Arizona 2022 Preview
Preview: Arizona
Last Season: Arizona was 21-8 overall and 10-6 in Pac 12 play, under Head Coach Adia Barnes.
The Coaches: Adia Barnes is the all-time leading scorer at Arizona and is in her 7th year the Head Coach. Barnes had been at Washington as an assistant for 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.
Salvo Coppa, or Mr. Barnes is a 7th year assistant. Coppa is from Italy and has extensive overseas coaching experience.
Ashley Davis is in her 2nd year after coaching at Oklahoma State for 6 years. Davis played at TCU.
Erin Grant is in her 2nd year after coaching at USC for 2 years. She has coached at Texas Tech, Memphis and New Mexico and played at Texas Tech.
Losses:
Sam Thomas averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds and made 48 threes at 40%. Drafted into the WNBA.
Bendu Yeaney transferred to Oregon State, she averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds.
Aaronette Vonleh transferred to Colorado, she averaged 4 points.
Koi Love transferred to USC, she averaged 5 points and 3 rebounds
Taylor Chavez averaged 2 points. She has one year left but don’t know where yet.
Semaj Smith transferred to San Jose State, she played only 9 games.
Anna Gret Asi Transferred to Oklahoma State, she played only 7 games.
Derin Erdogan transferred to Northeastern. She averaged 1 point.
Aryiah Copeland averaged 4 points and 4 rebounds.
Gisela Sanchez transferred to Kansas State, she averaged 3 points.
Yes 10 left, 2 graduated. 8 transferred.
Additions:
Maya Nnaji, 6-4 Frosh Forward MN Ranked # 9
Kailyn Gilbert, 5-8 Frosh Guard Florida Ranked # 31
Lemyah Hylton, 5-11 Frosh Guard from Canada ranked # 85
Paris Clark, 5-8 Frosh Guard from NY State Ranked # 21
Esmery Martinez, 6-2 Sr Forward transfer from West Virginia where Martinez averaged 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Lauren Fields, 5-9 Sr Guard transfer from Oklahoma State where Fields averaged 15 ppg.
Jade Loville, 5-11 5th year Wing transfer from ASU where Loville averaged 16 ppg.
The Schedule: Dec 18 vs Baylor in Dallas
The Team:
Cate Reese 6-2 5th year Post averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds
Lauren Ware 6-5 Jr Post North Dakota, ranked # 13 out of HS who averaged 7 points and 5 rebounds.
Madison Conner is a 5-11 Soph Guard who averaged 6 ppg.
Helena Pueyo is a 6-0 Sr Guard from Spain who averaged 4 points.
Shaina Pellington is a 5-8 5th Guard who averaged 7 points.
The Five returnees listed above are all solid players with Reese being an excellent player. Then add transfers Loville, Fields and Martinez with frosh Nnaji, Clark and Gilbert and you have a very good Arizona team. It is certainly one that will content with Stanford and UCLA for a top spot in the conference and a top 10 ranking. The key in these days of the portal is chemistry with the continuing players and the new players.
Predictions: Top three in the Pac 12 and a top 10 team, defending on their non-conference schedule.
2023 Recruiting:
Jada Williams, 5-6 PG from SoCal ranked # 20
Breya Cunningham, 6-4 Post SoCal ranked # 10
Montana Dew, 6-2 Wing NV ranked # 9
The Wildcats struggled without their superstar last season and while they clicked at times, they were too often out of sync. The chemistry was not there. In the Big Dance, they almost lost to UNLV and then North Carolina totally took AZ out of their game in the 2nd. round. Recruiting good talent is one thing; getting them to mesh as a team in a new system is quite another.
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