get Hot
Over the last two games, Sam Thomas and Helena Pueyo are a combined 18-22 from the field and 9-12 from three.
 
Sharpshooters
The Wildcats average eight made three-pointers this season, and are getting good shooting from many different players. All in all, four players shoot at least 48% from deep while three are shooting 60%.­
 
Sam Thomas – 10-17 (59%)
Helena Pueyo – 10-21 (48%)
Tara Manumaleuga – 6-12 (50%)
Cate Reese – 3-5 (60%)
 
Give me 80
For the first time since December of 2000, Arizona won three-straight games while scoring at least 80 points in each of those games.
 
82 – Chicago State (Nov. 12)
83 – Texas (Nov. 17)
83 – Prairie View A&M (Nov. 20)
 
Coming in Hot
Through six games, Arizona is outscoring their opponents by an average of 11.5 points in the first quarter. In total, Arizona has outscored their opponents 126-57 in the first quarter. Last time out, Arizona led Montana 23-6 after the first period.
 
A Balanced Attack
In its last two games, Arizona has had four players score in double-figures. Last time out against Montana, McDonald, Reese, Thomas and Pueyo each scored in double-figures, with everyone scoring at least points. Between the four, they scored 58 of Arizona's 77 points and shot 58%.
 
We're Back
Arizona returns 95% of it's scoring from the 2018-19 season, which is the fourth-most of any power five team in the country.
 
Power Five Conference Returning Scoring
100% - Boston College
100% - Florida State
100% - Purdue
95.3% - Arizona
94.7% - Duke
94.4% - Texas A&M
 
Tucson Loves Their Cats
The WNIT run captivated the city of Tucson last spring as the average attendance for the six games was 7,600, capped off by a sellout crowd of 14,644 for the WNIT Championship on April 6, 2019, breaking the Pac-12 attendance record. Arizona's game against North Dakota broke the program record for attendance at a home opener (3,450). Through the first few weeks of the season, Arizona is third in the Pac-12 and 17th in the nation in average attendance (5,406).
 
Pac-12 Average Attendance
Oregon – 8,582
Oregon State 5,642
Arizona – 5,406
 
Pac-12 Attendance Records
14,644 – Apr. 6, 2019 – Northwestern at Arizona
12, 364 – Feb. 15, 2019 – Oregon State at Oregon
12,320 – Jan. 23, 2011 – Oregon State at Oregon
10,818 – Dec. 22, 2018 – UConn at California
10,525 – Feb. 23, 2008 – Stanford at California
10,135 – Apr. 3, 2019 – TCU at Arizona
 
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