Arizona Wildcats (14-9, 5-5) at Colorado Buffaloes (15-6, 6-4) | 7 p.m. Wednesday | CU Events Center, Boulder, Colorado | ESPN+ | 1400-AM
He said it
UA assistant Anthony Turner on Colorado: “Colorado is a very good team. They're a lot different than the team that we've faced in the past. I believe they have 10 new players on their roster. We went back and watched the film from last year. The concepts and everything are still the same, but different personnel. … The star of their team is actually their system, and that's what we've told the team.
“They're very disciplined in what they do, and they do it very well. Our goal is to disrupt them and not let them do what they want to do. West Virginia played them the first game in Boulder and sat back and let them do what they wanted to do. Colorado got the win. A couple weeks later, at West Virginia, they played the way that they're supposed to play – the way that we play – and they ended up winning by close to 30. That was a very good lesson for us.”
On the sidelines
Arizona forward Isis Beh (33) tries to scoop a put-back in a crowded lane late against West Virginia in their Big 12 game in Tucson on Jan. 25, 2025.
Breaking out: Isis Beh has turned it up quite a few notches in Big 12 play. UA's sixth-year reserve-turned-starter has found her groove on offense and defense.
In Friday’s loss at Utah, she was aggressive in the first half and carried the Wildcats with 11 points. Then, when Arizona coach Adia Barnes called a timeout in the third quarter and asked her team to get stops so the defense could create offense, Beh stepped up with smothering defense and collected multiple steals. She’s averaged 2.2 steals over the last five games.
Teammate Skylar Jones joked that she thinks it’s Beh’s new “half-up, half-down hair style.”
“Isis has always been a good defender but now she’s looking to score, and now she's actually an offensive threat,” Jones said. “We knew she had it in her. We got on her and made sure that she starts scoring. She’s efficient with it, too. It’s not like she has to shoot 15 shots to get 10 points.”
Arizona head coach Adia Barnes talks to forward Isis Beh in the huddle during a timeout in the third quarter against Grambling State, Nov. 23, 2024.
Giving it her all: Friday was the last time that Beh would play in front of a hometown crowd in Salt Lake City. Barnes said there were nearly 85 people in the stands — the full ticket allotment — to watch Beh.
After the game, Barnes said, “I’m proud of Isis because she’s been a leader for us this year.”
“She’s been to a lot of different schools,” Barnes said. “She went from junior college to UNLV to West Virginia to here and she was always that role player. For all the young girls who they say, ‘you can't do it or it's not possible,’ she is a testament, someone who fought, who found a way, found an edge, and finally had someone that believes in her, and then she's capable of doing some special things.
“It's the best basketball she's ever played and I'm really proud of the work she's put in to be at this level. I'm glad she was able to do that in front of all her family. She has, like, nine siblings, so they were all here and it's a great, special moment for her. … She’s just a great kid and gives us everything she can.”
In response to Barnes’ comments, Beh’s father, Issachar, posted on Instagram: “There’s not a better coach in the country. Wildcat fans know it and I hope everyone else at U of A does, too. Grateful to Adia Barnes for giving Isis Beh the opportunity to be a part of the amazing program she has built. It’s Bear Down for life!”
UA Athletics has not extended Barnes’ contract yet. She is in the fourth year of a five-year contract.
Streaking: Jada Williams has scored in double figures in the last 11 games. She averaged 15.5 points during that time.
Williams led the comeback against Utah and scored a career-high 25 points and added seven rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Arizona guard Jada Williams lets out a yell after hitting a 3-pointer late when the Wildcats were needing a boost against Cincinnati in the fourth quarter of their Big 12 game at McKale Center, Jan. 22, 2025.
She scored 10 points in the final frame when the Wildcats came up just short.
“I was getting great looks, my bigs were setting great screens off the ball,” Williams said. “They were going under, so hitting pull ups off the re-screen was really important for us. And just staying aggressive. I think sometimes I live and die by the 3 and so just getting to the basket was big for me. Just trying to get in there, draw fouls, things like that, as well as going to the free throw line.”
Of Williams’ nine made field goals, seven were either jumpers or baskets inside the paint.
She’s back: Former UA standout Esmery Martinez, who is now playing in France and was selected No. 17 last spring in the WNBA Draft by the 2024 WNBA champions New York Liberty, is heading back to Brooklyn this April. Martinez was invited to the Liberty’s training camp.
She just missed making the team, being cut at the end of training camp last May. In her season overseas, she is averaging 8.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals in nearly 28 minutes of action per game. She is shooting 51% from the field and 44% from the 3.
Radio: Barnes' radio show is on Thursday this week and next, as the Wildcats are on the road both Tuesdays, traveling to face Colorado this week and Oklahoma State on Feb. 12. Both shows start at the regular time, 5:30 p.m., at the Sands Club.
The radio show, on 1400-AM, will be back on its regular day of Tuesday on Feb. 18.
Connections: Colorado associate head coach Toriano Towns was an Arizona assistant for the 2004-05 season. He coached the posts, including Danielle Adefeso and Shawntinice Polk.
Arizona’s Turner started his career as a student assistant at Colorado for legendary coach Ceal Barry. Turner missed the program’s 50th-anniversary event by one game as the Buffaloes had former players, as well as Barry, back to celebrate the milestone after Sunday’s win over Texas Tech.
By the numbers
483: Beh has scored 483 points in her career.
5.6: Colorado’s Kindyll Wetta is averaging 5.6 assists per game. She is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with Baylor’s Jada Walker.
62.4: Over the last five games, Arizona has held their opponents to an average of 62.4 points per game. Utah scored the most points with 67, however it was 10 points under its average.
