Two of the Arizona Wildcats’ most frustrating games of the season have to be the close losses to in-state rival Arizona State. Arizona was within striking distance in Tempe and let a lead slip away before losing in overtime in Tucson. UA head coach Becky Burke is hoping the team can play a full 40 minutes in the teams’ third meeting, which will take place on Mar. 4 in the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament in Kansas City, MO.
“We need to finish,” Burke said. “I mean, we feel like we don’t just get
tto have another good game against ASU, just because we did the first two times. We know we have to go out and do what it takes to make it a close game. They’re a really good team, right? And we felt like at their place, we had an opportunity to win. We felt like at our place, the game was literally in the palm of our hand, and all we had to do was close our hand and finish it, but we let that opportunity slip, as well. So I think there’s a sense of couple opportunities that were missed and that we had in the palm of our hand. And so we feel like, if we do what’s necessary, what’s required, and dig in to play 40 minutes instead of 38-and-a-half, then we have a great chance.”
While most teams who play on Wednesday traveled on Tuesday, Arizona got in ahead of time. They arrived in Kansas City late Monday night. On Tuesday, they had their team breakfast, a study hall, treatment, and a film session. They were set to practice for a couple of hours at an offsite court on Tuesday, then they got 40 minutes on the glass court that is being used for both the women’s and men’s tournaments this year.
“I think we’re one of like three teams that haven’t seen it, just because we haven’t been out this way to play any opponents,” Burke said on Tuesday morning. “I think they had one like it in Orlando. We didn’t get out to play UCF…I have not seen it yet, but we’ll be excited get on there this afternoon.”
Once they get on the court for real, Arizona has the chance to be a spoiler for ASU’s NCAA Tournament hopes. Burke isn’t really focused on that, but she also said she wouldn’t be disappointed to play that spoiler role in a rivalry game.
“I think they’ve done a lot of like, the outside stuff and the petty stuff,” Burke said of ASU. “Let’s just keep the main thing the main thing. Let’s just focus on winning a basketball game. I don’t care what it means to them. I’m more focused on what it means to us in terms of beating a team that we feel like we should have beat twice. They can do all the social media b.s. and all the petty whatever on the side. It’s not about doing anything to Arizona State. It’s about Arizona winning a basketball game. That’s my mindset. Now, if we’re fortunate and blessed enough to be able to do that, will I be upset that it keeps them out of the NCAA tournament? No, I will not.”
Arizona could conceivably get an offer to the WNIT even with a losing record if there aren’t enough teams that want to take part. It happened last year with Rutgers. That’s another thing Burke isn’t really focused on.
“That’s something that we’ll speak with administration about,” Burke said. “I think it really depends on on a lot of things. I would say it’s not guaranteed that we’re going to go, but I would say it’s not out of the question, either. But, for us, this is the University of Arizona. The standard expectation is national championships, not WNIT, and I say that respectfully, having won the WNIT.”
The head coach does think this tournament will have an impact on the future, though. She wants to see who on her roster is built for the high-pressure situation of a win-or-go-home scenario.
“It’s got to mean something, knowing that there could be no practice on Thursday, right?” Burke said. “And that could be the end of it. So I also just think it brings out true colors and true character, right? We’re gonna find out. We’re gonna find out what players love the moment and love when there’s a lot on the line, and we’re gonna find out the players that it doesn’t mean very much to…And that’s that’s part of this, too, is figuring that out for us.”
Arizona and ASU will tip off at 4:30 p.m. MST on Wednesday, Mar. 4 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. The game will stream on ESPN+ and the radio call will be on 1400 AM (KTUC). Stats can be found on Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament Central.
There will also be a viewing party in Tucson at The Monica Downtown, located at 40 E Congress St Suite 150. That starts at 4 p.m. MST.
