The score didn’t necessarily matter yesterday, but UA head coach Joan Bonvicini saw clear results from Arizona’s 73-41 loss to its male practice players in the annual Red & Blue Game yesterday in McKale Center.
In a game that Bonvicini hoped to use to evaluate the team’s condition, Arizona’s 22 turnovers and 28.6 percent field-goal percentage bogged down an exhibition aimed at assessing Arizona’s preseason status.
“”The good part about this is that it doesn’t count, and we have practice at 6 in the morning,”” Bonvicini said. “”We’re going to compete and we will put out a better product than what we showed tonight, and we will play better.””
Arizona, playing as the Blue team, started the game shooting 2-of-10 from the field, a sharp contrast to the Red male team’s 4-for-6 barrage that brought them out to a quick 11-4 lead after 4:09. The women made only 4-for-19 from 3-point territory for the game.
Poor shot selection continued throughout the game, stemming from out-of-sync communication between the guards and posts. Bonvicini said bad passing between guards and posts led to deflections, turnovers and rushed shots fired off too quick.
“”Obviously I didn’t like the way we performed tonight,”” she said. “”I don’t think we competed as hard as we should tonight.””
Arizona’s 22 turnovers translated into 26 points for the Red team, including back-to-back
We’re going to compete and we will put out a better product than what we showed tonight, and we will play better.
– Joan Bonvicini, women’s basketball head coach
miscues that led to two wide open fast breaks with 13:33 to play in the second half, putting the Red team up 51-33. The Wildcats also found themselves on the tail end on the backboard, getting out-rebounded 47-29.
Bonvicini said a lack of consistency from all her players led to yesterday’s result, adding that once the team shows up with focus, intensity and enthusiasm, it can find success.
“”I think the biggest thing is once you compete and you play hard, then you got a lot to work with,”” she said. “”We need to get to play hard and play with pride, and I think more than anything, come out really believing to win.””
Guard Jessica Arnold, who finished with six points off two 3-pointers, said the team needs to work harder and communicate better. Fellow senior guard Ashley Whisonant, who led the team with nine points but committed eight turnovers of her own, cited a complete lack of team chemistry and flow yesterday.
Bonvicini hopes for both leaders to step up and guide the newcomers to consistency.
“”We’re going to get better,”” Arnold said. “”I think me and Ashley have the ability to lead the team.””
