Scouting report: Texas Southern Tigers vs. No. 20 Arizona Wildcats

Who: Texas Southern (0-8) vs. No. 20 Arizona (7-1)

Where: McKale Center

When: 7 p.m.

TV: Pac-12 Networks

Radio: 1400-AM

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)

TEXAS SOUTHERN

G Micah Gray (5-8 freshman)

G Taniyah Lawson (5-8 freshman)

G Kamryn Bates (5-3 freshman)

F/C Jaida Belton (6-4 freshman)

G Andriana Avent (5-11 junior)

Key players

Texas Southern — Andriana Avent

The team’s leading scorer at 16 points per game, Avent is back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench for three straight games. After starting the first three games, Avent did not play against UTEP and came off the bench against Texas A&M, Rice and Ole Miss. On Sunday, against Florida State, she started again. The 5-foot-11-inch junior guard was All-SWAC First Team last season (18 points per game) and named to the All-SWAC Preseason team.

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Arizona — Kailyn Gilbert

The freshman didn’t waste any time earning a spot in the Wildcats’ rotation. Eight games into the season, and Gilbert is averaging 15.6 minutes per game. In the third week of the season, Gilbert snared Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors after averaging 17.5 points and pulling down 4.5 rebounds per game in the San Diego Classic. She is the first UA freshman since Cate Reese to pick up the honor.

The 5-foot-8-inch guard creates shots for herself and others. She is averaging 9.5 points and 1.4 assists per game, and is shooting 46% from the field and 79% from the free-throw line. Gilbert also has 11 steals.

Matchup history

Arizona has won all three games against Texas Southern, including a 93-38 thrashing a year ago. Only two current Texas Southern players saw action in that game: Alisa Knight, who scored one point, grabbed one rebound and had three turnovers in 14 minutes; and Zyan Reynolds, who scored six points and had one assist in 26 minutes.

She said it

“Our fours are going to be challenged: they are going to guard a guard. They are going to guard a 5-11 guard (Avent), which we have against some of the mid-major schools. But they are fast, have all athletes, can get hot really fast. You don’t know when shots are coming. I think that those things are unpredictable — it’s hard to guard. … Then, I think it’s more about us taking steps in the right direction to get better and improve.” – UA coach Adia Barnes

Ahead of the curve

Arizona played Texas Southern before the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series started. Last season’s matchup was about playing good competition and supporting an Historically Black College or University (HBCU) program.

This time out, the Pac-12 has added an educational element around issues of anti-racism and social justice. The Wildcats practiced early on Tuesday, then visited a museum. “Now,” coach Adia Barnes said, “we’re celebrating (HBCUs) more.”

“Just education … to know what HBCUs are about, what it’s like and then later on, we’ll take our players to whatever school it is — maybe Texas Southern or Southern or somewhere — so they can see what it’s like, because most people have never even been on campus. I haven’t ever been on campus. I think it’d be really cool,” Barnes said.

“The collaboration is important because we’re intentionally supporting black colleges. … They don’t have the resources we have here. Those schools don’t have the money, they don’t have the budget, and the players don’t experience the same thing. … They can see what it’s like and then our players can see what HBCU college life. …When you think about most of these schools in the Pac 12 aren’t HBCUs they have predominantly Black players on the team. I think for those players that have never looked at HBCUs, have never seen like a drumline and all those things, I think to go there and just be educated on what it is, what the traditions are, I think is important.”

Fun facts

Arizona: The game marks Arizona’s annual “Teddy Bear Toss” toy drive for Toys for Tots. UA is asking fans to bring new or gently used plush teddy bears to donate

Texas Southern: Alisha Knight’s mom, Annette Smith-Knight, was an All-American at Texas … The Tigers didn’t win their first game of last season until Jan. 5, when they topped Grambling State 73-66. They finished 11-15.

Numbers game

5 — Both UA and Texas Southern only had five players return this season.

2 — Arizona’s Jade Loville needs to score two points to hit 1,300 points in her career.

20 — UA’s Helena Pueyo has 20 steals through the first eight games this season. Last year, she picked 17 steals in her first eight games and finished with a career-high 50.

— PJ Brown