Arizona Wildcats (16-12, 7-8) at Houston Cougars (5-21, 1-14) | 6 p.m. Saturday | Fertitta Center | ESPN+ | 1400-AM
She said it
Arizona coach Adia Barnes on Houston: “They are going to press us. They are going to have aggressive defense. I think everybody is banged up right now, so they don’t have a lot of numbers. I think they are playing with six, seven or eight. We’re going to have to take care of the ball and our turnovers (on Wednesday), we have to correct that. I think teams like that are really hard to play this time of year. It’s at their place. There is nothing to lose and you are going to see upsets. …
“We have to go in there, be disciplined, take care of the ball and not have those turnovers at the top of the key that would lead to layups. We have to do a way better job in transition. Our transition defense was not good (against BYU). … Against Houston, we won’t win if we’re giving transition buckets and turning the ball over. Because that’s what they do. … We are going to get pressed from the minute we step off the plane in Houston.”
Arizona forward Katarina Knezevic (34) cuts off BYU guard Kambree Barber (14) in pursuit of the ball in the second quarter of their Big 12 game in Tucson on Feb. 19, 2025.
On the sidelines
Freshman things: Arizona Katarina Kneževic has had what most would call a typical freshman year. That is, she came in making freshman mistakes and had to learn the flow and pace of the college game.
It’s important to remember that basketball is not Kneževic's first sport. She was a high-level soccer player and only switched to basketball a few years ago.
Over the last three games, her determination to stick with it has shown. She’s played an average of 20 minutes, scored an efficient 15 points, collected three steals, dished four assists and pulled down seven rebounds. During this stretch, the Wildcats played two ranked teams in Oklahoma State and TCU.
She also came into the OSU game after not playing a minute in the previous seven games.
“If you're a player, like I've been there as a player, you don't play for like seven games, then you go and get a few minutes, it's either going to be good or bad, usually, because you don't have confidence, which is normal as a player,” Barnes said. “She did a really good job (at OSU) and what it did is give me confidence as a coach, because you have time to prove it every day in practice, and you have time in the game situation, which is different. She came and she performed and she earned more minutes.”
The other hurdle the 6-foot forward from Serbia is tackling is that English isn’t her first language. Sometimes, we think that once you step on the court, it’s just basketball, but there is more to it.
“When you're a foreigner and I'm married (to Salvo Coppa, who is from Italy) so I know this, you have to process what you hear in your language,” Barnes said. “It's delayed sometimes. You’ve got to translate to yourself, like, ‘What are they talking about?’ If they use a little bit slang, it's over, but it's just the quick things. And I think sometimes that processing is hard in the heat of the moment, because then we're stuck.”
Those times include when her teammates are waiting for Kneževic to cut and then the moment passes. All of this takes time, and as the season has gone on and she is learning basketball and the Arizona system, it’s starting to click for her.
One latest challenge: Against BYU on Wednesday, Arizona took a 15-point lead into halftime. It could have been a little better, but the Wildcats gave up a 3 near the buzzer. That gave BYU a bit of momentum or at least some confidence going into the locker room.
And it helped tremendously as the Cougars came out and owned the third quarter 15-6 to get within striking distance.
“I think the part of us getting to that next level and being a tournament team is being able to put people away and keep the pedal to the metal,” Barnes said. “… The momentum started with the mistake, the over help at the end the second quarter. It led to a 3. Then you go into halftime, they have momentum. Those are the little things. Then you have to be really on point the first couple minutes in the second half, and then we weren't. Those are the areas we have to grow in and get better at.”
Arizona guard Mailien Rolf (13) slips past the screen from BYU forward Emma Calvert (25) to get to BYU guard Kemery Congdon (15) in the third quarter of their Big 12 game in Tucson on Feb. 19, 2025.
Barnes added that the Wildcats would get stops, but couldn’t score or vice versa, depending on the personnel on the floor.
“I think just finding that combination at times, that can kind of stop the bleeding and they can give us a spark when one group isn't doing well,” Barnes said. “I think that's been the challenge. We're still looking for that group that can go on both ends instead of, like, one defensive group can't score, one offensive group can't defend. That's what I'm challenging the players with.”
Lone win: Houston’s lone win in conference play came on Jan. 14 against then-No. 24 OSU, 79-76.
It was the Cougars' first win over a ranked opponent since 2022-23.
There was no last-second shot in this one. Houston went up big and held on as OSU made a furious comeback. The Cowgirls forced 13 turnovers and outscored the Cougars 34-17 in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough.
Another honor: Barnes has been named to the Sliver Waves Media 100 most impactful people in women's college basketball list, once again. She has been on this list multiple times since she's been head coach at Arizona.
By the numbers
39.5: With a shorthanded roster, Houston guard Gigi Cooke averaged 39.5 minutes per game against now-No. 17 West Virginia and Iowa State. She also scored a combined 29 points.
18.2: Arizona is averaging 18.2 points per game off turnovers.
104,249: The Wildcats’ total attendance number for all 16 games is 104,249. They are averaging 6,516 fans per game.
