Final Four bound! Arizona Women’s Basketball completes improbable

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Arizona Women’s Basketball (20-5, 13-4) completed the improbable as they knocked off Indiana to advance to the programs’ first Final Four!

It was a day of making history for the Arizona Women’s Basketball program as senior Aari McDonald finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds, moving up to No. 3 on the all-time scoring list in program history. As a result, the Wildcats advance to their first-ever Final Four, successfully knocking off Indiana 66-53.

The 2021 NCAA Tournament has been an exciting one to follow, and not surprisingly, it is the Women’s Basketball program that is giving us some excitement this March.

Arizona Wildcats

Continuing their incredible run, Arizona returned to action in San Antonio on Monday evening, taking to the court to take on No. 4-seed Indiana.

Coming in, we knew this one would be a battle, as the Hoosiers had been rolling. Winners in 13 of their previous 14 games, the Wildcats needed to find the magic once again.

Leaning on their do-it-all guard, Aari opened the game for the Wildcats, scoring 10 of the teams’ first 12 points, pacing Arizona to a 14-11 first-quarter lead.

However, the Hoosiers would respond by coming out strong in the second quarter, responding with a 6-0 run to open the quarter. Luckily, the Wildcats wouldn’t be phased, slowly battling to regain the lead before heading to halftime with a 27-23 lead!

Just 20 minutes away from a Final Four, the challenge would be on in the second half for Arizona Women’s Basketball.

Getting a bit offensive in the second half, Indiana and Arizona would trade buckets for much of the third quarter, as both teams came out battling.

The Wildcats would extend their lead to 35-27 after Trinity Baptiste hit a three-pointer with 7:40 to play. However, Indiana wouldn’t quite go away in this one, responding with a 9-2 run of their own, cutting Arizona’s lead to just one with 4:22 to play.

Both teams would continue to battle in the third, but it was Arizona who would lead after three quarters, up 46-44 with just 10 minutes to play.

Needing a big quarter, the Wildcats would dig deep, outscoring the Hoosiers 20-9 in the fourth to ultimately secure the win! Everyone 50-50 ball, every rebound, every big play they needed, the Wildcats got it, bringing the pressure and the intensity, securing the 66-53 win and their first Final Four appearance.

With the win, Arizona improves to 20-5 (13-4) and will have to square off with perennial power, the UCONN Huskies on Friday evening in San Antonio.

Watch the teams’ highlights from their win over Indiana!