Arizona women's basketball hosts WSU: Scouting report, Jones a foundational piece, UA intensity

Washington State (15-10, 4-8) at Arizona (12-12, 4-8) | McKale Center | 6 p.m. Friday | TV: Pac-12 Washington | Radio: 1290-AM

She said it

Arizona coach Adia Barnes on Washington State adapting to playing without Charlisse Leger-Walker, who had a season-ending injury a few weeks ago: “I think it just takes time. I think they're very different without her because so much runs through her and she's a great player. But I think that they're a good team with some really good talent around her and they're very cohesive group. So regardless of what their wins and losses are after her, I think it just takes time to adjust and I think that's going to be still a really tough game.”

On the sidelines

The 3: In honor of the last go-round of the Pac-12, here are three questions with a league coach. Up next: WSU’s Kamie Ethridge.

What has Leger-Walker meant to you and the program?

A: “Charlisse's impact on our program is and has been immeasurable. She is a person and leader of great character, class, integrity, work ethic, and passion. Charlisse has literally raised the bar of achievements, expectations and overall excellence within our program. Her versatile offensive skill set, basketball IQ, ability as a shut-down defender, extreme competitiveness, and her ability to make shots or stops in clutch moments of games is 'next-level' elite.

"She has brought great respect and attention to this program. Her humble, engaging and caring personality and story of achievement has captivated the hearts of young girls and Cougs everywhere. Charlisse has become a hugely positive representation of all we want our program to be about. As scholar, person, and competitor, Charlisse exemplifies all that is good about the young women in our game.”

What are you seeing in Bella Murekatete this season?

A: “Bella’s talent level continues to be high. She can get better every single day she steps on the court. Bella’s work ethic has been a model for others in our program. She is so committed, so disciplined and willing to do the work required. Where Bella needs to see continued and immediate growth is in her emotional growth. Bella shows you exactly what she is feeling. When it is going well, she is as high as a kite. When she struggles, she shows that, as well. These last two months of our season, she needs to show great balance. Missing or making a shot does not make her.

"She must stay present to what the game needs. Bella is so capable (of being) a dominant player for us. I believe in her. I can’t wait to watch her grow in this area the rest of the season.”

What makes Arizona a tough opponent?

A: “Arizona is a tremendously successful and competitive program first and foremost. They know what winning requires and they play with great intensity. In spite of being hit hard by injuries this season they have continued to win (or) keep games extremely close throughout Pac-12 play. They are extremely talented and dangerous individually and schematically on both ends of the floor. Their offensive transition game, their ability to force turnovers in full and half court, and the scoring threat that each of their starters brings to the floor in their half-court sets makes Arizona an extremely challenging match-up for us.”

A foundational piece: After Skylar Jones put up a stellar performance against No. 10 USC Monday night — she scored a season high 13 points while grabbing six rebounds, snagging three steals and blocking one shot — Barnes was impressed with how far the freshman has come.

“She's someone I really want to build around," Barnes went as far as saying; she's also said the rookie is going to be a star.

“Skylar is one of the few that has the athleticism and the ability to play our style,” Barnes said. “I envision her being a really good defender and a really good player because she can excel on our system.”

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As it turned out, Jones had a cold on Sunday — the same one that has been plaguing most Wildcats over the past week or so.

Barnes said she liked everything about Jones’ most recent performance including how she attacked the rim.

Jones' improvement has seemed to come game-by-game, as if she can sense when her team needs a big play on defense to spark a run. There have been many times this season when she'll trap an opponent alongside teammate Helena Pueyo to force a turnover, or when she just goes and takes the ball away from the other side.

She’s grown on the offensive side, as well. That especially has come over the last few weeks with her two biggest scoring bursts coming against top-rated teams — 13 against USC and 12 against now-No. 3 Stanford.

More challenges: It's not just having a short bench this season that's been a challenge for the Wildcats. It's also not having a consistent number of male practice players at each session.

This is not about the guys not being reliable; Barnes said it's about them not having priority registration like student-athletes do. Barnes said that the practice players can't schedule classes around practice, like the athletes on her team do. This has impacted the Wildcats when they need to run through reps, add a new wrinkle to the defense and more.

It's also become an issue for a potential walk-on Barnes is considering for a roster spot as the season winds down. The possible walk-on — Barnes has not released her name to the media — is currently going through a two-week trial. But as a student, and not yet a full-fledged college athlete, who didn't expect to be in this position when she signed up for her classes this semester, some of those classes now overlap with the UA's practice schedule.

And additional hurdles are likely to come. Anyone joining the team has to go through multiple steps — not just for Barnes, but to meet NCAA compliance rules. Most of these, from paperwork to a physical, happen before someone can even take the floor for any tryout.

The Wildcats first add-on, Erin Tack, was on the UA track and field team as a javelin thrower, so she was already cleared by the NCAA; that allowed her to step into practice almost immediately, though Tack is now out for the season after having surgery on her ACL last month.

The newest potential walk-on has not played basketball in a while; the coaching staff is working with her individually to get her in basketball shape, and Barnes said she’ll be sore.

“Just imagine if you haven't played at all then you gotta go run and sprint — that's hard. She's probably dying,” Barnes said.

Barnes said that she was “a good player” and a “great student.” It also helps that she is a former teammate of UA freshman guard Jada Williams, “because it's hard to just insert someone that you don't know anything about,” Barnes said.

More promos: Friday night the Wildcats have asked fans to wear pink for the cancer awareness night. For Sunday’s game, they are asking those in attendance to bring unopened packaged diapers the annual diaper drive. There will be bins outside McKale Center to drop them in and once collected they will be given to The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona.

By the numbers

2: Former UA standout Shaina Pellington helped Canada Basketball qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in July. This is the second time Pellington helped her home country qualify for the Olympics. Last time, it was for the Tokyo Olympics, which were played in 2021.

8: After collecting five steals on Sunday, Pueyo is eighth among active DI players with 273 career steals. She is second in UA history.

4: Washington State and Arizona are tied for eighth in Pac-12 standings. Both teams have four wins in the league. WSU is looking to snap a four-game losing streak.