Three biggest takeaways from Arizona’s win over Tarleton State

By Lori Burkhart

Posted on November 8, 2024

*Arizona sophomore Breya Cunningham cuts to the basket in the Wildcats’ 62-39 win over Tarleton State (Stephanie van Latum/Special to AllSportsTucson.com)*

Here are my three biggest takeaways from Arizona’s 62-39 win over Tarleton State on Thursday night in McKale Center:

Skylar Jones found her groove

After struggling against UT Arlington on Tuesday, scoring a total of four points, sophomore guard Skylar Jones started Thursday’s game on a mission, producing six points in the first quarter including making a 3-point shot.

Jones ended the night as the Wildcats’ top scorer with 16 points.

“Determined and aggressive and was on a mission,” Adia Barnes said. “I thought she was solid, it was between her and Breya for player of the game.

“Sky has been good. Sky is someone we need to play good to be good.”

Jones is a big part of Arizona’s scoring arsenal. The Wildcats will need Jones to keep that fire the rest of the season if the team is going to compete when Big 12 play starts.

Skylar Jones is on fire tonight! Has 6 of Arizona’s first 8 points. @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/a5KdNmYZnN

— Lori Burkhart (@loriburkhart) November 8, 2024

Freshmen get important playing time

Transitioning from high school to college basketball can be a huge adjustment for a lot of freshmen. The level of competition, the intensity of the game and the physicality in college is completely different, so getting the freshmen on the floor as much as possible early in the season helps get rid of first-year jitters.

The Wildcats were able to do that in their win over Tarleton State as freshmen Lauryn Swann, Mailien Rolf and Katarina Knezevicevic combined for 55 minutes of playing time and contributed 10 points.

“I’m trying make sure I’m giving experience in tough times,” Barnes said on playing Arizona’s freshmen.

Back-To-Back Player of the Game honors for Breya Cunningham

Arizona has a tradition after each home game. The player of the game gets to bang the drum for each win on the season.

Breya Cunningham has been the only Wildcat to get that honor in Arizona’s two wins.

Cunningham notched a double-double in Arizona’s win over UT Arlington and was two rebounds shy of a double-double in Thursday’s game against Tarleton State.

In the two games to start the season, Cunningham has a combined 25 points, five blocks, 18 rebounds and one steal.

In her freshman season last year, Cunningham had a hard time staying out of foul trouble and fouled out of multiple games.

In the first two games this season, Cunningham picked up two fouls in the first quarter of each contest but has not fouled out.

What is different this year compared to last?

She’s more aware of how she is getting those fouls, adjusts and is able to stay on the floor.

“She’s running the floor harder. Last year, she would have never ran the floor like that,” said Barnes. “A much, much better job of playing through fouls. Before, if I would have had her with two fouls,she would have got the third right away. So I have more confidence and I’m putting her – today, I let her play with three, four fouls. I didn’t want her to foul out so I pulled her at the end. But letting her play tired with fouls, she is smarter.”

As Cunningham continues to develop she will be a big problem for opponents in the post.