TUCSON, Ariz. – The Wildcats of Arizona (3-1) are back in Tucson to face the Owls of Florida Atlantic (3-3). Tip is set for 7 p.m. MST on Thursday night in McKale Center.
 
On Florida Atlantic
The Owls of Florida Atlantic are coming off a 77-67 loss to Richmond last Saturday and have a record of 3-3. Two of their games have been on the road and they dropped both of them, one to Mercer and one to North Florida. The Owls have three double-digit scorers in Sasha Cedeno (11.8), Malia Kency (11.0) and Raven Doyle (10.8). Doyle also leads the team with 9.7 rebounds per game. Florida Atlantic makes an average of 7.3 three-pointers per game and Cedeno leads the team with 14 made at a 34% clip. The fourth quarter has not been kind to the Owls as they have allowed 114 points for an average of 19 points, which is the most they allow in one quarter. On the other side, the Owls score just 15.3 points per fourth quarter.
 
LB in the Arizona Record Books
Senior LaBrittney Jones is back for her senior season in Tucson. Jones will go down as one of the great Wildcats as she is sure to climb the record books should all go well. She is currently fifth all time in blocked shots with 106 and needs 16 to pass Marte Alexander for fourth. Jones is also 80 rebounds away from cracking the top 10, which shouldn't be an issue as she has averaged a little over 161 boards a year. Her average of 5.9 rebounds per game for a career is tied for seventh all time. Finally, Jones needs just 106 points to crack the top 20 in Arizona history.
 
Jones in the Pac-12
LaBrittney Jones had another solid game against Southern Utah as she scored 11 second-half points for a total of 13. She also cleaned the glass for a team-leading nine rebounds. Through four games, Jones is tied for second in the Pac-12 in scoring (18.5 ppg) and is fifth in rebounds per game (9.5).
 
Washington's World
Malena Washington led the Wildcats in total points scored last year as she scored 346 for an average of 10.8 per game. She also led the team with 146 three-pointers made, which was the most in one season since Davellyn Whyte knocked down 218 in the 2012-13 season. Although she is a senior, Washington is entering just her third season as a Wildcat as she started her career at Tyler Junior College, where she was named a JC All-American. Washington averages 11.8 points per game through the first four contests of the season. She scored 14 points and dished out four assists against Southern Utah.
 
TG For Three
Redshirt Sophomore Taryn Griffey has been through her fair share of adversity as she has undergone multiple knee surgeries, but she is back this year after having a solid start to her college career in the 2015-16 season. Last year, she shot 42.4% from downtown, which was the third-highest three-point percentage for one season in school history. The redshirt sophomore has a career three-point field goal percentage of 42.3% (44-104). Griffey came off the bench and scored nine points in 16 minutes. She was 2-5 from beyond the arc and now leads the team as she is 8-19 from downtown (42%).
 
Buenos Dias, Lucia
Freshman guard Lucia Alonso has started in the first four games of her college career at the point guard position. So far, she averages 6.8 points, 3.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds per game and 1.3 steals per game. Alonso was 3-4 from behind the arc against George Mason and scored 13 points. The freshman leads the team in minutes played so far as she has been on the floor for 130 of the 160 total minutes played this season, which is an average of 32.5 minutes per game. Alonso is fourth in the Pac-12 in minutes played per game.
 
We See Ya JaLea
Junior wing JaLea Bennett had a career night against Southern Utah as she scored 21 points off the bench for a new career high. Her previous career high was 18 points. Against Southern Utah, she shot 7-11 from the field, made one three-pointer and was 6-6 from the charity stripe. She upped her scoring average to 10.3 points and is third on the team. Although Bennett averages just 16.8 minutes per game, she makes the most of the time she is on the court as she brings good energy to the floor. Bennett is currently tied for first in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage as she is 12-12 this season.
 
It's Your Destiny
Sophomore forward Destiny Graham was a monster on the boards in the season-opener against Alcorn State. She grabbed 11 rebounds, which is a career high and also had five offensive rebounds, another career high. Graham also blocked two shots, which tied her career high. Through four games, she averages five rebounds per game, which is second on the team after grabbing six against Southern Utah. Graham played a season-high 27 minutes against Southern Utah and made her first career three-pointer as well.
 
Go DJ, That's my DJ
Senior forward Dejza James has played more than 13 games in a season just once in her career due to injuries, but she is healthy now and ready to return to action. Last year in 13 games, she grabbed 6.2 rebounds per game and scored 5.3 points per game. She had two double-digit rebounding performances as well, which included 10 against San Diego on Nov. 21 and 13 against New Mexico State on Dec. 2. James finished the game with at least six rebounds in seven of her 13 games played.
 
Donating to the Charity Stripe
Through the first four games of the season, Arizona is shooting 78.2% from the free throw line (61-78). That is the second-highest percentage in the Pac-12 behind Washington (80.7%). There is a significant gap between second and third place as UCLA is behind Arizona, but shoots 73.3%. The Wildcats have two individuals in the top five and three overall in the top 15. JaLea Bennett is tied for first as she is 12-12, Breanna Workman is fifth as she is 13-15 (86.7%) and LaBrittney Jones is 15th as she is 15-21 (71.4%).
 
Loving the Long Ball
Arizona made 10 three-pointers against George Mason on Nov. 18, which is the most since the Wildcats made 12 in a win against Oregon back on Jan. 13, 2013. Arizona was 12-27 (44%) overall from downtown in the Oregon game while the Wildcats were 10-18 (56%) against George Mason. In the second half alone, Arizona shot 7-10 from distance against George Mason. The Wildcats made six against Southern Utah thanks to three-pointers made by LaBrittney Jones (2), Taryn Griffey (2), Destiny Graham (1) and JaLea Bennett (1). So far this year, Jones has the ninth-best three-point percentage in the Pac-12 (45.5) and Griffey has the 14th-best percentage (42.1%). Griffey has also made the 11th-most threes in the Pac-12 (2.0)
 
Finishing Strong
Arizona shot 10-11 (91%) in the fourth quarter against George Mason on Nov. 18 That is the highest percentage Arizona has ever shot in a single quarter and it is tied for the second most-made shots in a quarter. Arizona made 10 against New Mexico State (12/5/15) and USC (2/28/16) last year. 28 points is also the second-most points scored in a quarter. The Wildcats scored 30 points and made 11 shots against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 21, 2015. It was another outstanding fourth quarter for Arizona against Southern Utah as they were 9-14 from the field and 4-5 from the line, which was good for 23 points. So far this year, Arizona has scored a total of 91 points in the fourth quarter for an average of 22.8, which is the most of any quarter.
 
Cats Have the Clutch Gene
Through four games this season, Arizona has shot a combined 50% in the fourth quarter. Most recently, the Wildcats shot 9-14 from the field against Southern Utah last Saturday. Additionally, Arizona is 24-32 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. 
 
Cleaning the Glass
The Wildcats will lean on seniors LaBrittney Jones, Dejza James and Breanna Workman to dominate the boards this year, which isn't a bad thing. Last year, James averaged 6.2 per game, Jones averaged 5.9 per game and Workman averaged 4.8 per game. Jones grabbed double-digit rebounds four times last season while James did it twice last season. James' season was cut short last year though due to injury as she only played in 13 games. So far this year, Arizona has outrebounded their opponents 157-144. Jones is averaging 9.3 boards a game to lead the team.
 
Double-digit rebounding games
11/13/16: LaBrittney Jones (12 vs. Alcorn State)
11/13/16: Destiny Graham (11 vs. Alcorn State)
 
It's a Block Party and LB is Hosting
Senior LaBrittney Jones has 106 career blocks through 88 games, which is good for an average of 1.2 swats per game. Last year, she blocked 23 shots in 21 games. Throughout her career, she has posted 26 games where she has blocked multiple shots and as blocked 3+ shots in 15 games. Her career high was set back on Feb. 1, 2015 when she sent six shots into the seats. Jones has now blocked 3+ shots in consecutive games, which is the third time that she has done that in her career. This year, Jones is seventh in the Pac-12 with 1.8 blocks per game.
 
Arizona Career Blocked Shots Leaders
1. Shawntinice Polk, 222
2. Ify Ibekwe, 166
3. Elizabeth Pickney, 147
4. Marte Alexander, 121
5. LaBrittney Jones, 106
6. Dana Patterson, 91
7. Anne McFadden, 87
 
Depth Isn't Overrated
Last season, nine Wildcats averaged at least 15 minutes on the floor per game. What is the significance of that? Eight of those players are back for the 2016-17 season, so they know what to expect when it comes to college basketball. So far this season, seven players average at least 17.8 minutes per game.
 
2016-17 Minutes (min. 17.8 mpg)
1. Lucia Alonso (32.5)
2. LaBrittney Jones (29.5)
3. Malena Washington (27.8)
5. Taryn Griffey (21.3)
4. Destiny Graham (18.8)
6. Breanna Workman (17.8)
    JaLea Bennett (17.8)
 
One Last Go Around
Of the 13 players on the roster, six of them are seniors, which is the most in the Pac-12 as no other team has more than four seniors on their roster. Those six seniors include LaBrittney Jones, Malena Washington, Breanna Workman, Lauren Evans, Dejza James and Farrin Bell. They have combined to play in 374 games.
 
Experience Pays Off
Although there is a brand new coaching staff in place, this team is generally made up of players who were a part of the 2015-16 campaign. 11 of the 13 current players on the roster are returning this year and have played in a combined 532 games. Only one other school in the Pac-12 has more than nine returners (Colorado returns 11).
 
Barnes is Back
Adia Barnes is back in Wildcat Country, and this time it's as the head coach of the University of Arizona. Barnes is known as one of, if not the best women's basketball player to come through Tucson. As a player, she is the program's leading scorer as she finished with 2,237 career points (18.5 ppg). She is also second all-time in career rebounds (921). During Barnes' freshman year in the 1994-95 season, the Cats finished with a record of 11-19. The next three years were a complete turnaround as the Wildcats won at least 22 games in each season and made a three-straight postseason appearances. Over those three years, Arizona was 68-23, which is still the best three-year stretch in Arizona history.
 
 
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