LAS VEGAS — Before the tipoff of Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup between Arizona and UCLA, UA athletic director Dave Heeke was smiling.
That’s because it’s March — “an exciting time in the college basketball season,” Heeke said.
It’s quite an exciting time for Heeke. On Thursday after the women’s game, Heeke flew to Los Angeles to watch the men’s team take on USC.
Heeke is doing more that watch UA basketball games this time of year. As one of the newest members of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Committee, he is finding time during flights and late nights to watch games featuring teams all across the country. Next weekend, he will be sequestered in a hotel conference room as the committee selects the field of 68 teams to be announced on March 12, aka Selection Sunday.
But early Thursday afternoon all his focus was on Adia Barnes and the Wildcats women’s team — whom he watched lose to UCLA, 73-59, dashing hopes of making a long run in the Pac-12 Tournament and probably ending any hopes of hosting the first rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
“Each year our program evolves or changes a little bit in Adia’s ability to bring the pieces together and put in a little recipe that allows us to be very, very competitive at the highest level,” Heeke said. “That’s a special skill, special talent. Now, getting it ready for the right time in the year, for the NCAAs, and hopefully we’re right there playing good basketball, ready to roll.”
Heeke said he has watched Barnes grow as a coach over the last five or so seasons. He’s had a front-row seat, and he’s enjoyed every minute of it.
“I think this year has presented different challenges — in a good way,” Heeke said. “How do we pivot (and) maneuver through the year and show her ability to recognize those points and then begin to work out, ‘OK, well, how do we get to where we want to get by doing it maybe slightly differently? Or how do you have to rearrange the pieces so that it works?’ That’s a sign of talented, skillful, outstanding coach. And that’s Adia Barnes.”
Arizona forward Cate Reese, left, defends against UCLA forward Brynn Masikewich during the first half of their game in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Change in game plan
Simply put, UCLA followed the scouting report. The Bruins didn’t want to let Shaina Pellington do her thing — find a lane and drive. They also wanted to disrupt Cate Reese inside.
“We wanted to swarm the ball,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “That was going to take different matchups, and that’s where I really think the selflessness comes in. That importance of if you are on Pellington or (Lauren) Fields or someone else, that we had to be ready to not only guard them in their strengths, but then we had had to give support on the inside. That was the biggest adjustment we made. We brought much more help as soon as she (Reese) decided to dribble the ball.
“I thought our whole team was really tuned into how we were going to make things tougher for her. We watched the last several possessions of the game when they’re at our place a month ago and that they went to her (Reese) and Pellington. Pellington is so good down the tunnel, and Reese is so good. When (Reese) is able to just sort of wheel and back you down ... we just had to make some adjustments to not allow them to get to that comfort zone.”
Pellington had 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting with three assists while batting foul trouble. Reese had nine points and nine rebounds but missed all six of her field-goal attempts.
Back to work
This isn’t the first time Arizona lost the first game in the Pac-12 Tournament. Despite the long faces after the game from Pellington, Fields and other Wildcats, they know there is still basketball left to play. This one might sting for a while. But Pellington and Reese have been here before.
Before the 2021 run to the NCAA National Championship Game, the Wildcats weren’t playing good basketball. They lost to UCLA, 58-49. Then Arizona had “the meeting.” Aari McDonald and Trinity Baptiste talked to their teammates, and they collectively decided to come together as a team.
Reese and Pellington were on that team, and now it’s on them to have a similar meeting and guide the Wildcats.
Arizona guard Shaina Pellington brings the ball downcourt against UCLA during the second half of their game in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Las Vegas.
“We’ve just got it figure it out,” Pellington said. “Cate and I have been here before. It’s going to come down to ... just digging deep into figuring out what the root cause of everything is.
“The national championship year we had to do the same thing. Just before going into the tournament, we had to dig deep and figure it out. Luckily, we figured it out (at) the right time. We just all collectively made that decision that we don’t want to lose anymore. We don’t want our season to end this way.
“Hopefully, we can figure out a way to help motivate ourselves and this team because it’s not over yet. We do have many more opportunities ahead of us. But it’s going to take us being present in the moment with one another. Not thinking about the future. Not thinking about the past and just getting the job done by any means necessary.”
For Barnes, her approach for next week is getting back to work and emphasizing that there is more to come. And she wants to take the pressure off her team.
“It’s not going to be the end of the world ... this is not like a stressful, negative thing. We lost a couple games, OK. It is what it is — you move on to get better,” Barnes said. “And you take one game at a time. You can get hot (at) the right time, and it’s a little bit of luck and a lot of fight and want.
“I don’t want the approach to be, ‘We have pressure to do this. You have pressure to host. Pressure to make the Final Four.’ Because that is not good pressure.
“We have to do our job and have fun. It wasn’t fun today, and it doesn’t need to be like that. You have you go and have fun and you do your best. And your best may be 0 for 13. Your best may be a double-double. But you do your best and try. You can control that, and then things happen the way they’re supposed to.
“If we’re supposed to go to the Final Four, we are. If we’re supposed to lose (in) the first round but we do everything in our power to control what we can, then the outcome will be what it’s supposed to be.
“But not that we don’t do that, and then you sit in the mirror and you’re sad and you’re regretting things. We’re not going to be a team with regrets.”
