It didn’t start the way the Arizona women’s basketball team wanted, but the Wildcats regrouped after a slow start to defeat Cal State Monterey Bay 92-54 in their second and final exhibition before the season opener against Stanford.
“We didn’t really execute well today,” said Arizona head coach Becky Burke. “We didn’t defend well. We weren’t physical. You know, it’s not, ‘Hey, did we get the rebound?’ It’s did we box out in order to get it? And we were just out jumping people today because we were superior
athletes. That’s not going to work on Monday. You know what I mean. So just little examples like that. Obviously, a win is a win. We’re happy. Great crowd tonight for an exhibition. We’re thankful for all that stuff. But our goal and our mind is on Stanford on Monday. And some of the things that we’ve shown the last two games aren’t going to cut it against an opponent of that caliber. So that’s where our head is at.”
The two teams were knotted at nine points apiece with 3:50 to go in the opening quarter when Burke called time. It seemed to spur Wildcats, who went on a 9-2 run to close out the period. The players still weren’t happy with what transpired.
“I don’t think there were any really good parts in the first quarter,” said Arizona guard Aliyahna ‘Puff’ Morris.
Part of that feeling might be that the Wildcats didn’t maintain their upward trajectory into the second quarter. They gave up 17 points to the Otters with eight of those coming at the free throw line. From the 4:15 mark to the end of the first half, CSUMB scored seven of their nine points from the line.
Arizona came out of the locker room after half time sharper than they started the game. The Wildcats outscored the Otters 28-10 during the third in their best quarter on both ends of the floor.
“Whenever another team is arguably playing harder than you in your house, that’s never a good feeling,” Burke said. “We thought that was the case at times in the first half. So, really, just telling them to get their stuff together, get out there, and show Arizona effort for 20 more minutes. And I think they came out in the third quarter, and they definitely sent a message. They definitely bounced back.”
Each team took 27 free throws in a game that often devolved into a march to the charity stripe. Two came on a technical foul called on Burke between the third and fourth quarters with Arizona leading 67-38. It wasn’t about the score, though. The game had gotten a little sloppy, and Burke felt Dionna Gray had been kicked in the head late in the third quarter.
“We pump fake, a kid goes flying in the air, we get like kicked in the head,” Burke said. “The ref says he doesn’t see it. Whatever. So the next media, I just pulled it up, and I just want to show her. She didn’t want me to show her. I was very calm, and I was in the coach’s box, so I guess the rules say that you get a technical if you have an iPad out.”
Burke said she was told she could have it reviewed for a flagrant 2, but she didn’t think it was intentional. It was a player biting on a pump fake and hitting an opponent in the face while trying to defend, making it a common foul rather than a flagrant.
Arizona had four players get into double digits in scoring. Sumayah Sugapong had 13 points, two rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Morris led the team with 15 points while adding one rebound, an assist, and two steals. Jasleen Green finished with 12 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. Makayla Presser-Palmer had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. She added an assist and three steals.
