Faculty PARK, Md. — When Shaina Pellington still left the recreation with 4 fouls early in the 3rd quarter, Arizona did not miss a beat.
In fact, freshman Kailyn Gilbert served the Wildcats pull away.
Cate Reese scored 25 factors and Esmery Martinez experienced a double-double towards her former staff, top seventh-seeded Arizona to a 75-62 victory around 10th-seeded West Virginia in the women’s NCAA Event on Friday. The Wildcats went on a 16-3 run in the 2nd 50 percent with Pellington on the bench.
“To be honest, I did not know how to acquire it at initially, for the reason that I imagined I wasn’t even going to go again in,” Gilbert said. “But then I was like, ‘You know what? I operate challenging each day. I’m in the health and fitness center. These are the moments I perform for and I really feel like I’m designed for.’ I was just going to go in and have strength.”
Gilbert scored five factors in 14:05, the longest outing for the 5-foot-8 guard given that Jan. 29.
The Wildcats (22-9) started off fast and hardly ever trailed, and will following perform 2nd-seeded Maryland. Arizona entered the tournament on a 3-recreation dropping streak, but experienced a couple months off before this matchup.
Photographs: Arizona women open up March Insanity with acquire around West Virginia
The Wildcats seemed refreshed early on, shooting 72% from the discipline in the 1st quarter. West Virginia was keeping opponents to 61 factors per game this time, but Arizona seemed ready to breeze previous that soon after just one quarter and a 28-17 direct.
“Anything we tried out to get into from a defensive standpoint, we definitely experienced a challenging time slowing them down,” West Virginia mentor Dawn Plitzuweit explained.
The Mountaineers (19-12) eventually settled in. It was a 7-level sport at halftime, and Arizona’s direct was down to a few early in the 3rd. Pellington picked up her third and fourth fouls a few seconds apart in the 3rd, but following two free throws by West Virginia created it 42-39, Arizona at some point pulled away all over again.
It was 61-51 following a foul-loaded third quarter, and then the Wildcats scored the to start with 7 points of the fourth. It was 68-57 when Pellington eventually returned she finished with 18 details.
Martinez, who played 3 seasons at West Virginia ahead of transferring to Arizona, had 13 factors and 12 rebounds.
“I knew she was a minor little bit extra nervous right now due to the fact I think she seriously experienced the itch to do nicely. I knew one thing was going on since she was talking to the doctor to get some Pepto or a thing since of her stomach, so that instructed me nerves ideal absent,” Wildcats mentor Adia Barnes said. “I’m proud of her now due to the fact the tricky point for Esmery all 12 months has been being out of foul trouble, not likely for blocks, and she experienced one particular foul.”
JJ Quinerly led West Virginia with 19 factors.
Major Image
West Virginia: Plitzuweit guided South Dakota to the Sweet 16 final 12 months, but a operate like that didn’t materialize with the Mountaineers. They were participating in catch-up from the begin.
Arizona: The Wildcats had been in the countrywide title match two seasons back, so a No. 7 seed is not precisely what they experienced in brain, but they ended up capable to impose their will offensively for extended plenty of to gain easily in this one particular.
Steering clear of Blunders
West Virginia had only seven turnovers but was undone by 31% shooting.
“I’m proud of our young females for the reason that we battled back. In a large amount of techniques, we took care of the basketball towards 1 of the ideal teams in the nation at turning opponents more than,” Plitzuweit reported. “We got a lot of really fantastic appears to be like. However for us, we are not a staff that shoots it at an extremely significant percentage.”
AT THE LINE
Almost 50 percent the scoring in the third quarter arrived on totally free throws. West Virginia went 10 of 14 and Arizona was 8 for 8.
UP Future
Arizona: Shed at residence in the 2nd spherical very last calendar year to North Carolina. Now the Wildcats will be participating in a street video game versus Maryland.