Coaches Adia Barnes and Kelly Graves spent the last two weeks downplaying their postgame interactions in Eugene, insisting that neither was the enemy.
The two met at halfcourt five minutes before Friday night's tipoff at McKale Center, engaging in a conversation that lasted just over a minute.
βI think thereβs just a mutual respect; I respect Kelly,β Barnes said of their interaction. βWeβre competitive. Itβs something where I donβt take it personally, he doesnβt take it personally, we donβt care. Just wished each other luck.β
Oregon coach Kelly Graves, left, and Arizona coach Adia Barnes talk just before the tip-off of their game Friday.
The pregame pleasantries didnβt stop a crowd of 10,413 fansβ the largest regular season attendance in UA womenβs basketball history β from booing Graves and injecting their passion into one of the Pac-12βs newest and star-studded rivalries.
And if there was any bad blood remaining from the first matchup β a UA overtime loss β the Wildcats delivered a message to the Ducks Friday, winning 63-48 in a game they largely controlled.
βI think just the perfect situation for us to protect home court,β Barnes said.
The high level of energy in the arena was evident even before tipoff. Fans were handed white T-shirts at the gate for the "White-Out" and seats in the upper bowl of the arena were occupied for the first time all year.
The notion of a revenge game, coupled with Arizonaβs dominance at home this year, created the perfect storm for the Wildcats. The Cats led for more than 34 minutes, including the entire second half; their lead swelled to 20-plus points multiple times.
βWe definitely had something to prove tonight because we lost the last matchup,β point guard Shaina Pellington said.
Arizona forward Sam Thomas gets tied up by Oregonβs Maddie Scherr in a scramble for a loose ball during Friday nightβs game.
Six different players scored at least six points for the Cats. Cate Reese had a team-high 13 points, her ninth straight game in double figures, while Helena Pueyo and Koi Love each had eight.
The big difference in the rematch was Arizonaβs stout defense. The Wildcats' swarming attack held the Ducks to a season-low 48 points on 16 of 44 shooting (36%). Oregon hit just 2 of 15 shots (13%) from 3-point range.
The Cats also forced 21 turnovers and outscored the Ducks 34-18 in the paint.
βWe know that defensively, we couldnβt let any of their best players have their best game,β forward Koi Love said.
Both teams started off the night at a frenetic pace, but neither were successful at establishing a significant early advantage.
The Wildcats led 6-2 after the Ducks missed on their first five shots. Oregon then scored seven straight points before a Cate Reese 3-pointer tied it at 9-9. Reese and Helena Pueyo scored the next two baskets for Arizona and the Cats led 14-9 at the end of the quarter.
Arizona struggled to slow down Oregon's Nyara Sabally early on, and the forward led the Ducks with 11 first-half points and four blocks. She slowed down in the second half, scoring just four points while checking in and out of the game.
The Cats started to find rhythm in the second quarter, going 6 of 13 (46%) from the field and leading for over 10 minutes.
UA forward Cate Reese attempts to blow past Oregon forward Sedona Prince during Fridayβs first quarter.
Pellington's driving layup put Arizona up 26-18, its largest lead of the half. Lauren Ware hit a 3-pointer and Pellington converted on one of her two free throw attempts to close the quarter with Arizona up 30-24 at the break.
Pellington guarded Oregon Te-Hina Paopao much of the game and kept the guard in check. Paopao finished with just five points after scoring 24 in the teams' first meeting.
βWe had a good game plan for her,β Pellington said. βWe had a gameplan for her specifically.β
Sam Thomas, who went scoreless in the first half, knocked down a 3 to open the second half and played a key role in helping the Wildcats outscore the Ducks 21-11 in the quarter. The senior had five points, one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal in the quarter.
Pueyo capped off a run of four straight baskets by the team to end the third quarter with a 3 to put the Cats up 51-35.
Arizona made sure its big lead didnβt slip away this time, eventually bringing the advantage up to 21 points in the fourth quarter. A layup from Love made it 61-40 with 5:52 to play.
UAβs win over the 19-ranked Ducks marks the third win over a ranked opponent this season. Dating back to the start of the 2020-21 season, the Wildcats are 6-3 against top 25 opponents during the regular season, with all of three losses coming against Stanford.
Arizona has also beaten Oregon in three of the last four meetings, winning by an average of 17 points.
The Wildcats (16-3, 6-3) host Oregon State Sunday at noon at McKale Center. The Ducks (17-6, 7-2) will take on Arizona State in Tempe.
Photos: #8 Arizona clobbers #19 Oregon, women's basketball at McKale
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Arizona Wildcats guard Madison Conner (4) sweeps in to grab the ball after Oregon Ducks guard Ahlise Hurst (0) fell and lost the handle in the third quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Koi Love (5) gets smothered by Oregon Ducks guard Maddie Scherr (23) trying to finish off a fast break in the third quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) scoops a bucket by Oregon Ducks forward Nyara Sabally (1) in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1) and head coach Adia Barnes try to figure out if she has two or four fouls after it was announced she had four following a call late in the game against the Oregon Ducks at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) ties up Oregon Ducks forward Nyara Sabally (1) and forces her into a traveling turnover at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Bendu Yeaney (23) protects a rebound from Oregon Ducks guard Maddie Scherr (23) at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Oregon Ducks head coach Kelly Graves shouts some instructions to his entering subs in the fourth quarter of their Pac 12 game against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona forward Cate Reese has been named one of 30 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy, given annually to the best player in womenβs college basketball.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Bendu Yeaney (23) finishes off a fast break against the Oregon Ducks in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) pulls up against the Oregon Ducks late in the second half of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Oregon Ducks head coach Kelly Graves, left, and Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes talk a bit just before the tip-off of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022. It was the first meeting between the two since a contentious Wildcat overtime loss in Eugene January 15.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Shaina Pellington (1) just beats Oregon Ducks forward Nyara Sabally (1) to get off her shot at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Koi Love (5) and Oregon Ducks forward Sedona Prince (32) try to corral a rebound in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) shares a high five with Koi Love (5) after forcing an Oregon Ducks turnover at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Derin Erdogan (11) finds just enough room on the baseline for a whip-around pass to a teammate against the Oregon Ducks in the fourth quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Ariyah Copeland (22) and Oregon Ducks forward Sedona Prince (32) fight for an inlet pass in the fourth quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Helena Pueyo (13) turns the corner on Oregon Ducks guard Maddie Scherr (23) in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) gets tied up by Oregon Ducks guard Maddie Scherr (23) in the scramble for a loose ball at mid-court in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Lauren Ware (32) runs into Oregon Ducks forward Nyara Sabally (1) on her shot under the bucket in the first quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Cate Reese (25) attempts to blow her way into the paint against Oregon Ducks forward Sedona Prince (32) in the first quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats guard Bendu Yeaney (23) gets past Oregon Ducks guard Ahlise Hurst (0) for a layup on a fast break in their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Sam Thomas (14) ties up Oregon Ducks guard Endyia Rogers (4) on her baseline drive in the second quarter of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
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Arizona Wildcats forward Koi Love (5) has the floor all to herself, the first player out for pre-game workouts before tip-off against the Oregon Ducks at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 4, 2022.
