Arizona women's basketball coach Becky Burke gets Joan Bonvicini stamp of approval

Seen and heard from Day 1 of Big 12 basketball media day 2025 at the T-Mobile Center.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A college head coach for 34 years, including 17 at Arizona, Joan Bonvicini says she’s run and watched thousands of practices. But when new Arizona women’s basketball coach Becky Burke invited her in to watch the Wildcats this preseason, she still saw something new.

“I’ve never seen this — there’s always a kid on the side who’s maybe not as engaged, but that’s not true with her,” Bonvicini said during the Big 12 basketball media days. “Every kid’s engaged, focused, committed. They believe in Becky, and they’re there to play for her. They really are. I think the biggest thing is she wants the culture, her culture.”

But if the mental approach is there, at least in the short term, Bonvicini said Burke will have some physical obstacles to overcome. Especially the one concern that Burke mentioned on the Big 12 podium: That UA is height-challenged.

“I’ve always said good guards will keep you in every game, posts will win you championships,” said Bonvicini, who covers UA as a college basketball broadcaster. “She doesn’t have a post here, in my opinion, because she doesn’t know who she’s going to depend on. It might be one game, this is the kid, and another game it might be someone else.”

Still, Bonvicini said Burke’s style and track record suggests a product that is worth watching even as the Wildcats will have to lean on smaller players in her first season.

“They’re definitely guard-focused. They’re going to have to be,” Bonvicini said. “She’s defensively focused, but I like that they have good uptempo. I like when she runs sets, and she definitely has the pulse very much in the community.

“Becky won at some smaller schools like Embry Riddle. In Buffalo, (after her) three years they won the NIT. I know it’s a different tournament than the NCAA is and everything, but to win six games in a row against anybody is really good. I think the fans will enjoy watching her teams.”

Ex-Cat Jada Williams refocused as Cyclone

Former Arizona guard Jada Williams returned to Big 12 media day for the second year in a row, but this time joined the podium with a league title contender after struggling with a foot injury on what became a shorthanded UA team last season.

“I’m super excited to be here,” Williams said. “Had a rough two years mentally and things like that. So being in a situation where everyone believes in me really has encouraged me to work on my mental health, make that a centerpiece of what I’m focusing on, as well as pour back into my teammates.”

Even though she’s new to the Cyclones, Williams said she isn’t holding back her leadership style, either.

“My game is definitely passionate. I wear my heart on my sleeve,” Williams said. “I challenge myself to bring things out of people that they don’t know they have in them. Bringing that dog out, bringing that vocal aspect out, I think that’s something I bring naturally.

“I love what I do. I love being vocal. I love leading, and I like taking that pressure. As a point guard, it’s pressure. The loss is on you, the turnovers are on you, things like that, and it’s something I’ve done my whole life. So it’s natural to me, and so I’m super excited just get out there. I’m playing with the best in the country.”

Good-natured ribbing

A prolific scorer at Cleveland State who was named the Horizon League Player of the Year last season, Arizona guard Mickayla “Mickey” Perdue drew a few chuckles on the podium Tuesday when she said UA coach Burke sometimes tells her she can’t play defense.

Neither side denied such a conversation.

“Her and I have the best relationship because we give each other crap,” Burke said. “So I’m on her. She knows I’m half kidding ... but I’m only half kidding. I’m kind of ... I’m kind of serious.”

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Perdue described it pretty much the same way.

“She jokes a lot. Sometimes she’s not joking, but she always throws it in to motivate you in a way,” Perdue said. “And I’ll always talk back. She likes it when you talk back.”

New-look Wildcats to debut

Without returning forward Montaya Dew, who remains sidelined with knee issues, the Wildcats will debut with completely new players and a new coaching staff Thursday in an exhibition game against West Texas A&M at McKale Center.

Burke said she expected all of her other players to be available after senior forward Fredrieka “Freddie” Wallace returned from a concussion that kept her out of practices earlier in the preseason.

“I think it’s gonna be a good measuring stick for us,” Burke said. “We need game reps. We need game minutes together. And that’s the best thing that a new group with so many new faces can get, just repetitions and real game moments.”

Hey man, nice shot

Even after reaching the NCAA title game last season, Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson might have some tough work to do this fall.

With his mascot, Shasta, that is. A promo attempted to film five straight Big 12 mascots hitting free throws, but instead received five straight misses from Shasta despite the furry costumed shooter receiving several tips from the narrator.

Even Wilbur the Wildcat shook his hands in visible frustration as the misses wore on.

OG sponsor

In the ever-changing college sports landscape, one thing remains the same with the Big 12: Phillips 66 is still sponsoring the league’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, even though the league’s footprint has outgrown the company’s traditional concentration in the central part of the country.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said the company has re-signed to keep sponsoring the events through 2031.

“Phillips 66 has been a part of the Big 12 since before it was even the Big 12, dating back to our Big Eight days,” Yormark said.

The big number

4: Years in a row that at least six Big 12 women’s basketball teams have made the NCAA Tournament.

Quotable

“Most people go on spring break to Florida or whatever. Our fans come to Kansas City (for the Big 12 tournament), and they love coming here. They love to to eat, they love to drink, they love to watch basketball. They love everything about this place. So our job is to come and stay as long as possible to help the economy. We look forward to doing our part.” — Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly