TUCSON, Ariz. – If senior Sam Thomas played his last home game on Sunday, she made it an unforgettable memory.
Thomas had 20 points, including six, a career-high, six from three points, added seven rebounds, a season-high, and three blocked shots as the Arizona No.10 led their winning streak to six. games with a 75-53 win over Washington on Sunday.
“Sam was aggressive,” Arizona coach Adia Barnes said. “She was looking for her picture, smelling it. We know Sam will always be consistent and consistent in his defense. But when she looks for her shot and hits them, we’re just a better team overall.
Since the NCAA allows everyone an extra season of eligibility, Thomas could return next year along with his senior colleagues Aari McDonald and Trinity Baptiste.
None have made their decision public, although McDonald’s is expected to be a first-round pick in the WNBA draft if she leaves school.
“I’m not sure I’ll be three for three,” Barnes said. “I’ll be one for three or two for three.”
McDonald had 20 points and tied a season-high with eight assists, Cate Reese had 12 points and Shaina Pellington had 11 for the Wildcats (14-2, 12-2), their best ever start in the Championship. the history of the program.
Arizona shot 55.1% from the field, 63.6% in the first half, and had nine of its first 10 3 points. They finished 12 of 16 on a three-point range, 75%, setting an academic record for a three-point percentage in a game.
“My teammates always tell me to shoot more on the ball, so on senior night I thought I would listen,” Thomas said.
“We knew Washington was going to play a lot of zones, a lot of different types of zones, so we knew all three were going to be open. I just tried to do my job and hit when my teammate gave me the ball. They kept feeding me over and over again. “
Quay Miller had 13 points and nine rebounds and Haley Van Dyke had 12 points for the Huskies (5-11, 2-11), who broke an eight-game losing streak at Arizona State on Friday.
The Wildcats opened up a 13-point lead in the first quarter, and Thomas’ third threes gave them a 48-28 lead three minutes into the second period.
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PROBLEM PLAYING POSTPONED GAMES
Arizona postponed five Pac-12 games due to coronavirus issues in their schedule and others, including one at 8th UCLA, and Barnes said all games were unlikely to be made up.
“It’s very difficult at this point in the season to catch up to five games,” Barnes said. “I don’t know if I want to play several weeks of three games a week. We just don’t know what lies ahead. “
Stanford has played 17 conference games, most away from home restrictions due to the health of Santa Clara County since lifted. Oregon State has only played nine league games.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
Moments after the Arizona men beat the state of Oregon Thursday night, McDonald’s was on the ground taking photos. She was 24 of 78 on the field in a mini-slump the previous four games before making 6 of 13 against Washington.
“I have to keep working on my craft,” McDonald said. “It doesn’t stop. I have to get that confidence back, get back to that rhythm and I’m sure everything will be fine. “
McDonald has two of four three points against Washington and is close to setting the season record in Arizona with a three-point percentage, 32.0.
BIG PICTURE
Washington couldn’t keep pace with Arizona, but he seems to have a strong group of building blocks in junior Alex Van Dyke, sophomore Miller, freshman Tameiya Sadler, and college student from first year in red shirt Nia Lowery, a four-star rookie who missed 2019-20 with one foot. injury. On Friday, the Huskies limited Arizona State to 35 points, the fewest points by an opponent in the conference since 1978.
Arizona and Stanford (15-2) are the only Pac-12 teams with two conference losses, and if the Wildcats win their last three scheduled games, they could claim their first league title outright, at least in percentage of victory. The Wildcats and Cardinal are scheduled to play at Stanford on February 22. Arizona and Stanford were 2003-04 co-champions in Nicole Powell’s final year with the Cardinal.
FOLLOWING
Washington hosts Utah on Friday.
Arizona visits California on Friday.
Thomas and McDonald lead Arizona to win over Washington, originally appeared on NBCSports.com
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