Tucson went all-in on the Arizona Wildcats women's basketball team -- and the Old Pueblo was rewarded with a postseason tournament championship.
The Arizona Wildcats women's basketball team completed its six-game gauntlet by beating Northwestern in the championship game of the WNIT on Saturday at McKale Center in Tucson. UA won the game in front of a sellout crowd of 14,644, a new record for any women's basketball game in the history of the Pac-12 Conference.
The Wildcats played all six WNIT games at home. Thanks in part to a social media blitz from UA star-turned-head coach Adia Barnes, the team generated more fan support at each game, from about 3,000 fans in the first round, to a program record of over 10,000 in the semifinal matchup, and a conference record Saturday.
Sophomore star Aari McDonald, a 2019 All-American Honorable Mention, led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats, who won 24 games this season after winning just six games a season earlier.
McDonald was named the WNIT Most Valuable Player.
Count it down @ArizonaWBB #WNIT pic.twitter.com/seLgly76Pp
— WNIT (@WomensNIT) April 6, 2019
WNIT CHAMPIONS‼️ pic.twitter.com/KlylkLyI3d
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) April 6, 2019
