Arizona’s matchup with No. 17 Arizona State on Sunday night looked to be the Wildcats’ toughest game of the season so far.
UA (11-1) easily passed the test, stifling the Sun Devils 51-39 to open Pac-12 play with a win — its 10th straight overall.
Sunday’s victory was Arizona’s first over its rival since 2017 after the Wildcats lost three straight to the Sun Devils last season.
Before Sunday, Arizona had won nine straight games, but didn’t play against a Power 5 program or a ranked team during that stretch.
“I have a plan. If we were getting crushed in the nonconference, we wouldn’t have played like this,” Barnes said. “It was a part of the plan because we’re about to play about eight ranked teams in the next couple of months.”
How did the UA take care of business in front of a crowd of 5,006 fans at McKale Center? Forcing ASU to commit 17 turnovers and shoot 23 percent from the field and 4 of 23 from 3-point range. Arizona also had 10 steals to add to its defensive performance.
Barnes takes pride in defense as Arizona is currently fourth in the country and first in the Pac-12 in points allowed per game (50.4).
Giving up 39 points to ASU was the lowest number of points allowed since the 73-32 win over South Carolina State on Nov. 23.
“We don’t even talk about it that much, we just expect it. We believe it and we believe in each other,” Barnes said.
The Wildcats also received an offensive spark from redshirt sophomore guard Aari McDonald. In her first rivalry game at Arizona, the Washington transfer finished the night with 24 points and made 9 of 17 shots. Despite not hitting a 3-pointer, McDonald made 6 of 7 free throws and scored the bulk of her points in the paint.
“I knew ASU would go third on me on the screens so it would be a foot race to the paint. Once I go off the first read, I know they wouldn’t of been able to catch up to me going to the rim so that was key for me,” McDonald said.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead within the first three minutes behind McDonald, who contributed five points in the opening run right after freshman Cate Reese knocked down a jump shot at the top of the key.
After the first media timeout, ASU was able to get on the board and eventually tie the game at 11. Fortunately for the Wildcats, the Sun Devils went on a dry spell and shot 1 of 12 from the field in the second quarter.
ASU scored just seven points and hit 5 of 6 free throws in the second quarter, but was still in reasonable range when the UA took a 27-20 lead at halftime.
The drought for the Sun Devils continued and ASU’s two leading scorers, Kianna Ibis and Courtney Ekmark, were held to 14 combined points on 5-of-23 shooting.
The Wildcats also struggled to find an offensive rhythm at times in the second half and allowed ASU to remain within seven points throughout most of the second half.
ASU outrebounded Arizona 38-30 and the Sun Devils hauled in 17 offensive rebounds compared to the UA’s three.
The Wildcats were able to hold ASU to just two second-chance points.
Eventually, Sam Thomas iced the game with a layup and two free throws to give Arizona a 12-point win over its rival.
“This win definitely proves that we can do some big things in the conference,” McDonald said.
Arizona will play at Colorado on Friday and at Utah on Sunday before hosting ranked teams California and Stanford the following week.
“It helps a lot, but our team believes they can play. This was very important in my mind because it’s early, and next week we go to the mountains so this game gave us more confident going to the mountains,” Barnes said.
“This game gave us more confidence because then, after that, we have to play the Bay Area teams and then the Oregon teams, so this is an important three games for us.”
