UA rolls again in Senior Day sendoff, 61-42 over Colorado in Cats' 2nd Top 25 win of week

With the Pac-12 tournament and March Madness right around the corner, there may not have been a better time for No. 18 Arizona to have arguably its best two-game stretch of the season.

Two days after upsetting No. 4 Utah at home, the Wildcats downed No. 21 Colorado, 61-42, Sunday at McKale Center.

Having four Wildcats making potentially their final marks on the McKale floor on Senior Day may have been the cutting edge of the team’s victory in front of 8,267 fans.

Interestingly enough, the win — right alongside that 82-72 victory Friday over the Utes — may just have put the Wildcats back into a position to have more home games in March as a potential host for the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament.

“It’s just a great weekend. I think we’re really proud of the way our team responded,” UA head coach Adia Barnes said. “(I am) really proud of how we stepped up. We knew that we had won some games. We knew that this weekend was just critical for us and our standings to possibly host.

“And to beat the No. 4 team in the country on Friday and defend them well and after that high to turn around and bounce back on Sunday, and beat another Top 25 team, it says a lot,” Barnes added. “So we’re really proud of that. … I think we’re peaking at the right time.”

The Wildcats enacted a bit of revenge in taking down two teams they lost to in a similar Friday-Sunday stretch only 35 days ago.

Senior guard Shaina Pellington said she didn’t take her “last dance” at home lightly.

Picking up right where she left off following a career-high 35 points against Utah, Pellington poured in 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and added five assists against the Buffaloes.

Transferring from Oklahoma in 2019, Pellington has developed in a large way since putting on a Wildcat jersey.

“It was a big change for me,” Pellington said. “It’s been a rocky road. From the moment I got here till now, I can see there’s been some huge development. But I’m still not perfect. I’m still learning to be a better leader and being a better woman.

“But I’m really happy where I’m at right now, and I’m only willing to build off of that.”

For fifth-year starter and, in many ways, team leader Cate Reese, tears during the Senior Day ceremony were a reflection of the memories and resurrection she cultivated as a part of the Arizona program.

“It was happy tears,” Reese said. “Our fans have been amazing. The community support behind women’s basketball. When I came here and seeing it now with 8,600 people coming for a Sunday (on Senior Day), I thought it was amazing. And that’s why I came here.”

Missing their first five shots, there were early nerves illustrated by the starting senior group. But after Esmery Martinez’s 3-pointer put Arizona on the board, the Wildcats were playing at the pace they played at in their last two games. Arizona would go on a 10-0 run to close out the first quarter.

That run coincided with the Wildcats’ confidence on the defensive end. Arizona forced 11 turnovers that would lead to eight fast-break points, helping turn the early deficit into an 11-point halftime lead.

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Contrary to a number of the Wildcats’ marquee wins coming on the role of “rally cats” via second- half comebacks, it was Arizona that took on a new face of sorts in the win against Utah, and again against Colorado: Get the lead and hold on.

The Wildcats kept the Buffaloes to just 29% shooting from the field in the second half Sunday, the second-worst effort for Colorado in the back half of a game this season.

Arizona also limited CU to one made 3-pointer after Colorado made seven from outside the last time the two teams met a month ago in Boulder.

“We guarded the 3-point line a lot better this weekend,” Barnes said. “To hold them down to 8% (from the 3-point line), a season-low for them, and to hold them to 42 points, another season low — I think (we played) really good defense.”

Senior captain Helena Pueyo was a catalyst for much of the Wildcats’ second-half game management, bringing in five points, four rebounds, and two steals in what could have been her last home game.

Pueyo joined Reese, Pellington and Jade Loville as Senior Day honorees after Sunday’s win.

Barnes noted that Pueyo does have one more year of eligibility to come back next season.

“I think that there’s a strong possibility that (Helena) will come back here,” Barnes said.

Rim Shots:

Pellington put the icing on the cake with her performance and special day, eclipsing the 1,500-point mark. She became the eighth Wildcat all-time to make the 1,500 list throughout their respective collegiate career.

Arizona outshot Colorado 43% to 28% from the floor, with Martinez leading the way for Arizona at 67% (6 of 9).

Pueyo proved Sunday why she is on the Pac-12 defensive player of the year watch list. On Wednesday, Barnes noted that she wasn’t sure of this component of her game when Pueyo first arrived from Spain. Despite coming in as an offensive-minded player, Pueyo put her head down throughout her Wildcat career, piling up 192 career steals entering Sunday.

Photos: No. 18 Arizona smashes No. 21 Colorado, 61-42, on Senior Day