The University of Arizona women’s basketball team got back in the win column, defeating Eastern Kentucky University 87-83 on Thursday, Dec. 10 in McKale Center.
The Wildcats came into this game off back-to-back losses against Southern University and the University of New Mexico.
“I think at the end of the day, I’m really glad we’re back in the win column. I mean, whether you win by one or 30 or 40, we need to win this basketball game and ultimately that’s what we did,” Arizona head coach Becky Burke said. “So, I’m excited for them, and I’m proud of them for that.”
Graduate guard Mickayla Perdue finished the night with 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting and 5-for-9 from the 3-point line to go along with two rebounds and one assist. Her impact was huge, including hitting back-to-back 3-pointer in the third quarter.
Graduate student Noelani Cornfield followed with 22 points on 6-for-11 shooting, including going 8-for-10 from beyond the perimeter and eight assists.
Redshirt junior Tanyuel Welch ended the night with 7 points and 11 rebounds, tying her career high and three assists. She played 33 minutes without committing a foul on the defensive side of the ball.
“Honestly, I feel like, as far as my defense, I have come a long way. You know, I’ve always been a good on-ball defender,” Welch said. “So I feel like I really improved in that over time. I feel like one of the best things about my game is that, I play both sides of the ball. Like, yeah, I can put the ball in the basket, but one thing that I thrive off of is my defense. My defense leads to offense, not just for myself, but for my teammates as well.”
Colonels graduate forward Joseana Vaz ended the night with 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting and also had 12 rebounds. Even though she fouled out in the fourth quarter, she still had a huge impact on the game as a whole. Graduate guard Kara Althea Angeles ended the night with 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting to go along with four rebounds and five assists.
Sophomore Liz Freihofer, who ended with 18 points on 5-for-10 shooting and four rebounds.
The first quarter ended with Arizona ending the quarter with a slim 1-point lead. The quarter looked as if it would be similar to the last few games as the Colonels jumped to an 11-3 lead on the Wildcats in the first three and a half minutes.
Arizona managed to turn it around, outscoring Eastern Kentucky 18-10, including two made layups down the stretch by Perdue.
The second quarter saw the Wildcats extend their lead by 5 during the halftime mark. Arizona outscored the Colonels 19-15, shooting 3-for-4 from the 3-point line in the.
The Wildcats extended their lead by 11-points in the third quarter, with Perdue contributing 8 points.
Despite Arizona gaining an advantage, the Colonels cut a 10-point lead with 1 minute left in the fourth. With some key defensive stops and free throws made by Sumayah Sugapong and Cornfield, Arizona
Arizona’s 87–83 win was a much-needed rebound and a showcase of the team’s resilience. Strong performances from Perdue, Cornfield and Welch helped the Wildcats build and protect their lead, even as Eastern Kentucky attempted to close the gap late.
After two straight losses, this hard-fought victory showed the team’s growth and ability to finish under pressure.
“I’m not working on anything. I mean, there are some games I have bad ones, and there are some games where I don’t. I mean, I just make reads, and sometimes the ball gets through, and sometimes it doesn’t,” Cornfield said. I’m the type of point guard that threads the needle, and if the thread gets through the needle, then it does, and if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t. I just happen to be having a good day today.”
Looking ahead
The Wildcats will be back at McKale Center as they go up against Chicago State University on Monday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. The game is also available on ESPN+.
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