After having the worst first quarter of the season, No. 10 Arizona rallied back to take care of business against No. 22 Colorado with a 75-56 win Sunday afternoon at McKale Center.
The Wildcats only managed to score a mere seven points in the first quarter however, they bounced back with 22 points in the second quarter and never looked back.
“I think we kind of just came out flat, we weren't really ready. We just picked it up and we didn’t put our heads down, and we just played Arizona defense like we should have from the beginning,” forward Cate Reese said.
Arizona (14-2, 4-2 Pac-12) held the Buffaloes to 33% from the field in the opening quarter, but the visiting team won the rebounding battle and managed to attempt 15 shots in the opening 10 minutes. The Wildcats made just 3 of 11 shots from the field, turned the ball over five times and grabbed eight rebounds in that same time.
“I just felt that when we came out [to start the game], we were really flat. We weren’t contesting shots. That’s not how we play,” head coach Adia Barnes said. “We don’t play backed off like that, that’s not our style. I thought we were passive. I thought they beat us to a lot of 50-50 balls, that's not what we do.”
Arizona was down by as much as 12 in the second quarter but led by superstar guard Shaina Pellington, the Wildcats were able to tie up the game, 29-29, to keep it close going into the second half.
Pellington scored 16 points in the second half and led all Wildcats players in scoring with 28 points. She only missed three of her 13 shots attempts in the win for UA.
“I just felt confident. Once I was hitting shots I was like, 'OK, I feel really composed right now.' Especially at the free-throw line. I felt really composed, relaxed, which is when I play my best. I was really confident whenever the ball was in my hands and when I was attacking the rim taking shots,” Pellington said.
The senior helped lead the charge for the Wildcats in the second half as the team climbed out of its early hole in what ended up as the best scoring performance for Pellington at Arizona. It was the second-best scoring game of her career.
“Shaina was great. They did not really have an answer for Shaina in the middle of the floor, just driving in or going off of flat on-balls. I think Shaina did a really good job of finishing. I think she missed one easy layup but besides that I think she was finishing. What I like that she also did was she didn't force anything," Barnes said.
Following her solid 14-point performance the previous game, Reese followed up with another incredible shooting day, scoring 23 points after going 10-for-17 shooting from the field. She also added team-high nine rebounds.
Barnes believes her veteran forward is playing at an All-American level this season.
“Cate’s a good three-point shooter. I think her threes has just been a little bit off recently because she’s taken some tough contested ones. You'll see her shoot the three better, that's something she's worked on, but she’s playing at a high level and we’re winning. I think she's making big baskets,” Barnes said.
Colorado (13-4, 2-4 Pac-12) was unable to overcome Arizona’s defensive tenacity that was led by Helena Pueyo as the Buffaloes were held to under 60 points as a team.
The Wildcats had two players score over 20 points, something that they have not done since their game against Washington.
Arizona now looks ahead to its California road trip that will begin Wednesday when the Wildcats face UCLA Wednesday in Los Angeles.
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