TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona Wildcats (12-2, 2-1 Pac-12) are back in McKale Center on Friday night at 7 p.m. MST to face No. 24 California (10-3, 1-1 Pac-12) on the Pac-12 Networks. The Wildcats are looking to start another winning streak after Utah ended their school-record 11-game winning streak on Sunday.
 
Friday, Jan. 11 vs. No. 24 California at 7 p.m. MST
TV: Pac-12 Network (Cindy Brunson & Joan Bonvicini)
Radio: 1400 AM (Derrick Palmer)
Twitter: @ArizonaWBB
#MadeForIt
 
FROM THE TIP

• Arizona had their school-record 11-game winning streak broken vs. Utah this past Sunday.
   
• Aari McDonald was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 on Wednesday and is the first player in school history to make the list since Shawntinice Polk (2003-04).
   
• McDonald earned her third Pac-12 Player of the Week honor of the season on Monday after becoming the first player in school history to post back-to-back 30-point games.
   
• The Wildcats are one of 10 teams in the nation to allow fewer than 53 points per game and are the only team in the Pac-12 to do so.
   
• McDonald is the nation's second-leading scorer at 25.4 points per game, which also tops the Pac-12. She is the only player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 14 games of the season.
   
• McDonald is the first player since Adia Barnes (97-98) to score 30 points in four games in one season.

Last Five vs. California
1/26/18: at Cal 63, Arizona 39
1/7/18: Cal 53, at Arizona 51
1/22/17: at Cal 71, Arizona 60
12/30/16: Cal 74, at Arizona 64
2/14/16: at Cal 75, Arizona 56
 
Scouting the Golden Bears
It's been the Kristine Anigwe show for Cal this season as she is averaging 22.1 points and 13.9 rebounds per game on 52% shooting. Asha Thomas and Kianna Smith also pitch in double-figure scoring at 11.5 and 10.5 points per game. The Golden Bears are coming off a home split in which they lost in overtime to UCLA and knocked off USC.
 
Aar it Out
After all the anticipation, redshirt sophomore guard Aari McDonald is finally eligible to put on the block A and represent the Wildcats on the court after transferring from Washington back in 2017. She stormed onto the scene and tied the single-game record with 39 points against Loyola Marymount in just the second game of the season and is currently the second-leading scorer in the nation at 25.4 points per game. The Fresno native is also the first player in school history to score at least 15 points in the first 14 games of the season and is also the first player in school history to score back-to-back 30-point games. She has scored at least 30 points in four games this season, becoming the first player to do so since Adia Barnes had five during her senior season (1997-98). During her freshman season in 2016-17, McDonald was named Pac-12 All-Freshman after averaging just under 10 points per game while shooting 47% from the field in 24.1 minutes per game. She started in 21 games for the Huskies, who would advance to the Sweet 16.
 
McDonald Named to Wooden Award Midseason Top 25
McDonald was named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list on Wednesday and is the first Wildcat since Shawntinice Polk (2003-04) to be named to the list. She is one of six Pac-12 players on the list, the most of any other conference in the country, and is one of five underclassmen (Frosh & Soph.) on the list.
 
A Premier Bucket Getter
No player in Arizona history has led the nation in scoring and only two Wildcats (Adia Barnes and Dee Dee Wheeler) have led the conference in scoring. In fact, only Barnes averaged at least 20 points per game in one season when she scored 21.8 per game during her senior season (1997-98). In order for McDonald to break the single-season scoring record, McDonald needs to score 298 more points. She has scored 356 through 14 games and the Wildcats have 15 more regular season games.
 
NCAA's Leading Scorers
1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa): 26.4
2. Aari McDonald (Arizona): 25.4
3. Cierra Dillard (Buffalo): 24.5
 
Three-Time Pac-12 Player of the Wek
Aari McDonald was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the third time this season on Monday after averaging 33 points, eight rebounds and five steals per game against Colorado and Utah on the road. She won her second on Dec. 3 after averaging 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals in Arizona's two wins against Incarnate Word and San Diego State and won her first on Nov. 19 after averaging 32 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 assists and 2.7 three-pointers per game on 56% shooting from the field over the three games.
 
Reese's Buckets
Cate Reese became the first Wildcat since Shawntinice Polk in 2002 to record a double-double in her collegiate debut and became the first freshman to score at least 20 in her first career game since Davellyn Whyte in 2008 after scoring 21 points and bringing down 10 rebounds in the opener against Idaho State. Through 13 games, Reese averages 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, which are both the most of any freshman in the Pac-12.
 
Reese's Boards
Against Montana, Cate Reese became the 10th Wildcat to grab at least 18 rebounds in a game, was the first since Ify Ibekwe (Feb. 13, 2011) and is the first freshman to do so since Polk (Dec. 22, 2002). Reese, who averages 8.4 rebounds per game is the eighth-leading rebounder in the Pac-12 and averages the most among all freshmen in the Pac-12. Head coach Adia Barnes' career-high in rebounds was 18 back on Jan. 7, 1995.
 
Reese Arizona's First Pac-12 Freshman of the Week
Cate Reese was named Arizona's Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on Nov. 26 after her 19-point and 16-rebound performance against South Carolina State. Reese became Arizona's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in school history.
 
I'll Have a Double-Double
Reese has the second-most double-doubles among all freshmen in the Pac-12 with four through 14 games. After scoring 20 points and grabbing 18 rebounds against Montana, Reese became the first freshman since Ify Ibekwe to have four double-doubles in one season. Additionally, the last player to have five or more double-doubles in a season was Davellyn Whyte in the 2012-13 season.  
 
Reese Cashes in From the Charity Stripe
Reese leads Arizona and is first among freshmen and third overall in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage as she is shooting 85.7% (30-35) from the line. The Cypress, Texas native has had three such games where she has been perfect from the line with at least five attempts.
 
Sam I Am
Sam Thomas had a typical Sam Thomas game in the opener, scoring 15 points, bringing down nine rebounds and swiping four steals, but then struggled on the offensive end in the next six games averaging just 5.7 points per game. The sophomore has gotten back to her old ways in lately as she has scored in double-figures in six of her last seven games and is averaging 11 points per game during that stretch. Although her offensive production hasn't been there all season, she has brought it day in and day out on the defensive end, recording at least three steals in seven games. Thomas is the only player in the Pac-12 to be in the top five in both blocks and steals.
 
Old Man Dominique
Ask anyone to characterize redshirt junior Dominique McBryde's game and they will all say "old man game." McBryde, who transferred from Purdue after the 2016-17 season is poised to have a big year for the Wildcats after sitting out the 2017-18 season. She has started to get it going as of late, as she is averaging 8.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 53% shooting over her last seven contests. McBryde didn't have it going in early on as she was averaging 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 41% shooting in her first four. She has scored in double-figures in four of her last six games while scoring in double-figures just once in her first seven. Against Arizona State, she was a menace on the defensive end, recording a career-high four steals while blocking two shots for the second game in a row. While at Purdue, McBryde was named honorable mention All-Big-Ten in 2017, averaging 6.7 points and 6.3 rebounds while making 25 starts. She had her first double-figure scoring game of the season against South Carolina State with 10 points to go with six rebounds.
 
Buenos Dias, Lucia
Junior guard Lucia Alonso returns to the court for year three with a ton of experience, playing 1,088 minutes last season to go along with 887 minutes the year before. The only player in Arizona history that played more minutes in their first two years was Arizona Ring of Honor inductee Davellyn Whyte, who played 2,095 in her first two seasons. Known as a knockdown three-point shooter, Alonso has the highest career three-point percentage in school history at 40.8%. She has made at least three three-pointers in five games this season and is shooting 47% from deep in her last 11 games.
 
It's Her Destiny
Destiny Graham is the lone four-year senior on the team who started her career at Arizona. Not only that, she is the only player on the roster who played for former head coach Niya Butts. Graham is poised for a big senior year after having a career year in 2017-18, averaging career highs in both points (8.1 ppg) and rebounds (6.4 rpg). She returned to the rotation against Long Beach State after missing four games and was effective in her 20 minutes off the bench, scoring eight points and bringing down four rebounds.
 
Lock it Up
The Arizona defense has been swarming so far through the first 14 games. The Cats are allowing just 52.6 points per game, which is first in the Pac-12 and 10th in the country and are allowing opponents to just 34.8% shooting, which is also the second mark in the conference. Against South Carolina State, the Bulldogs shot just 19.6% from the field, which is 0.2% higher than the school record for lowest field goal percentage allowed in one game. So far, Arizona has forced the opponent to shoot below 35% seven times this year as opposed to last year when opponents shot under 35% four times all season. Over the last nine games, Arizona is averaging 11.7 steals per game.
 
Winning Big
All but three of Arizona's victories has come by at least 20 points this year and they also have four wins of 30 or more. On average, Arizona outscores their opponent by 20.5 points per game, which is third in the Pac-12 and 15th in the nation. On that same note, in every single one of Arizona's wins, they led by at least 10 points at one point in the game.
 
It's Been a While

• Aari McDonald became the first player since Shawntinice Polk ('03-'04) to be named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List.
   
• McDonald is the first player since Adia Barnes ('97-'98) to score 30 points at least four times in one season.
   
• Arizona won 11-straight games for the first time in school history from mid-November to early-January.
   
• UA won their first two conference games of the season for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
   
• The Wildcats beat Colorado at the CU Events Center for the first time in school history.
   
• Aari McDonald is the first player since Davellyn Whyte to record at least eight steals in one game (Dec. 12, 2012). She finished one off the school record.
   
• UA knocked of then-ranked No. 17 Arizona State on Dec. 30, making it the first time Arizona had beaten a ranked team since Jan. 14, 2016 (Cal).
   
• Arizona received votes in the coaches poll this week. The last time Arizona was ranked was the 2004-05 season.
   
• The Wildcats won their games against South Carolina State, Incarnate Word and Montana by 40+ points, which is a feat that has never happened as the Wildcats have never won three games in one season by at least 40 points.

Heating Up
After struggling from the field in the first two games of the season, Arizona has seemed to find its shooting groove in the last 12 games. In the first two games of the season, the Wildcats shot a combined 35.3% from the field and have shot a combined 46% from the field over their last 12.
 
The Clutch Gene
In the last 30 seconds of the quarter, Arizona is shooting 22-46 (48%) from the field. There have only been two games in which Arizona did not make at least one shot in the last 30 seconds of a quarter (Portland and Colorado).
 
Knocking Down the Trey
The Wildcats have struggled from deep in past years, but the three-point shot has become a weapon for Arizona this season. Arizona has had three games where they have made at least 10 three-pointers. Last year, Arizona made 10 or more three-pointers in two of their 30 games. Aari McDonald (27), Lucia Alonso (25) and Sam Thomas (16) lead the way for Arizona.
 
Let It Fly
Arizona was getting their threes in during the San Diego State game, especially in the first half when they took 20 three-pointers. At the end of it all, Arizona finished with 32 three-point attempts, which is tied for the second-most in school history. Aari McDonald and Lucia Alonso combined to make 10 as they each made five triples, while McDonald tied the school record with 14 attempts.
 
Taking Care of the Ball
Turnovers were an issue in the first two games of the season as the Wildcats averaged 20.5 turnovers. Coach Adia Barnes made a point to her team to take care of the ball and since then, the Wildcats average just 12.5 turnovers per game in the last 11 games. The Wildcats boast the best turnover margin in the Pac-12 with a margin of +5.4 as they force the most turnovers per game in the Pac-12 (18.9) and commit the fourth-fewest (13.6).
 
Barnes' Numbers vs. Cal as a Player
Adia Barnes had a great amount of success as a player against Cal as she went 7-1 during her four years as a student-athlete. In her eight career games against the Golden Bears, Barnes averaged 18.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. Her best game came on Jan. 4, 1996 when she scored 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in a 102-66 win at McKale Center.
 
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