Q&A with Adia Barnes: Wildcats' fight, rebounding, message in the huddle going into OT at OSU

Arizona's double-overtime loss to Oregon State stings, no matter how the Wildcats look at it.

It’s never easy losing a game you thought you could have won.

On paper, Arizona seems to be punching above its weight. UA has gone toe-to-toe with top teams and hasn’t let down or given up.

In the last week, the Wildcats are just one shot and one defensive stop from being 4-0 in the conference. Instead, they are 2-2 after losing by one point to No. 5 Colorado last week and letting OSU slide by 73-70 on Friday night in Corvallis.

Arizona hopes Sunday is more favorable as it takes on Oregon (10-7, 1-3) in Matthew Knight Arena at 1 p.m.

After Friday's loss, Arizona coach Adia Barnes said that the Wildcats "played their hearts out."

The Star caught up with Barnes on Saturday for a wide-ranging conversation on what she said in the huddle going into the first overtime, what is keeping UA in games against top opponents and how focusing on the little things is the key.

With a win on Friday, everyone would have been talking about Esmery Martinez's performance (10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals). What are you seeing in her, and how has she improved this season?

A. “She has been a trooper. I think before not as aggressive but we weren't finding ways to get her shots. We did a really good job of putting some stuff in a really isolated her more, got her in better situations to score. Then, she did a better job of taking care of the ball and really taking advantage of the situation she was in. I thought she gave us a lot (Friday) night, and without her, we don't have those chances to win.”

At the end of regulation, OSU hits a 3-pointer to tie it, and then there is a missed shot by UA that would've won it. What do you say in the huddle to have your players focusing on what’s next, the overtime, and not dwelling on what just happened?

A. “(I said) ‘Hey, we did this last week. Let’s go do it again. Five more minutes, we got this. We fought this whole game.’ I just tell them what we need to clean up a little bit moving forward from that point on. The emphasis was on boxing out.”

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Speaking of boxing out, you gave Oregon State three chances to knock down that 3-pointer to tie it in regulation. Rebounding has been a challenge for you, and you’ve said that it’s hard to teach technique with limited players and condensing practice time to keep them fresh for games. How are you getting even more creative to try to improve your rebounding?

A. “Showing them a lot of film. like today, obviously, in an ideal world, we would be working on boxing out. Some limitations but in our world what is possible. Showing film. Showing how important it is for all five to do it. Showing that we just didn't do it at all. We didn't have the focus to do it even in times that were giving up multiples. Seeing and having an understanding of that and showing that that was the game. If you box out a little bit more, a little bit more effort and then the focus on that.

“Because I think the mental strength to fight and to want to win is there. The will to win and playing with our hearts is absolutely there. That's 110%. Now, the mental focus for the little things, which is usually easier, is not there. One of those things is boxing out.

"Because I think there is a point I think as a player, even if like with (Raegan) Beers, it's better for you to go face guard and maybe you don't get it versus let somebody come in and get the rebound. That's what we don't understand now, but we're going to understand and we'll get it. The unfortunate thing is we lost the game because of that.”

Did you see this coming a month ago that you would be in games like this against good teams?

A. “I did not. I also didn’t anticipate losing Sali (Kourouma to season-ending shoulder surgery). Sali would have helped us this weekend. One more body in a physical player like Sali, in the post, would have helped us right now. That was a tough loss for us.”

What do you think is keeping you in these games?

A. “I think we’re playing hard and we want to win. I think this is the group that wants to do everything the coaches ask. They are doing their best. I think it’s just teaching the little things like boxing out. We are fighting so hard on defense at some points we’ve playing like 90 seconds on defense. That’s tough. But understanding if everybody boxing out a little more, we win that possession.”

In each Pac-12 team, you are facing top post players. What does Oregon’s Grace VanSlooten do that is different from what you’ve seen so far?

A. “I think VanSlooten is very different than (Utah’s Alissa) Pili and (OSU’s Raegan) Beers. And VanSlooten is a very good player. She's younger. I think that she's a tough matchup right now. She's playing a lot of three and the four. I like that matchup with Esmery and Helena (Pueyo). The difficult matchups are like Breya (Cunningham) is a freshman. She’s guarding Beers and Pili. That's why Isis (Beh) has been so valuable for us. Isis came in and gave us some really huge minutes (Friday). Breya is learning and she’s going up against top players in the country every weekend. She's getting better and learning. That's hard for a freshman who is starting and going against the top players. I think it's going to pay off later, but it's difficult in the interim.”