Arizona women's basketball hosts Washington: Scouting report; Beh, a connector, bubble team

Washington (13-11, 3-10) at Arizona (13-12, 5-8) | McKale Center | Noon Sunday | TV: Pac-12 Arizona | Radio: 1290-AM

She said it

Arizona coach Aida Barnes on facing Washington again: “We had a really close game there. I felt like we had a lot of chances to win that game. a costly mistake at the end of the game lost the game. They took it from us. … We know they play chin (offense). They're very patient (in) their offense. They shoot the 3 well, they're hard to guard.”

On the sidelines

A connector: Isis Beh started in place of Esmery Martinez on Friday night and was a key contributor in the 65-46 win over Washington State. In only her third start of the season, she scored a season-high 11 points in 36 minutes — the most minutes she’s played this year.

The rest of her stat line looked like this: four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one 3-pointer.

Barnes was happy she made that 3 — it’s something they work on every day — but it was the little things that stood out. Like being vocal, helping her teammates up when they landed on the floor or “getting to the ball on the press fast when she’s (playing) the four,” Barnes said.

On Friday, she was also playing out of position in the four position when she was on the court with Breya Cunningham (who was playing the five), but with her experience, Beh makes it look natural.

She also brought that same energy she typically shows when she’s on the bench.

“Isis is a connector. Isis is a great teammate (and) a great communicator,” Barnes said. “… and the team loves her.”

New role, same energy: Martinez, who has battled through migraines, getting poked in the eye and so much more this season, just wasn’t able to push through a bask spasm on Friday night. Well, she was ready to take another one for the team, but Barnes wouldn’t let her. Barnes wants Martinez to be ready for the rest of the season.

Still, Martinez found a way to lead from the bench.

“I thought she was a really good teammate,” Barnes said. “She was really upset before the game when she couldn't play and felt like she was letting us down. But I thought she did a really good job — her maturity of leading our vets, a very, very important role today to help us win.”

Skylar Jones added that even though Martinez wasn’t playing, “It still felt like she was out there — her presence. You could see she was all into it, like her presence was still felt on the court today. It felt like we were playing with eight. Well, no, I’m not going to lie, we were tired, but it still felt like we were playing with eight.”

Martinez is expected to play against Washington on Sunday.

Top 16 reveal: The NCAA Committee had its first top 16 reveal late Thursday night, announcing the 16 teams that would be hosting if the NCAA Tournament was starting.

Five Pac-12 teams were included: No. 3 Stanford and No. 8 Colorado would be 1-seeds; No. 9 UCLA would be a 2-seed; No. 10 USC would be a 3-seed and No. 11 Oregon State would be a 2-seed.

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Controlling their own destiny: So much is at stake over these last few weeks of the regular season, with the biggest being a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

How close is Arizona after Friday night’s win over Washington State?

Barnes thinks the Wildcats could be as close as a few more wins. UA is 13-12 overall and 5-8 in the Pac-12 but has played a brutal schedule that the NCAA Tournament committee will notice.

“We were one game behind Cal, and Cal was on the bubble,” Barnes said. “(The league) will get seven teams in. For us, not looking ahead because (with) this team, I can't look ahead. I have to narrow our focus — just win today and win this game at home. Having a great weekend at home is very important to control our own destiny. …

“At least we're having some momentum and we need it to peak at the right time. I talked a lot about playing better basketball at the right time because you just have to get hot, you have to have a little bit of luck. This isn't the time where we want it to regress, because then it's hard, but winning at home, we're confident at home.”

The real scoring leader: On Thursday, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark surpassed former Washington player Kelsey Plum for the most points in NCAA women’s basketball history. Clark has 3,569 points and counting.

However, Clark doesn’t own the all-time scoring mark for women’s college basketball. That distinction belongs to two players from the 1970s: Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore.

Former Kansas legend Woodard (1977-81), who was the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, racked up 3,649 points playing for what was called a “large school.”

The AIAW’s overall scoring leader is Moore (3,884 points), who played for Francis Marion from 1975-79.

These records are often not talked about as when they set them, women’s sports were governed by AIAW. The switch to the NCAA didn’t come until 1982, and the NCAA doesn’t recognize what came before then.

Looking closer at what makes Woodard’s and Moore’s marks stand out even more is that they were set before the 3-point shot existed.

Clark is also eyeing the all-time NCAA leader (men’s or women’s) in LSU’s Pete Maravich’s mark of 3,667 points. He played from 1967-70 — only three seasons because freshmen didn’t have eligibility until 1972.

By the numbers

5: Washington is on a five-game losing streak after ASU beat the Huskies in double overtime, 73-66, on Friday night.

7: The last time the Huskies won at McKale Center (90-73) was seven years ago in Barnes’ first season as head coach at Arizona. UW was led by Plum, who scored 36 points (and crossed the 3,000 point mark) and freshman Aari McDonald (18 points). The Wildcats were led by LaBrittney Jones — 20 points and 11 rebounds — and Lucia Alonso with nine assists.

Photos: Arizona gets ahead early and drops Washington State 64-45, Pac 12 basketball