WNIT Tournament: Arizona Women’s Basketball makes first postseason appearance since 2011

The Arizona Women’s Basketball team is back in the postseason with a at large bid into the WNIT.

Eight years. That’s the amount of time it has been since the Arizona Wildcats Women’s Basketball team has played in March. Over the last decade the men’s basketball team has been the dominant force. How things have changed. New chapter, new beginnings. These next couple of seasons are gong to be new and exciting times for women’s basketball, starting with the WNIT.

When Adia Barnes was hired as head coach back in April 2016, it was the first step to bringing this program back to the top. It took three seasons to do so and she isn’t stopping. Next season will bring in more highly talented recruits, including two four-star 2019-20 verbal commits, which will hopefully equate to more wins and more fans! We have said this before at Zona Zealots, but it does need repeating that this program needs Wildcat fans to show up in McKale Center and give the support this team deserves.

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This season they finished with an overall record of 18-13, 7-11 in conference play and won the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament against USC, but then lost to eventual Pac-12 tournament champion the Oregon Ducks in the following round. For their efforts, this team was awarded an at large bid into the WNIT field of 64.

The last time the women’s team made it into the postseason was back in 2011.  They were lead by head coach Niya Butts at the time. The Wildcats would go onto to lose in the first round of the NIT to Utah State by a score of 103-96. This time around, they will look to avenge that loss and go much farther.

Arizona is the only team representing the Pac-12 in the WNIT. In the first round they will host Idaho State on Thursday inside McKale Center! Regardless of how this team does in the WNIT tournament, they are making great strides in putting Arizona Wildcat Women’s basketball back on the map.

Having to compete with the men’s program is no easy feat, but that hasn’t stopped this team to staying focus and having a successful season. That they did with improving their win total by 12 games over last season. And that’s not all they accomplished:

One of the main reasons for the Wildcats success this year has been the play of Aari McDonald. In her first year at Arizona, she has had an immediate impact on many levels. McDonald even raised the bar becoming the leading single season scorer record holder, breaking her former player and current coach Barnes record. It was meant to be! For this team to make a deep run in the WNIT tournament, they will rely on McDonald to the playmaker and make the big shots, which she has shown she is more then capable of doing.

If you haven’t already, now is your chance to get out their and watch this team in action!

https://twitter.com/ArizonaWBB/status/1107835047581638658

At Zona Zealots, we would like to congratulate this team on making it back to the postseason. Let’s not be satisfied with just making it, but lets keep this season going ladies! As always, Bear Down, Arizona!