Information from the Arizona media relations department contributed to this report.
The Arizona Wildcats (11-1, 1-0 Pac-12) will take their 10-game winning streak to the conference’s mountain schools, first against Colorado (10-2, 0-1 Pac-12) on Friday at 7 p.m.
The game will be live-streamed on ArizonaWildcats.com. It can also be heard on KTUC (1400-AM).
Arizona’s Aari McDonald was the fifth-leading scorer in the nation as of Thursday’s games (Arizona Athletics photo)
Arizona, which also plays at Utah on Sunday, won its 10th game in a row on Sunday when it beat then-ranked No. 17 Arizona State. The winning streak is tied for the longest in school history (matching the 1996-97 and 2003-04 teams).
The Wildcats are one of four teams in the nation to allow fewer than 50 points per game and are the only team in the Pac-12 to do so. Opponents are averaging only 49.2 points a game against coach Adia Barnes’ team.
Entering Thursday’s games, Aari McDonald was the nation’s fifth-leading scorer at 24.2 points per game, which also tops the Pac-12. She is the only player in the country to average 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals per game and is the first player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 12 games of the season.
First Pac-12 road trip on deck and we’re ready to rock. #MadeForIt | #BearDown pic.twitter.com/f2v2u0uHFn
— Arizona Women's Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) January 3, 2019
Arizona finished the month of December undefeated (6-0) for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
The Wildcats are the only team in the nation to lead their conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, three-point percentage defense and steals per game.
Colorado had won four in a row, but lost to Utah in the first conference game of the season on Sunday. The Buffs are led by Kennedy Leonard, who averages 13.8 points, 7.2 assists. 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game. Mya Hollingshed also scores in double-figures, averaging 11.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Buffs outscore their opponent by 13.2 points per game and allow under 60 points per game.
Big pair of games at the mountain schools this weekend. #MadeForIt | #BearDown pic.twitter.com/hjjdxbWtuy
— Arizona Women's Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) January 3, 2019
NCAA’s leading scorers as of Thursday:
1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa): 26.8
2. Cierra Dillard (Buffalo): 25.4
3. Kierra Anthony (Louisiana Tech): 24.5
4. Najai Pollard (Delaware State): 24.3
5. Aari McDonald (Arizona): 24.2
Arizona freshman Cate Reese leads Arizona and is first among freshmen in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage as she is shooting 84.8% (28-33) from the line. The Cypress, Texas, native has had three games in which she has been perfect from the line with at least five attempts.
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