(Tucson, AZ) Tonight’s game was a great barometer of the upcoming PAC-12 Conference Tournament next week in Las Vegas.
Stanford came into the game the nation’s fourth ranked team. Hall of Fame Coach Tara VanDerveer has no less than six five star recruits on this year’s Cardinal team.
The Cats countered with one of the nations hottest teams. According to Coach Adia Barnes, the team was at full strength.
Aari McDonald who didn’t play last week in Utah or Colorado with a leg injury made the first basket of the game at the 7:07 mark of the fist quarter.
Both teams were a little tight to start the game as the 7-5 Cardinal lead at the media timeout with 4:23 left in the opening quarter. Stanford shooting 2-8 from the field and the Wildcats 2-9.
Zona came out of the timeout on a 9-2 run retake the lead 14-9 lead with Helena Pueyo getting five of the nine points.
The lead grew to 19-11 on lights out shooting to end the quarter. The Cats went 8-16 after the slow start and forced six Stanford turnovers.
Amari Carter got foul on a three point attempt with the shot clock running out and make all three free throws for a 22-13 Wildcat lead.
Another buzzer beater shot as McDonald hit a three from the left of top of the key and the Cats continued to keep the pressure on number four 24-19 after the Cardinal had scored six straight points.
Stanford came back as everyone knew they would and cut Zona’a lead to two points 26-24 before a steal and lay up by Carter. Lexie Hull banked a shot from the elbow with two seconds left for Stanford to make it 28-26 as they headed to the locker room.
Arizona played an almost prefect first half and Stanford didn’t, yet they only led by two.
The second half began with Stanford being called for their third shot clock violation. That didn’t deter the Cardinal as they hit a second chance three pointer by Lacie Hull to give the kids from Palo Alto their first lead of the game 29-28.
Stanford came out and looked every bit of their high ranking as they kept the Cats off the scoreboard at the media timeout at the 6:17 mark.
Dominique McBryde hit the first basket of the second half at the 5:15 mark with a huge three pointer to get the team going but still trained by five, 36-31.
Stanford continued to pound the Cat’s defense and extended their lead 45-36 until McBryde hit another one of her three pointers and drew Arizona back to 45-39 with under a minute and a half left in the third quarter.
Pueyo hit a baseline left three with 1:13 left in a quarter where Arizona had some issues shooting.
With one quarter left, Zona trailed 47-42. Stanford’s defense had clamped down on the Cat’s shooters and held them to 16-44 (36%) while shooting 46% on their end.
Sam Thomas got the Cats off to good start in the fourth with a three and Arizona was down by a bucket 47-45.
The Cardinal came back with five straight points and kept Zona on their heels 52-45.
With 5:37 to go, Thomas hit a right baseline three to get Arizona back even at 52-52 as the Cats went on their own 7-0 run.
Mcdonald, who didn’t play as much as she normally does stole the ball and went coast to coast banging off of William to get the lead back with 4:30 left to go.
Down the stretch it was strength on strength neither team wanting to give an inch.
Stanford wanted to regroup and called a timeout. Hull hit a three from the left side take the lead back for Stanford.
Thomas with the left hand banked in a layup to tie the score 57-57 but Nadia Fingall banked in a three from the left side.
McDonald and crew came back with a hoop and a 60-59 lead. Kianna Williams scored under the basket and the Cardinal had the lead back 62-59 with :21 seconds left.
McDonad was fouled on her drive to the left and tied the score 63-63 hitting both free throws.
Stanford’s inbound pass was knocked away and off the Cardinal by Carter and the Cats had the ball back for the final possession with 13.2 seconds left.
McDonald was set on an isolation play and missed the jumper to force overtime tied at 63-63.
In overtime, McDonald crossed over and with the left hand hit a driving layup to give Arizona the lead and the first points by either team in the overtime.
After McBryde got her shot blocked in the lane, the ball kicked out to Cater who hit a three from the right baseline and Thomas followed up with another trey and the Cats were in control 71-67.
Hull hit a clutch three for the Cardinal to give Stanford a temporary lead until McDonald being McDonad hit the bucket on a drive to the left and down went number four 73-72.
The biggest takeaways tonight was this was the first time an Arizona women’s team has beaten a top five ranked team.
Arizona went 11-12 (91.7%) from the charity stripe. McDonald after missing the Mountain Schools trip last weekend played a season low 27 plus minutes. She had seven points going into the fourth quarter and erupted for thirteen points in the fourth quarter and overtime, making the winning shot.
McBryde played the defensive game of her life. Of any of the Wildcats, she wanted this win the most. While at Purdue, McBryde played Stanford twice and once in the NCAA Tournament losing all games until tonight.
Last year, Alanna Smith hit the game winning three pointer at the buzzer for the Cardinal after a valiant effort by Arizona.
Stanford’s Kiana Williams scored twenty seven points but was 9-23 from the field.
This was payback time, this was the opportunity to make the biggest statement in the history of Arizona Women’s Basketball and this team did just that.
This will also cause a ripple effect in the national seedlings after the conclusion of the PAC-12 Tournament next week where Arizona looks to be a #4 seed and will get a first round bye. This is important because that is one less game their grinding season long journey will take on their tired bodies and legs.
The big test now will be not to have a letdown against the last place team, the Berkley Bears who have won two conference games this year.
Game time is noon on Sunday and it will be Senior Night as well. Tonight’s attendance was 7838 which is the second larger crowd to ever see a Wildcat Women’s regular season game.
Tucson has bought into the program and Adia Barnes is darling of the Old Pueblo.
