Arizona head coach Adia Barnes wants the identity of her program to be defense. When the Wildcats have played lockdown defense in the past, that philosophy has been successful for them even when they weren’t sharp offensively. When the defense deserts them, though, they can be in deep trouble. That was the case in a 72-53 loss to UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday evening.
“We had a hard time guarding them and it wasn’t off of any plays,” Barnes said. “It was off pure guarding the ball, not getting into rotation, and then when you’re in a rotation, you’re vulnerable on box outs.