It was only one game, Arizonaβs defense appears to be back.
Well, actually it was one really, really good half.
The 20th-ranked Wildcats gave up just 15 second-half points on the way to a 89-55 win over Texas Southern on Wednesday night in McKale Center. The visiting Tigers scored six points in the third quarter: one 3-pointer and three free throws.
Arizona held Texas Southern scoreless for five minutes in the third. TSU didnβt score for another 6 1/2-minute stretch between the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.
UA pressed often in the first half, and at times it was very effective. Shaina Pellington forced an inbounds pass into her hands and scored. A minute later, Maya Nnaji got a steal, passed it to Madi Conner, who passed to Lemyah Hylton in the paint for a layup to give UA a 28-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats had 10 of their 19 steals in the first half, but didnβt always convert.
It all clicked in the third quarter.
Cate Reese and Helena Pueyo got it started with back-to-back steals with a different level of intensity. They were trapping, getting in the passing lanes and not giving the Tigers much space. Then, the UA forced a five-second violation on an inbounds play, a 10-second violation for not getting the ball cross midcourt and a shot clock violation.
Reese called it βArizona defense.β
βWeβve always been great at trapping and I think being able to get that stop set the tone, set the pace for the rest of the game,β Reese said. βBut I think that needs to start in the first half. That needs start in the first quarter and start the first possession. Weβre going to continue to work on that and just get more aggressive.β
Pounding the post
The Wildcats spent most of Wednesday looking for their posts in the paint.
Reese, Esmery Martinez and Nnaji combined for 47 points. The UA scores 56 in the point.
Barnes said that they did a good job of βusing a screen and posting up and demanding the ball in the post.β
βKailyn (Gilbert) is a really good post passer. Iβd say sheβs one of the best because she really looks to pass it in,β Barnes said. βI thought as a unit β Helena, all the guards, Lauren (Fields) β they really were intentional about passing and (Reese, Martinez and Nnaji) were hitting cutters, they were passing it back out not forcing it.β
The trio did more than just score. UA outrebounded TSU 45-30, with 27 boards coming from Martinez, Reese and Nnaji. They grabbed nine of the UAβs 19 steals.
Barnes said the chemistry between Martinez and Reese is starting to develop.
βTheyβre looking for each other high-low. Theyβre passing the ball to each other. I think thatβs really good,β Barnes said. βThey are both aggressive on on-balls. It gives us a really good look defensively when theyβre on point.
βThey both can step up on different nights. Some nights its Cateβs night and other nights its Esmeryβs. β¦ They both can drive from the perimeter. β¦ Now that we have better shooters on the perimeter, they should have opportunities to be more one-on-one. I think in the past, there was never a chance for them to play one-on-one because everybody was inside. Weβll continue to shoot the ball better. β¦Then theyβll have more isolation situations which is a benefit for them.β
Freshmen showing growth
Barnes incorporated the Wildcatsβ freshmen early and often. She said sheβs seeing growth from Nnaji, Hylton, Gilbert and Paris Clark every day.
βLemyah gave really good energy,β Barnes said. βMaya played with really good strength inside. We talked about shooting on our own terms and not rushing a shot in the post. You have to have poise in the post. She did that. She gathered herself, she finished strong. She was disappointed that she missed a couple layups, but I thought that she played strong. She had some good rebounds.
βI thought Kailyn was a better floor general. She took charge, she echoed plays and she directed people which we didnβt see a while ago. She didnβt only look to go score, but she was trying to distribute but then she was aggressive too, because thatβs her game. I saw Paris give us great energy. Defensively she was more solid and in position a lot more.β
A new experience
Tuesday afternoon, the Wildcats went to the new African American Museum of Southern Arizona. The museum, which will open to the public next month, was founded by among others, former UA menβs basketball standout Bob Elliott.
The visit was part of the educational component of the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series, which began with Wednesdayβs game against TSU.
Reese said it was an opportunity to βembrace and understandβ the culture of many of her teammates.
Martinez had a great experience going to a museum for the first time.
βThink about it when you come to college youβre not really going to museums,β Barnes said. ββ¦I learned more about Buffalo Soldiers. There are things you learn in history but you donβt really know the story behind things. That was cool for all of us. We talked about hair and the culture and (former UA menβs basketball coach Fred) Snowden (the first African American coach at a university). If you take and learn one thing from it, itβs positive. Itβs Esmeryβs first museum β¦ sheβll never forget it.β