It was the March edition of "Pac-12 After Dark."
The second game of a Pac-12 Tournament doubleheader featured second-seeded Arizona taking on third-seeded UCLA from Las Vegas in a game that started 9 p.m.
By 11 p.m., the question facing Arizona — would the Wildcats accomplish their next goal, advancing to the title game? — was answered.
UCLA won 58-49 at Michelob Ultra Arena, ending the Wildcats' Pac-12 Tournament run. For a second consecutive year, Arizona (16-5) was denied a shot at the conference championship one game short of the finals.
Aari McDonald, who scored 24 points to lead the Wildcats, said that it came down to “just not stopping ball, lack of focus, just not being together, not communicating.”
“Being a competitor, you don't want to lose,” she said. “We're gonna play hard for 40 minutes, but it (stinks), especially that it’s my last go-round, but I'm proud of my team for fighting all the way.”
The last time these two teams played was early December, with Arizona coming out on top 68-65. Arizona's return trip to Los Angeles was canceled because of COVID-19 issues with the Wildcats.
In Friday's showdown, the two All-Americans did what All-Americans do: score. Michaela Onyenwere and McDonald each finished with 24 points.
The Arizona bench reacts after a teammate's 3-point shot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women's tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
McDonald sparked a fourth-quarter comeback when she made a layup with multiple bodies in front of her and drew a foul to close to within six, 48-42. McDonald hit a 3-pointer and Shaina Pellington scored on a layup with 1:25 left to pull Arizona within two points, 49-47.They would get no closer: Onyenwere hit a layup 12 seconds later and, following a turnover and ensuing foul by Trinity Baptiste, UCLA's Lauryn Miller hit a pair of free throws. UCLA's six-point lead ballooned to nine in the closing seconds.
As expected, Friday's second semifinal game — Stanford routed Oregon State in the first one — was a defensive battle.
Arizona shot 32% going 18 for 57 from the field, while UCLA shot 33%, going 18 for 55. Both teams hit three 3-pinters. Arizona had five blocks, UCLA three. Both forced nearly the same number of turnovers, the Bruins with 13 and the Wildcats with 15. UCLA outrebounded Arizona 41-35.
UCLA went to the free throw line 23 times, while Arizona was only made the trip 14 times. The Bruins made nine more free throws than the Wildcats, matching the margin of victory.
“I felt like the rebounding at times — I know, they were only plus six, but the times and manners they got them really, really hurt us,” Arizona coach Adia Barnes said. “I thought in the first half, especially they got all the 50-50 balls, they got all those passion plays that we usually get. I thought that we weren't strong with the ball — like off of rebounds and different things like that. We were unable to finish with contact. Michaela, you know, 10 for 11 from the free throw line. She really, really hurt us. She was really the only one scoring. For me indication of the game, our offense was four assists on 18 field goals. And you're not going to win a lot of games like that.”
Both teams scored only eight points in the first quarter. UA was shooting 40% from the field on 4 of 10, while holding UCLA to 19% on 3 of 16.
UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Arizona forward Trinity Baptiste (0) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Pac-12 women's tournament Friday, March 5, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
The Bruins found the basket in the second quarter going on a 15-4 run over the last eight-and-a-half minutes of the half. They went into the locker room up 25-17. The Wildcats' last field goal was on a turnaround jumper by Cate Reese to give the Wildcats a 13-10 lead. Arizona’s other four points came on free throws — McDonald hit three and Bendu Yeaney hit 1. The Wildcats went 0 for 10 from the field during this stretch.
Onyenwere was feeling it, chipping in six of UCLA’s 15 points during that run.
The Wildcats will return home to Tucson and wait until March 15, the NCAA Tournament's "Selection Monday."
“I'm proud of my team,” Barnes said. “We played hard, we didn't give up, we gave ourselves a chance up to a minute and a half, we're still playing hard, going downhill. We don't give up; it just wasn't our night. And that happens sometimes. Nothing to do about it. We have to bounce back and get better. We have a week to get better prepared for the NCAA Tournament.”
Rim shots
• Stanford's 34-point win over Oregon State was the largest margin of victory in a Pac-12 Tournament game. The Cardinal has played for the tournament title 18 of 20 times.
• The Pac-12 has been using microwaves to disinfect the basketballs with UV lights during games, keeping with COVID-19 protocols. Ball are changed out before and after warmups, at halftime and between games.
