Aari McDonald was a star at Arizona before the NCAA Tournament, but her performances in the Wildcats' path to the program's first-ever Final Four added another note to her illustrious collegiate career.Β
After four games in the NCAA Tournament, including a 33-point performance in the Elite Eight against Indiana on Monday, McDonald was named the Mercado Region's Most Outstanding Player.Β
McDonald was also added to the All-Mercado Region Team with Indiana's Grace Berger, Texas A&M's Jordan Nixon, N.C. State's Jada Boyd and IU's Mackenzie Holmes.Β
McDonald, the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, averagedΒ 25.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in Arizona's postseason quest. Before scoring 33 points on 12-for-20 shooting from the field, McDonald was the offensive catalyst in the Sweet 16 over Texas A&M, when she tallied 31 points on a season-high six 3-pointers. In the Elite Eight and Sweet 16, McDonald shot a combined 11-for-18 from beyond the arc.Β
"She's been amazing," Barnes said. "Stars make big plays and step up when it really counts. ... I've seen a different Aari in the tournament. She's more relaxed and more at ease, really leading the team in so many different ways and letting the game come to her β she's been unstoppable. No one can guard her."Β
Added Barnes: "She's just been playing at another level. I'm just so proud of her, because all of her hard work is paying off, and she's just been phenomenal leading this team."Β
Up next: No. 3-seed Arizona will face top-seeded UConn β and star guard Paige Bueckers β in the Final Four on Friday; Tip-off time is to be announced.Β
