The UA women's basketball team is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years today, beginning what the Wildcats hope is a long march run.
Here's everything you need to know about today's game:
The basics
β’ What: NCAA Tournament, first round: No. 3 seed Arizona vs. No. 14 seed Stony Brook
β’ When: 11 a.m.
β’Β TV: ESPN2
β’ Radio: 1400-AM
How they got here
β’ Arizona: Earned an at-large bid by virtue of finishing second in the Pac-12 standings and advancing to the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals.
β’ Stony Brook: Earned an automatic bid by defeating Maine in the America East Tournament championship game.
Trinity Baptiste and head coach Adia Barnes cheer as the Wildcats are named to the 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket.
Who to watch
β’ Arizona is led by All-American guard Aari McDonald, the reigning Pac-12 player of the year and a finalist for multiple national awards. Senior forward Sam Thomas and junior forward Cate Reese help round out a UA attack that also includes transfers Bendu Yeaney and Trinity Baptiste.
β’ Stony Brook is led by Anastasia Warren, who scored 31 points in the America East final. Asiah Dingle leads the team with 11.7 points per game, and India Pagan averages 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting a 46.9% from the field.
Arizona forward Cate Reese (25) reacts after a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Washington State in the second round of the Pac-12 women's tournament Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
Read up on the Wildcats
β’ Meet the Arizona Wildcats' roster here.
β’ See what makes McDonald the "perfect leader."
β’ Arizona's return to the tournament fulfills a vision shared by Baptiste.
β’ Former UA coach Joan Bonvicini says the Wildcats will be judged by how they play in March.
β’ Adia Barnes' NCAA Tournament experience as a player and Washington assistant could help the Cats.
β’ Madi Conner could make her NCAA Tournament debut as a 17-year-old.
β’ Greg Hansen says equity is more important than ever as the Wildcats make their return.
β’ We rank Adia Barnes' best wins here.
β’ Speaking of Barnes, she was "embarrassed" by the NCAA's substandard weight rooms in San Antonio.
β’ And she received a contract extension through 2026.
Check out our special section
Read about all this and more in the Star's NCAA Tournament special section, which ran in Sunday's paper. The PDF is below, and attached underneath this story.
