Like it has done many times over the last few seasons Arizona once again relied on the talent of senior guard Aari McDonald to help earn a win Monday night.
Only this time it was the biggest win in program history. The Wildcats headed to the Final Four for the first time thanks in large part to 33 points from McDonald in a 66-53 win over Indiana at the Alamodome in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.
The California native, who joined the Wildcats after starting her career with head coach Adia Barnes at Washington, has been on a tear so far during the tournament. She bested her 31-point performance against Texas A&M in the Sweet 16 with an even better one Monday night giving the Wildcats the boost they needed to close out the Hoosiers.
"She's been amazing," Barnes said of her star player, who is averaging over 25 points per game during the NCAA Tournament. "I mean, stars make big plays, they step up when it really counts. No one remembers how you start, they remember how you finish.
"Aari said it perfectly. At times this year she struggled a little bit. I think she wasn't letting the game come to her, really trying to really carry us so much. I think I've seen a different Aari in the tournament. Just more relaxed, more at ease, really leading the team in so many different ways, letting the game come to her. She's been unstoppable. I mean, no one can guard her. ... I'm just so proud of her because all her hard work is paying off. She's just been phenomenal and she's leading this team."
The Wildcats (20-5) controlled the action for most of the night and only trailed for a few minutes against the Hoosiers. As Arizona worked to create separation behind McDonald's impressive effort on the offensive end, Indiana continued to battle and chip away. The game ultimately was tied up with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter.
A 3-pointer from Helena Pueyo ignited the offense once again, and McDonald was able to take over from there by scoring nine points down the stretch to help the Wildcats secure the victory.
The final minutes wouldn't tick away without a scare for Arizona, however. With just a couple minutes left to play and the game not completely in hand, McDonald turned her ankle sending her the ground in pain. She ultimately had to come out of the game before returning to finish out the night with the her teammates.
"Fourth quarter we had to get stops," McDonald said. "We knew that. We knew we couldn't trade buckets. They're a good offensive team. We knew we had to buckle down on defense, take pride in our individual assignments. We were rebounding, as well. It's not too often we win the rebound war, and we did today.
"I never cry, so that's how you kind of knew I was in pain. But, I mean, I shook it off. My team needs me, I wanted to get back on the court. I had to suck it up, but I'll be fine."
The win is a monumental one in the team's history. It marks the biggest sign of a turnaround within the program after Barnes returned to lead her alma mater five years ago. In that time the Wildcats went from one of the worst teams in the Pac-12 to one of the programs representing the conference on the biggest stage.
"Having confidence is really important this time of year, but I feel like our team is playing our best basketball," Barnes said. "We've peaked at the right time. To win a championship, all it does is you have to beat that team one time. I feel like anybody this time of year can win one time on any given night. I think for us there's no pressure.
"No one expects Arizona to win a championship. No one expected Arizona to be in the Elite 8, Sweet 16, Final Four. We don't have anything to lose. We can play loose, free, because we don't have the pressure."
The Wildcats will now face UConn and legendary coach Geno Auriemma in the Final Four after the Huskies (28-1) knocked off second-seeded Baylor to win the River Walk Region on Monday night. That matchup is set for Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio with the winner going on to play for the national title.
****
> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona fans Inside McKale
> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel
> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom, @MattGOAZCATS)
> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)
> LIKE us on Facebook
> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)
