Arizona Wildcats star guard Aari McDonald will not play Friday night against Utah because of a lower leg injury.
Amari Carter moved to point guard and Helena Pueyo started in McDonald’s place. McDonald is listed as day-to-day, but coach Adia Barnes said on the Wildcats' radio broadcast that she expects McDonald to return for Sunday's game at Colorado.
"We'll look different," Barnes said on the radio broadcast, "but I have faith."
McDonald leads the Wildcats and the Pac-12 in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game, and is the eighth-leading scorer in the nation. McDonald leads the Pac-12 with 66 steals, averaging 2.6 per game.
With McDonald leading the way, Arizona has risen to No. 11 nationally with four games left in the regular season. Arizona can host NCAA Tournament games by finishing in the top 16. To do that, the Wildcats likely need to win three games and have a good showing in the Pac-12 Tournament. At least temporarily, they'll be without their best player.
"No excuses," Barnes said on the radio broadcast. "We have people who have the mentality to step up."
