The first time Esmery Martinez did it, she said she was just doing her job.
Friday, she proved that it may be a regular occurrence.
Martinez put up her second double-double of the season — 14 points and 11 rebounds — No. 18 Arizona dominated Loyola Marymount 87-51 in front of 7,206 fans at McKale Center.
Arizona is now 3-0, while LMU drops to 1-2.
“I thought we played a good game. I thought we showed some really good things today that you’re seeing every week or every game that we’re getting better,” UA coach Adia Barnes said. “I’m still a lot of stuff to work on, but it is November and (we’ll) just continue to take one step at a time.”
Coming into this matchup, Martinez led the nation in field goal percentage at 85.7.
“To start off, it’s going to be really hard to beat her for player of the game. I can say that,” Shaina Pellington, who led all scorers with 19 points, said with a laugh. “It’s really great to have a player like Esmery on our team. She’s a rebounding force. It’s like almost like she has magnets in her hand. I don’t know how she always attracts it (the ball) but it’s really good to have like an asset like that. ... She’s able to put the ball — and execute — in the basket on offense. Everything that she she’s doing right now is great for us. She’s doing everything we want her to do. I think the sky’s the limit for her and she’s only going to excel as time goes on.”
Pellington went 7 of 9 from the field, dished three assists and grabbed one steal. She hit a jumper and most of her baskets came on drives through traffic to the basket. She went to the free throw line a lot, making 5 of 10.
“I think Shaina you see the work she has put in — her shots improved, her free throws have improved, her control,” Barnes said. “She had a great jump stop today then goes to the free throw line. She plays with more composure. She has us playing at a good pace. She doesn’t over penetrate. Those are signs of growth. And I think if you look at her a couple years ago, from now she makes people guard her in the way that she wants to and she gets the shot you want.”
Pellington and Martinez weren’t the only experienced Wildcats who helped control Friday’s game. Cate Reese finished with 15 points.
The Wildcats got out to a slow start, allowing LMU to keep up for the first six minutes — and allowing them to go 6 for 8 during that span. Pellington said it was about calming down, “moving the ball more, passing the ball around the perimeter, and just looking for the open guy.”
It’s also when UA’s defense took over, forcing errant passes, turning it over on an inbounds play and forcing a five-second violation. Freshman Maya Nnaji scored six points, going 3 of 4 from the field, while grabbing four rebounds. She added one block and picked a steal in six minutes of play. She finished with seven points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and that steal.
The Wildcats took a 45-25 lead into halftime.
Coming out in the second half, UA’s defense tightened up even more. The Lions didn’t let the Lions score until the 5:14 mark in the third quarter.
Despite outscoring LMU in the second half, Barnes said the Wildcats have more work to do on the defensive end. They allowed LMU to shoot above their average — 40%, compared to 38%. The Lions also shot more 3s — 3 of 11 for 27% — than their average of 18%.
“Some of that was due to different combinations we had, but we just have to get better,” Barnes said. “I think that we have a good enough team to where even if we go deep into our bench, we should still be able to sustain at this level. I think that we have to have do a better job of that.”
Kailyn Gilbert finished with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Helena Pueyo also grabbed three steals, dished four assists and went 3 for 3 from the field, scoring seven points.
Next up, Arizona hosts Long Beach State Sunday at 2 p.m. at McKale Center.
