Pac 12 Preview: Arizona

Pac 12 Preview: Arizona


Last Season: Arizona was 14-16 overall and 5-13 in Pac 12 play, under first year coach Adia Barnes.


The Coaches: Adia Barnes is the all time leading scorer at Arizona and is in her 2nd year the Head Coach. Barnes had been at Washington as an assistant the past four years as the Huskies came from the 2nd division of the Pac 12 to the NCAA Final Four. Barnes played professionally for 12 years including for 4 WNBA Teams.

Sunny Smallwood is in her 2nd year as the Associate Head Coach. Smallwood was the Associate Head Coach the two seasons at Boise State. She has coached at Cal, one year but the recruiting year of Hampton, Walker and Gray-Lawson. She also coached 9 years at Nebraska and another 11 years at Washington.

Salvo Coppa, or Mr Barnes is a 2nd year assistant. Coppa is from Italy and has extensive overseas coaching experience and several years in the US.

Morgan Valley is a new assistant coming from the U of Washington. Morgan played at UConn and before Washington was an assistant at Virginia Tech.


Losses: Leading scorer LaBrittany Jones who averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds.
Malena Washington was their 2nd leading scorer at 12 points per game and led the team in assists.

Breanna Workman was the Wildcats 3rd leading scorer at 8 points and their 2nd leading rebounder to Jones with 5 per game.
Dejza James averaged 5 points.
Lauren Evans averaged 4 points.
Farrin Bell averaged 2 points.
6-8 Post Eugenie Simonet-Keller only played 3 games.

Lost were 47 of the Wildcats 64 points per game and 23 of their 35 rebounds per game.



Additions: Sammy Fatkin a 6-0 Frosh Guard from the state of Washington. Ranked as the # 30 Guard out of HS.

Marlee Kyles is a 5-7 Frosh Guard from Illinois. Ranked as the # 23 Guard out of HS.

Sam Thomas is a 6-0 Frosh Forward from Las Vegas and was ranked # 95 overall.

Kiana Chew is a 6-3 post. Chew is from Germany but played HS basketball in Florida.

Kat Wright is a 5th year Grad transfer from Florida Atlantic. She is from Los Angeles and a 6-0 Forward. Kat was injured last season at Florida Atlantic but as a true Jr made 87 threes including 11 in one game.

Aarion McDonald is 5-7 Soph Guard who transferred from Washington where she started and was the teams’ 3rd leading scorer. In Washington’s post season run Aarion averaged 14 points per game. She will sit out this season.

Tee Tee Starks is a 5-9 Guard who transferred from Iowa State where she started about half their games last season. Starks is technically a redshirt Soph but will sit out this season.

Dominique McBryde is a 6-2 Jr Forward who transferred from Purdue where she averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds this past season. McBryde will sit out this season.

That’s 8 new players to Arizona, and 5 who will be eligible to play this season. This frosh class was ranked 8th in the Pac 12



The Schedule: While it isn’t much. TCU, San Diego State, Utah State and Hawaii are the highlights. However this is a weak team this year, wait until next season. The Wildcats play the LA and Washington schools only once each.


The Team: Taryn Griffey is a 5-7 Redshirt Jr Guard. Griffey, daughter of Ken Jr, averaged 6 points per game last season but with injuries could only play 15 games. . She missed her last 2 years of HS and her Frosh season and 10 games her academic Soph season with injuries.
JaLea Bennett is a 6-0 Sr Wing who averaged 7 points last season.

Destiny Graham is a 6-3 Jr Post from Eastside Prep in East Palo Alto. Graham averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds per game last season.

Charise Holloway is a 5-7 redshirt Jr Guard who was injured and played just 10 games and 70 minutes. She also didn’t play her Soph season. As a Frosh Holloway averaged 7 points per game and lead the team in threes.

Lucia Alonso is a 5-7 Soph Guard who started all but 3 games last season averaging 5 points and hitting 43% from three. She also had a plus assist to turnover ratio.

Bria Rice is a 5-8 Soph Guard who averaged one point in 6 minutes per game.


Predictions: Just 6 returning players to go with 5 new players eligible for play. The Wildcats are very thin as two of the returning players have missed more time than they have played. Looks like another last place finish. However recruiting is great and 3 top transfer ready for the following season.


2018 Recruiting:
Catherine Reese is a 6-2 Forward from Texas ranked # 29.

Shalyse Smith is a 6-1 Forward from Washington ranked # 47.

Bryce Nixon is a 5-10 Wing from Arizona ranked # 147

Valeria Trucco is a 6-3 Post from Italy ranked as a 5 star which would make her about top 25.

A great class and with McDonald a top recruiting class.