Scouting report: No. 18 Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes

Probable starters

ARIZONA

G Shaina Pellington (5-8 senior)

G/F Jade Loville (5-11 senior)

F Esmery Martinez (6-2 senior)

F Lauren Fields (5-9 senior)

F Cate Reese (6-2 senior)

COLORADO

G Frida Formann (5-11 junior)

G Jaylyn Sherrod (5-7 senior)

G Tayanna Jones (6-1 senior)

C Quay Miller (6-3 senior)

C Aaronette Vonleh (6-3 sophomore)

History of matchup

Arizona is 9-19 against Colorado. During the Adia Barnes coaching era, the Wildcats are 5-5. They have lost the last two meetings, in Boulder last month and at the Pac-12 Tournament in 2022.

Frida Formann was the cause of both heartbreaking losses. At the Pac-12 Tournament, Formann hit a layup and a 3-pointer to give Colorado a 45-41 lead with two minutes left. Shaina Pellington knocked down a 3 at the buzzer. But it wasn’t enough, and the Buffs prevailed 45-43.

Last time out, Formann hit a 3 — her fifth of the game — on a missed defensive assignment with 1:37 left. Colorado went on to beat UA 72-65. She finished with 21 points.

Key players

Colorado — Quay Miller

The reigning Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year moved into the starting lineup this season and is thriving. She is leading all Buffaloes in scoring with 14.3 points per game while shooting 47% from the field. She is also hitting 39% of her 3-pointers, which is 10th in the league. She is pulling down 8.7 rebounds per game and has snared 39 steals, which is two off last year’s high of 41. Miller has led Colorado in scoring the last two games against Arizona State and Washington.

Arizona — Shaina Pellington

Pellington had the hot hand to help the Wildcats defeat No. 4 Utah on Friday night, collecting 35 points. It was her second consecutive big game as she scored 24 points against Cal on Sunday. She was extremely efficient in those two outings — especially against Utah, making 10 straight baskets before missing one in the third quarter. Expect more of the same from the fifth-year senior on Senior Day. Last season when Arizona played Colorado at McKale Center she scored 28 points on 10-of-13 shooting.

Sidelines

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More bobbleheads: This weekend, UA is handing out more bobbleheads. Last week it was Barnes. This week it’s the four seniors who are walking on Sunday’s Senior Day: Pellington, Cate Reese, Helena Pueyo and Jade Loville.

The seniors were told they were having bobbleheads, but none were involved in the design. Pueyo said it is “special” and something “that I can keep forever, and I will keep forever.”

Loville, who has spent her fifth year in Tucson, said she was even impressed by the details of the box the bobbleheads come in.

“The accomplishments from Boise State, last year ASU, and all of that on the box," Loville said. "And then you open it up, and it's my freckles. We couldn't get the tattoos, but I love it.

“It's so cool. I have family members reaching out wanting to get one. I only have 10. Mom and Dad get one first, and then I'm going to definitely try to dish them out as much as I can.”

Coming home: Kirsten Smith, who was officially inducted into the Ring of Honor Friday night alongside other Wildcat greats, was happy to be home.

Smith was UA’s first 1,000-point scorer — back before there was a 3-point shot. To celebrate her accomplishment back in her junior year in 1985, former UA athletic director Rocky LaRose got her 1,000 pieces of bubblegum and a basketball that was painted by Arizona’s art department. It has her name, the date and her stats. To this day, the ball has a prominent place in her home in Boise.

When Smith got the call from current AD Dave Heeke that she would be receiving the honor, it was unexpected.

“This is a perfect fit,” Smith said. “It’s so great to be out there, (my) name where I played. I love McKale. I love Tucson. There was never a day that I stepped out on that court that I did not just love being there.

"I loved every second. I felt like I was the most fortunate girl in the world to be able to come here and play. All my teammates, we love the game — love the game of basketball.”

After her playing days were over, Smith stayed on the UA staff in a restricted-earnings position for four years. When she had her oldest daughter, Casey, she decided to stop coaching collegiately. She ended up coaching all four of her children. She taught them how to do left-handed layups, jump stops and so much more.

“She coached all of our teams, but I felt like she really pioneered and had us really involved in sports,” Shelby Cambron Clinger said. “I feel like there are big pushes now for women in sports. We grew up doing the women's (basketball) March Madness brackets when everyone else was only focused on the men's (brackets). Our mom taught us that it was important to be there and be involved.”

Pleas to come back: The UA faithful made signs for Friday night’s game against Utah pleading with Pueyo, Esmery Martinez and Lauren Fields to come back for their fifth years.

Some signs said: "One more year, please." Others were in Spanish for Pueyo and Martinez: "Por favor quédese" or "Please stay."

Fun facts

Arizona: Arizona has come back from double-digit deficits to win four times this season against Long Beach State, Oregon State, UCLA and USC … Reese has scored in double figures 99 times in her career, including 19 this season.

Colorado: JR Payne made the Naismith late-season watch list for coach of the year … Former UA player Aaronette Vonleh has started all but one game for Colorado and is averaging 11.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Numbers game

12.7 — Arizona held Utah 12.7 points under its scoring average of 84.7 points per game Friday night.

4 — Arizona has beaten four ranked teams this season: No. 18 Baylor, No. 18 Oregon, No. 14 UCLA and No. 4 Utah

130 — Barnes has won 130 games as head coach at Arizona. Only one UA coach has won more: Joan Bonvicini with 287.