LAS VEGAS — Adia Barnes made one thing perfectly clear after the Cate Reese-less Wildcats came up one stinking 3-pointer short in a 45-43 loss to Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 women’s tournament here Thursday.
Listen up, NCAA Tournament selection committee.
“We deserve that 4 seed,” Barnes said.
“We’re not healthy right now, but we’ve put in our work the whole year, We’re a good team. We’ve had some bad losses lately, but we’ve beat some really good teams.
“We deserve a seed, and we are going to have Cate back.”
Arizona forward Sam Thomas and guard Helena Pueyo defend against Colorado guard Frida Formann during Thursday’s game.
The 14th-ranked Wildcats (20-7) lost Reese to a dislocated shoulder in a loss to Washington State two weeks ago, then split with USC and UCLA at home before falling to CU on Thursday.
Outside shooting was an issue in Arizona’s latest loss.
The Wildcats found enough open outside looks to make Colorado reconsider the 2-3 zone defense it played almost the entire game, but they were 2 of 24 from distance and shot only 25% from the field, its worst performance since Feb. 23, 2020.
“We had open looks against a zone and we could not convert on them,” Barnes said.
“You feel like the next one’s going to fall, and you’re waiting: ‘OK, that one’s going to fall,’ and they just didn’t fall. And that’s just the way it is sometimes.”
Lauren Ware led Arizona with 15 points, often the only big on the floor as Arizona started guard Helena Pueyo in 6-foot-3-inch Reese’s spot. Sam Thomas made 1 of 8 3-pointers. Shaina Pellington was 1 of 5.
“Reese is a really great player, one of the best players in this conference, but there was no real adjustment on our behalf,” Colorado coach JR Payne said.
Arizona was one of four No. 3 seeds in the most recent NCAA tournament committee seeding reveal, but a run of four losses in seven games has created concern.
The Cats’ loss Thursday prevented a potential Pac-12 tourney rematch of the 2021 NCAA championship game against Stanford.
“I could have pressed as a coach and had Cate back this week, but it wouldn’t be productive for the (NCAA) Tournament,” Barnes said.
“Honestly, the NCAA Tournament is more important than the Pac-12 Tournament. Sorry Pac-12, I love you, but it is what it is. The NCAA is what we need to be successful in, and we will have Cate back.”
Colorado forward Peanut Tuitele reacts after the Buffaloes defeated Arizona in Thursday's Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals.
The Wildcats’ full-court press early in the fourth quarter baffled the Buffaloes, who went three straight possessions with completing an inbounds pass as the Cats went on a 10-0 run capped by Pellington’s layup for a 41-38 lead with 5:59 left.
But Arizona missed its final nine field-goal attempts and the Buffaloes went back in front on Frida Formann’s 3-pointer for a 45-41 lead with two minutes left.
Even then, the Wildcats had a final chance with two seconds remaining after Ware stole an inbounds pass, one of the Buffaloes’ 21 turnovers. But Pellington’s high-degree-of-difficulty 3-point attempt from deep on the left wing was off.
Colorado’s 45 points were the lowest for a winning team in tournament history.
“I don’t think there will ever be a time … here for the next three years where the top 3-point specialists go 2 for 24, or what did we combine for? That won’t happen again,” UA guard Taylor Chavez said.
