After a gritty performance and tough loss at No. 10 TCU, Becky Burke and her squad were looking to bounce back and get back into the win column at home. The Kansas Jayhawks had other plans, forcing the Wildcats into foul trouble down the stretch, while using an efficient night scoring to spoil the UA’s return to McKale. Check out our reactions and takeaways from Arizona Women’s Basketball’s 80-69 loss to Kansas.
1) Kam Kitchen was COOKING for the Wildcats
After losing leading scorer Mickayla Perude over a week ago indefinitely to a wrist injury, the Wildcats have been searching for someone to step up on the offensive end. While the sample size is limited, Arizona may have just found that in sophomore guard Kam Kitchen. The guard erupted in the second half, matching her career-high with 16 points while shooting 4-of-8 (50.0%) from beyond the arc.
The Wildcats have struggled from the perimeter, shooting just 30.3% percent as a team on the season. If Kitchen can continue to light it up from 3-point range, she gives Becky Burke and Co. another viable option in the backcourt alongside Sumayah Sugapong, who has emerged offensively with four straight games in double-figures, as well as Lani Cornfield, who remains in the top five nationally in assists per game (7.4 APG).
Look for Arizona to continue riding the hot hand in Ames on Saturday as the Wildcats take on former UA point guard Jada Williams and Iowa State.
2) Big trouble leads to foul trouble for Becky Burke’s bunch
Arizona had a chance in this game to take the lead and never look back. But it’s lack of discipline, especially in the front court, were a big part of the disappointing loss on Tuesday. The Wildcats had three players foul out, including veterans Sumayah Sugapong and Nora Francois, as well as Achol Magot. Lani Cornfield and Adde Adebanjo each finished with four fouls too, as Kansas connected on 18-of-25 attempts from the charity stripe.
Cornfield knotted things up with under two minutes to play in the third quarter. But from that point on, the Wildcats were called for 16 of their 29 fouls. By comparison, the UA only made six field goals over the last nearly 12 minutes of the game. Burke continues to voice that Arizona is challenged offensively and built on defense first, making it that much more important that Arizona’s limited size and post production in Francois, and veteran scoring guard in Sugapong are available.
Nora Francois picked up two fouls in the first five minutes of the game and never really got going on either end of the floor. Francois entered the game with two double-figures games in the last three outings, including a double-double against UCF, but couldn’t settle into a rhythm, finishing with just four points and three rebounds in 19 minutes.
What makes her foul trouble more frustrating is that she was Arizonas’ best player from a +/- perspective. In a team-low 19 minutes, Francois finished with a team-high +6, swiping three steals and connecting on 50% of her shots from the field. She’s been the Wildcats best post player since starting Big 12 play and they will need her more than ever against the nation’s leading scorer Audi Crooks on Saturday.
3) Cats have to capitalize on chances
Arizona’s lone Big 12 win was the result of forcing BYU into a season-high 27 turnovers. Tonight, the Wildcats forced 20 turnovers, but didn’t take advantage they way they needed to secure a victory. KU had seven more turnovers than Arizona, but the UA only scored three more points off turnovers – 22 points versus 19 points.
With the offensive limitations without Perdue, Kam Kitchen still finding her role, and the inconsistent play of the bigs, the Wildcats need to capitalize on every offensive opportunity they have. Arizona had 12 steals, but only 14 fast break points, missing chances to score in transition, while also leaving two free throws on the table. While one more free throw or one less blown layup doesn’t win the game against Kansas, maybe it is the difference between extending the losing streak or snapping the skid.
A with a test against Crooks, Williams, and Iowa State’s high octane offense, the Wildcats have no margin for error.