The Arizona women's basketball program will be playing in a Thanksgiving tournament a little closer to home next season in the Palm Desert area at the Acrisure Classic on Nov. 26-27.Β
Three other teams competing are Vanderbilt, Cal and Michigan State. Each team is guaranteed two games.Β
The Wildcats' first opponent is Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. There is a connection between Arizona coach Adia Barnes and Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph; as Ralph played at UConn during the same time Barnes was leading the Wildcats. In fact, there is a story that leading up to the 1998 Sweet Sixteen NCAA Tournament game between the two schools that Ralph helped her teammates by playing like Barnes in practice. It worked as the Huskies defeated the Wildcats 74-57.Β
Ralph is entering her fourth season at Vanderbilt and the Commodores had a breakout season last year. Picked to finish last in the SEC, they went 22-10 and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Vanderbilt beat Columbia in a first four game and then lost to Baylor to end the season.Β
The winner of this game will play the in the Championship game against the winner of Cal-Michigan State on Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. MST. The losers of the first games will play, as well.Β
If Arizona and Cal play each other it will be the first time not as part of the same league. Cal is going to the ACC and Arizona will be in the Big 12.Β
Last year the Wildcat men played in the inaugural Acrisure Classic against Michigan State, with Keshad Johnson the MVP after a UA win. This year's men's tournament has expanded to 12 teams while also including the four teams on the women's side.Β
