After a 19-point loss at No. 20 West Virginia, Arizona Women’s Basketball was hoping to bounce back and split the road trip with a win over Cincinnati. The Bearcats had other plans, using the 3-point and free throw lines, as well as their transition game, to defend home court during its Play4Kay Pink Game. Here are three observations and takeaways from the Arizona Wildcats’ 77-61 loss to Cincinnati.
1) Have to be better defending the 3-point line and in transition
As is expected in most games Arizona plays, the Wildcats were out-rebounded by a significant margin. The Bearcats were +20 on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 49-to-29. So while Becky Burke’s group can’t get taller or stronger overnight, it can ratchet up its defense in other areas, starting with 3-point and transition defense.
The Wildcats allowed the Bearcats to connect on 7-of-21 (33.3%) shots from the perimeter. While the numbers aren’t eye-popping, they are significantly better than the UA’s 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. Given Arizona’s challenges physically and athletically inside, it needs to rely more on Kam Kitchen, Sumayah Sugapong, and Tanyuel Welch to close out and make perimeter shots tough on opposing shooters.
Arizona also needs to be better in transition. After a season-high 29 turnovers against the Mountaineers, the Wildcats nearly cut their turnovers in half with 16, but still gave up 15 fast break points and 14 points points off turnovers.
No Noelani Cornfield, Arizona’s best on-ball defender, who was out due to a coach’s decision, certainly didn’t help the UA’s chance in the half-court. But Arizona needs one of its younger guards to rise to occasion with a “next man up” mentality.
2) Foul trouble continues to lead to foul results for Arizona
While there will be plenty for Becky Burke and the staff to address in the offseason, none is more pressing than playing with discipline and staying out of foul trouble. Time and time again this season, the Wildcats have been limited late in games due to foul trouble, and the loss at Cincinnati was no exception.
Arizona was whistled for a total of 22 fouls, sending UC to the line 20 times. Conversely, the Bearcats committed 19 fouls of their own, leading to 19 shots at the charity stripe for the UA. But don’t let the final numbers fool you, this game was largely lopsided until the end. Until the final 10 minutes, each quarter favored Cincinnati in foul calls, leading to a nine-free throw difference in favor of the Bearcats through the first 30 minutes of play.
It’s not just the number of fouls that’s hurting Arizona, it’s also who is committing them. Though she played 35 minutes, Daniah Trammell fouled out, while Sugapong, Adde Adebanjo, and Achol Magot each picked up four. With Nora Francois also out due to a coach’s decision, it made the remainder of the front court’s availability that much more vital for Becky Burke and the staff, which had to manage a three-foul first half from Adebanjo and a four-foul second half by Trammell.
Emotions will be high when Arizona returns home for its Territorial Cup rematch against ASU on Saturday. It’s going to need a controlled, disciplined game for every one of its players, especially if veterans like Cornfield and Francois are on the bench for a second straight game.
3) Are Becky Burke’s personnel decisions creating chemistry and continuity challenges?
Through the season, Arizona has utilized a revolving door of starting lineups, with Becky Burke making adjustments from game-to-game based on upcoming matchups and effort and accountability in practice. While that does hold players accountable and push them to work for their minutes week in and week out, is it having an impact on the chemistry and cohesion of the five on the floor?
A set starting rotation has the opportunity to really dial in to one another, learn each other’s habits and preferences, and build a strong chemistry with one another. While we’re not saying the entire roster doesn’t have that, four different starting lineups in the last four games hasn’t exactly yielded the best results.
It’s obviously not our decision to make, but a starting five of Cornfield, Sugapong, Welch, Adebanjo, and Francois gives you the best balance of size and athleticism, coupled with a balance of offensive and defensive skill. Kitchen provides a three-point spark off the bench, while Trammell and Ladwig can be scrappy and hustle on both ends of the floor. While it’s not likely Burke will change her approach this late in the season, it would be interesting to see if more consistency yielded any difference in the result.
Excellent points….I agree 100%!