The Arizona women’s basketball team goes as Davellyn Whyte does. When she is not playing well, the Wildcats don’t win basketball games. That’s been the case all season — at least until a game Saturday against Utah.
In a 73-67 loss on Saturday in Salt Lake City, Utah, Whyte had 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field and 4-for-5 shooting from long range to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and four steals.
But Arizona forward Erica Barnes was the only other Wildcat to score in double figures with 17 points and the Wildcats trailed the Utes in nearly every statistical category in their eighth straight loss. With the loss, Arizona dropped to 13-12 (2-11 Pac-12 Conference).
“We did a decent job on the boards and we were 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the first half but we needed to get more stops,” head coach Niya Butts said in a press release. “Hopefully, we can move forward and learn from this.”
Arizona held a 34-29 halftime lead and led for most of the first half, but, as has been the case for much of the losing streak, it was a tale of two halves for the Wildcats.
Arizona opened the second half with a basket, giving them a game-high seven-point lead. Over the next 10 minutes, the Utes went on a 21-6 run to give them an eight-point lead, a deficit which proved to be too much.
“When you’re giving up good position in the paint and allowing consecutive easy baskets, that’s just not going to win basketball games,” Butts said.
The Wildcats managed to get the game to within three after a layup by freshman Layana White with 4:57 remaining, only to see that lead get back up to seven points with two minutes remaining.
With 58 seconds left in the game and Arizona trailing by five points, Whyte fouled out. Arizona was not done fighting however, as baskets by Candice Warthen, Shanita Arnold and Barnes brought the game to within two points, at 69-67, with 26 seconds remaining.
In the end, the comeback wasn’t enough, as Utah made 10-of-12 free throws in the final 52 seconds to put the game away.
Barnes also contributed seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal in her first significant playng time in four games after missing time due to injury.
Arizona is set to host the Washington schools this weekend as Pac-12 play winds down.
