No. 15/22 Arizona Defeats CSUN In 2021-22 Season Opener

TUCSON, Ariz.—A hot-shooting Arizona second quarter proved to be the difference as Wildcats defeated CSUN 87-44 in the women's basketball opener for both teams Tuesday night at the McKale Center.

Sam Thomas scored seven of the first eight Arizona points as the Wildcats led 8-3 at the first quarter media timeout. Arizona outscored the Matadors. 7-2 over the final five minutes to lead 15-5 at the end of the first 10 minutes.

Using a 19-6 run to begin the second quarter, the Wildcats were able to take control of the game. Arizona went 7-of-10 from the field during the spurt including back-to-back three-pointers by Thomas. The Wildcats outscored CSUN 32-13 in the second quarter. Arizona would shoot 76.5% (13-of-17) from the field (4-of-5 from three-point range) and would take a 47-18 lead into halftime.

The Wildcats opened the second half by scoring the first 13 points before Meghann Henderson put back an Olivia Smith miss at the 4:29 mark. CSUN responded with a 12-4 run that was keyed by five points by Smith. Arizona outscored the Matadors 19-12 in the third quarter and led 66-30. CSUN recorded a solid fourth quarter as the Matadors made six of their 10 field goal attempts. Arizona edged CSUN 21-14 in the final 10 minutes to make it the final 87-44.

The Wildcats went 34-of-65 from the floor on the night (52.3%). CSUN shot 37.5% (18-of-48) for the game. Arizona outrebounded the Matadors 43-21, 17-6 on the offensive glass. The Wildcats forced 16 turnovers, but only six were committed in the second half by CSUN.

Aaronette Vonleh and Cate Reese both scored 14 to lead the Wildcats. Thomas ended the game with 13. Kayanna Spriggs and Jordyn Jackson both posted nine points to pace the Matadors. Spriggs added a team-high six rebounds.

ACCORDING TO INTERIM HEAD COACH CARLENE MITCHELL
"There is a reason Arizona is number-15 in the country. Not only do they have the size, but they have added a couple of shooters to their roster. Even with Ari McDonald graduating, they are a complete team. With four starters returning, we could not match number one, the physically, but the experience they offered. I am extremely proud of our team. We fought from tip to the buzzer. Some days that is the best you can do against a team like Arizona. The highlight on the stat sheet from my point of view is we only turned the ball over 16 times against a high-intensity defense that Arizona plays."

NOTES
Due to COVID-19, this was CSUN's first game since Mar. 10, 2020, when the Matadors fell 71-58 to Cal State Fullerton in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament…the Matadors are 19-28 in season-openers dating back to the first on Jan 7, 1975…Tuesday's game was the seventh in the all-time series between CSUN and Arizona… the Wildcats lead 5-2… this was the 32nd time since CSUN moved to Division I in 1990 that the Matadors played a nationally ranked opponent.

~#UniteTheValley~

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Team Stats

Jordyn Jackson

Kayanna Spriggs

Meghann Henderson

Rachel Harvey

Players Mentioned

Meghann Henderson

Jordyn Jackson

Olivia Smith

Kayanna Spriggs