The University of Arizona women’s basketball team (11-5, 2-1 in Big 12) beat the University of Central Florida 75-53 on Saturday, Jan. 4 in Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.
Sophomore Skylar Jones led the Wildcats with 17 points off the bench, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. Her 12-point first-half performance helped Arizona dominate early and maintain control despite moments of inconsistency.
Head coach Adia Barnes commended Jones’s performance in the press conference after the game.
“Sky did a really good job of responding in a positive way,” Barnes said. “ […] She played awesome, I thought in every way she was great.”
Throughout the first half, Arizona built its lead early with a strong defense that forced 13 UCF turnovers, resulting in 18 points.
The Wildcats also capitalized on their interior presence, with sophomore Breya Cunningham collecting 15 points, five rebounds and four blocks for the game.
Along with Cunningham, sophomore guard Jada Williams tallied 15 points, four assists and just one turnover in 34 minutes. She achieved a personal milestone with her 500th career point in the fourth quarter.
Freshmen Lauryn Swann and Mailien Rolf started in place of regulars Jones and Paulina Paris. In her second career start, Rolf showcased her versatility with a game-high seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Swann added 6 points and three steals, providing energy on both ends of the court.
Arizona led by as many as 26 points in the first half after a made 3-pointer by Swann. The Wildcats led 43-19 going into the halftime break, forcing UCF to shoot just 8-of-29 from the field.
While Arizona’s first-half dominance carried the team to victory, Barnes mentioned the need for improvement after a lackluster third quarter. UCF outscored the Wildcats 16-11 in the third period, cutting into the 19-point lead with scrappy play and seven offensive rebounds.
“We gave up too many in the second half,” Barnes said. “We can’t give up offensive rebounds and fouls.”
With the Wildcats’ large lead extending to over 20 points, UCF failed to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, resulting in the 75-53 victory for Arizona.
The Wildcats recorded 19 assists on 25 made field goals, tying their season high. Arizona shot 51% from the floor and an impressive 47.4% from beyond the arc, with Williams contributing three of Arizona’s nine triples.
On the other side of the court, the Knights shot just 30.6% from the field and committed 23 turnovers, leading to 28 Arizona points. Despite a tough outing, Kaitlin Peterson led UCF with 17 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
UCF dropped to 7-6 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play. Despite the Knights’ loss, the team’s second-half effort showcased their resilience.
Looking ahead
With this victory, the Wildcats improve to 2-1 in conference play. Next week, Arizona returns home to face Baylor University on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. in McKale Center.
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