The Arizona women’s basketball team is back in Tucson to face Louisiana Tech after playing two games in Texas during Thanksgiving break.
The Wildcats (4-3) head into Sunday’s game after a big 64-44 loss to No. 10 Texas A&M on Tuesday.
“”Texas A&M gave us a wakeup call, because their defense was in our face the whole game,”” said redshirt senior guard Joy Hollingsworth. “”We’re going to be ready on Sunday to get after them on the defensive end and outrebound our opponent.””
UA head coach Joan Bonvicini said the team needs to work on its defense and rebounding, something she thinks is vital to the team’s success.
Last season Arizona had no active player over 6-foot-1, and this season, all the talk was about the height of the team, so the squad had high expectations for rebounding and defense.
The Wildcats have outrebounded their opponents this year by a slim 272-264 margin, but the defense has been what the team has beenfocusing on the most, Bonvicini said.
“”We didn’t play well on Tuesday,”” she said. “”It wasn’t our full-court defense, it was our half-court, and that’s what we’re working on… We need more scoring. We need to have other players step up (besides Hollingsworth and guard Ashley Whisonant), and we just need to handle pressure better.””
Louisiana Tech (2-4) is having a down year thus far, but the team has won two national championships and has been in the Women’s NCAA Tournament 25 times.
“”They’re going to be pretty good,”” Bonvicini said. “”La Tech is a storied program that(‘s)… been in the tournament every year. They’re a good team, very quick and very athletic.””
The Lady Techsters are coached by Chris Long, who won the Western Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year award in his first season last year, leading his squad to a 26-5 record and overall No. 17 final ranking. But they were knocked out of the first round in last year’s tournament by Florida State.
“”They’ve always been good,”” Hollingsworth said. “”They’ve always been a solid team, and they have been well-coached. We’re going to have to go out there and play hard and match their intensity and more.””
Bonvicini said the team will still be without junior center Beatrice Bofia, who injured her knee in the Red-Blue Game Nov. 1, but will have everyone else on board.
Having played five of seven games away from McKale, including three against ranked competition, Bonvicini said her squad is happy to be back home.
“”We’re getting a little tougher and a little smarter,”” she said. “”We’ll be ready for Sunday. We have a good team. I think we just need to get in a little bit of a rhythm here.
“”I’ve always said it always starts with defense and rebounding.””
Twins get 2-for-1 deal
Fans dressed as twins will get two tickets for the price of one for Sunday’s game.
The Wildcats have two pairs of twins on their roster in the Bofias and freshman forwards Rheya and Rhaya Neabors.
