Arizona women’s basketball puts up offensive avalanche in exhibition win over Embry-Riddle

It was time for Arizona’s women’s basketball squad to play an exhibition after the men’s team had already played two. The Wildcats took on Embry-Riddle and started the preseason off with a 117-44 blowout win over the Eagles.

Arizona’s ability to get out in transition and turn defense into offense put the game out of reach very early. In Becky Burke’s eyes, the exhibition had a lot of good but still had some bad. Overall, it’s all a learning lesson.

“We got exactly what we wanted out of this game,” said Burke. “We’re going to get a lot of great film overall. A lot of bright spots for us as well. We got to play a lot of people, a lot of minutes. We got to score almost 120 points. So there’s a lot to be excited about, and there’s a lot to go back and watch and fix.”

The Wildcats had six double figure scorers, led by a 22/11 double-double performance by Maryland transfer Breanna Williams and a 18 point performance by freshman Jasleen Green. The freshman was part of a starting lineup that included returners Sumayah Sugapong and Molly Ladwig, and transfers Aliyahnna “Puff” Morris and Gerda Raulušaityte.

About five seconds into the game, Green got the scoring started for Arizona with her first bucket as a Wildcat in the form of an and-one. Morris followed with back to back layups as the Wildcats got out in transition quickly.

“Coach Burke gives me a green light to go attack downhill, and that’s what we work on, so I’m used to that,” said Green. “I’ve never played in a crowd bigger than like 200 people. So playing in that atmosphere, like getting an and-one for my first bucket, like that was amazing.”

Sugapong picked up right where she left off last season with a steal and score. Williams checked in early for Raulušaityte and set the tone for her night. Getting an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and after two more rebounds off her misses, she got her first points of the night.

Makayla Presser-Palmer and Arynn “Simba” Finley also checked in early but even with the early rotation of players, there was no drop off in offensive production. A 21-4 lead for the Wildcats was just the start of their offensive explosion.

“We wanted them to feel our pressure defensively,” said Burke. “We wanted them to feel us putting pressure on them on the defensive end in transition. I do feel like we achieved that tonight. We’re going to be a really gritty, aggressive, and deep group this year. We’re going to be able to keep fresh bodies and fresh legs in. That’s not something we had the luxury to do last year.”

In between Arizona going up and down the court in the first quarter, there came a point of confusion and surprise. Karolina Ulan checked into the game and so did a mystery player donning the number 52.

Turns out Arizona had added Kent State transfer Dionna Gray to the team without an official announcement. Back in September, Gray was granted a fifth year of eligibility from a court in Indiana, and had joined the Wildcats only a week ago.

“She was granted her year of eligibility, her fifth year of eligibility,” said Burke. “When that happened, obviously she was coached by Coach Starkey at Kent State. When she got her year of eligibility and said she had some interest in coming to Arizona and just kind of giving us some depth, I knew exactly what exactly she brings to the table. She’s a little jitterbug. She’s got a defensive mindset. She’s a veteran.”

After Ulan got a quick and-one, in came freshman Priyanka Ponnam. It felt like every time a new Wildcat stepped on the court they immediately put the ball in the basket. Ponnman came in and drilled a three with Sugapong following with one of her own.

At the end of the first quarter, the Wildcats had put up 40 points while only allowing 13 on the other end. Arizona shot 72.7% from the field but that efficiency did not flow into the second quarter.

Arizona had made it a priority to get the ball inside and score in the paint. Embry-Riddle was able to adjust to it and made it hard for the Wildcats to find success offensively. Callie Hinder was the last Wildcat to check in and at that point all available players had seen the court.

In between the seven minute mark and four minute mark of the second quarter Sugapong had picked up three fouls, a trend that seems to have followed her from last season. The game flow had slowed down and after scoring 40 in the first quarter, Arizona only put up 18 more points in the second quarter.

However, the second quarter would turn out to be the worst quarter of the game as the both second half quarters featured a good amount of offense. Raulušaityte found the scoreboard for the first time to start the second half.

With Green scoring in double digits in the first half, she started a trend that five other players followed. Morris was the second Wildcat to reach double figures, with Williams securing her double-double early in the third and becoming the third player to score double digit points.

“Bree’s come to life the last three weeks or so,” said Burke. “I think she battled a couple injuries early in the summer and was kind of in and out and has really worked herself into great shape and has been, over the last three weeks, the person that I brought her here to be. She should be a double double every night for us.”

“I feel like it’s a great debut,” said Williams. “It’s great playing in front of all those people in McKale. My teammates helped me do that, so I give credit to them as well.”

Sugapong’s foul trouble did not stop as she picked up her fourth foul in the third. The good news for her is that her teammates did not allow any type of drop off when she was not on the court.

Ulan’s third quarter burst helped grow the Arizona lead. She put 11 points of her own on the scoreboard and became the fourth Wildcat to get to double figures. Arizona put up 30 points in the third with a defensive dominant quarter only allowing six points. 

Sugapong came back on to the court in the fourth quarter and was the fifth player to get to double digits. Unfortunately for Sugapong, her fifth foul came on the following play and her night was done finishing with 11 points.

“I don’t really say too much to her when she fouls out or when she gets in foul trouble because you don’t want to put reins on that kid and try to reel her in and hold her back because at the same time she also led the the Big 12 in steals last year,” said Burke. “So she’s really aggressive at times, and it’s going to help you. She’s going to make game-winning plays, and then she’s really silly sometimes. She knows what she needs to do.”

After a three pointer off a cross court pass from Gray, a transition bucket got Finley into double figures to make her the sixth and final player to reach that mark. Reaching the 100 point threshold was the final check point of the night for Arizona and it went on to secure the win.

Arizona had only hit the 100 point mark once last season, and after losing last season’s opening exhibition, it was a complete turn around for Burke a year later. She hopes it’s a trend that continues as her second season in Tucson moves forward.

“I think you’re gonna see me a lot happier up here on the podium this year, whatever the results are because of this group,” said Burke. “They’ve been a joy to coach. They’re so coachable. They’re so competitive. They’re so together and connected. They all want to be here.”

Burke’s squad finished shooting 55.6% overall and went 32-42 from the free throw line. Arizona forced 31 turnovers and scored 34 points off of them. The Wildcats had 70 points in the paint, 20 second chance points, 47 fast break points, and 70 points from the bench.

Arizona outrebounded Embry-Riddle 49-22 and had 19 offensive rebounds, adding 22 steals. All players that saw the court scored, but almost all Wildcats committed a foul.

“We’re not a very disciplined fouling team right now,” said Burke. “There’s good fouls, I believe that. I believe there are times for fouls, but we really talk about making people make tough shots, making people finish over us with discipline, and I don’t think we’ve done a great job with that throughout our scrimmages or tonight either.”

Next up for Burke and the Wildcats is the second and final exhibition of the preseason against Cal State Monterey Bay at 6 p.m. PT Tuesday.

“I want to see more foul discipline,” said Burke. “I want to see us just be a little bit tighter in the details of our preparation, and I want to see them continue to play the butts off and play hard.”