TUCSON, Ariz. – Despite trailing after one quarter, Arizona (7-1) dominated in the second half to knock off Grambling State (1-7) by a final score of 73-46. The victory was Arizona's fifth straight.
 
"I thought we had a much better second half," head coach Adia Barnes said. "We continue to play really well in the third quarter. We were a little sloppy at times and had a lot of turnovers, but this is a tough time for our players since it's during finals and they have to stay sharp mentally. Overall I was impressed the way we responded after halftime."
 
The Wildcats utilized a balanced scoring attack, as six different players scored at least eight points.  Malena Washington led the way with 13 points on 5-10 shooting.  Washington also went 2-2 from the line, and contributed three assists as well.
 
JaLea Bennett also checked in with double-digit points, scoring 10 points on 3-6 shooting from the floor and 3-4 shooting from the line. She added to her efficient scoring with four rebounds and two assists.
 
Dejza James led all bench scorers with a season-high 12 points in just 16 minutes. James went 5-8 from the floor, including one from behind the arc. She also made her presence felt in the paint, as she ended the game with four rebounds.
 
Both LaBrittney Jones and Breanna Workman came close to a double-double. Workman scored eight points and grabbed seven boards while Jones scored nine points and also had seven rebounds. Jones also dished out four assists and added two blocks.
 
Grambling State kept it close early and they even found themselves in the lead after the first quarter. However, Arizona used a strong defensive presence to regain the lead, outscoring GSU 59-31 over the final three quarters.
 
The reserve players played a crucial role in the result as Arizona outscored Grambling State 30-7 off the bench. Arizona also used their size advantage to dominate inside the paint.  The Wildcats out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 42-30 while they held a 41-18 advantage on points in the paint.
 
As a team, Arizona shot 50% from the field while smothering the Lady Tigers on defense, forcing them to shoot 27.1% for the game, including 24.2% in the second half.
 
Arizona will hit the road to Lawrence, Kan. for a Saturday afternoon matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. MST at Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

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