The University of Arizona women’s basketball team (6-0) prepares to take on Southern University (1-5) on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. in McKale Center for its seventh game of the season. The Wildcats are currently undefeated and are hoping to continue this momentum from the start of their season into this game against the Jaguars.
Arizona this season
The Wildcats are having a great start to their season, holding a perfect record. Most recently, Arizona won against California State University, Bakersfield 78-63 on Saturday, Nov. 29 at home, bringing them their sixth victory so far this season.
The last time the Wildcats faced Southern University was back in December 2014, where Arizona won 56-45. Arizona has strong chances of taking the victory in this game as Southern Arizona currently holds a 1-5 record.
The addition of many veterans on the team this season, such as Mickalya Perdue and Noelani Cornfield, have brought maturity and experience to what was a fairly young roster. These veteran players are able to bring strong leadership and a level head to the team which has helped in the Wildcats’ success thus far.
Jaguars to watch
Junior guard Zaria Hurston leads the way for the Jaguars. Hurston has tallied the highest number of points this season so far at 55 and averages 9.2 points per game. She collected her season’s highest with 21 points against the University of Mississippi on Nov. 12.
Another Jaguar to watch this game is sophomore guard Jocelyn Tate. Tate is vital to the team’s defense and a strong contributor to the team, especially when it comes to steals. She’s collected the most at 14 steals this season.
Not only does Tate play a strong role in the team’s offense, but she also contributes on the free throw line. The 5-foot-11 guard leads the team with 13 shots made on the season, shooting 65% from the charity stripe. The Wildcats will have to watch out for Tate, as she is a versatile player that works swiftly and quickly on both offense and defense.
Wildcats to watch
The Wildcats are having a phenomenal start to their season, especially Perdue and Cornfield. Perdue is a graduate student guard who racked up the season’s highest 31 points against University of California, Irvine on Nov. 9. This brings Perdue to the top of the leaderboard for the Wildcats, as she has scored 106 points so far, averaging 17.7 points in the last six games she’s played. Her experience showcases her ability to be a leader on the team, allowing her to be a go-to scorer for the Wildcats.
Cornfield has also shown that she is a force to be reckoned with for Arizona and another graduate student guard who has shown to be an elite two-way player which has been essential to Arizona’s success. In their most recent game against CSU Bakersfield, Cornfield led the Wildcats to victory with a 15-point lead over the Roadrunners. Cornfield scored 22 points and tallied six rebounds, setting new season records, while also accumulating four steals and nine assists.
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