Arizona’s Aari McDonald has been named to a pair of watch lists for awards annually given to the nation’s top women’s basketball players.
McDonald made the 15-person Dawn Staley Award watch list on Tuesday night, joining Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu as the only players representing the Pac-12. The Staley award is given to the best guard in the country. Earlier Tuesday, McDonald was named one of 10 players to watch for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, given annually to the nation’s top shooting guard.
McDonald, a sophomore transfer from Washington, is averaging 25.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game. She ranks second in the country in scoring behind Iowa's Megan Gustafson (27.3).
By averaging 10.2 points over the Wildcats' final seven guaranteed games, McDonald would pass coach and UA great Adia Barnes for the program's single-season scoring record. Barnes scored 653 points in 1997-98, and 598 in 1996-97. McDonald currently ranks third with 582, on pace for 759 this season.
Arizona (15-8, 5-7) will host Utah (18-5, 7-5) at 6 p.m. Friday. The Utes snapped the Wildcats' program-record win streak of 11 games on Jan. 6.
