Arizona women’s basketball has a lot to be excited about after their 4-0 start to the season. The Wildcats have proven that they can blow out teams, fight back and rally together in games when trailing and upset opponents as they did this past Sunday.

Crushing No. 22 University of Texas at Austin on Sunday has most people presuming Arizona will crack the top-25 rankings next week, and with the way they have been stringing together victories, perhaps it is time to consider the Wildcats a serious contender.

Junior Aari McDonald has solidified her role as the team’s star, averaging 25.3 points per game on 59.6% shooting. Sophomore Cate Reese looks to have taken that next step in her game, averaging 13.3 points, 7 rebounds, 2.5 steals and almost a block per contest. Before the team receives any further praise, though, they must take care of business against the Prairie View A&M University Panthers.

The Panthers have had a rough start to the season, to say the least. They won their season opener at home against Texas A&M University – Kingsville, 85-55. Since then, they have lost three games, averaging nearly 51 points per game compared to their opponents’ 74 points per game.

Senior Shala Dobbin has been leading the way for Prairie View A&M. She is averaging 14.5 points per game (team-high) on 40.3% shooting while averaging 1.4 steals per game, as well. The team will certainly rely on her veteran experience and leadership if the they want to turn their fortune around in the early season.

Senior Ke’Asia Williams has been doing a solid job on the boards, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game (team-high). Senior Artavia Ford has been a force in the middle, leading the team with an average of 1.8 blocks per game while also averaging 4.1 rebounds per game.

Arizona hopes to carry its strong momentum moving forward during non-conference play. Their next game is Wednesday against Prairie View A&M at McKale Center.

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