Wildcat Wrap: Nick Foles’ magic continues, Arizona basketball sweeps Mountain schools, Aari McDonald destroys worlds

The New Year has started off right for both Arizona Wildcats basketball programs, four UA softball players and the greatest QB of all time, Nick Foles.

So let’s get into the first Wildcat Wrap of 2019.

Softball

• Three Arizona Softball alums and one current player participated in the USA Softball 2019 Women’s National Team Selection Camp in Clearwater, Florida. Alums Mo Mercado, Chelsea Goodacre, Danielle O’Toole, and starting UA catcher Dejah Mulipola are four of 41 players looking to capture one of 18 spots on the USA Softball Women’s Training Team.
• The training team will compete in the USA Softball International Cup and select international events, and then the roster will be trimmed to 15 players that’ll play in the Pan American Games from July 31-Aug. 11 in Lima, Peru.
• The 2019 Arizona Wildcats begin practice today!

Women’s Basketball

• There’s something happening here. What it is, well, is clear. Coach Adia Barnes is changing perception of the program. She is changing—faster than anyone expected—the culture of a program that has been searching for success for years.
• After upsetting No. 17 Arizona state last Sunday, the ‘Cats (12-2, 2-1 Pac-12) were in Boulder on Friday night where it beat CU, 69-67. With 35 seconds on the clock, Arizona’s Sam Thomas gripped an inbounded pass that was tipped and touched by multiple hands, and drove to the hoop to score the game-winner for UA. Thomas finished with 11 points and three steals.
• The best basketball player on campus, Aari McDonald, led UA in scoring with 32 points. She also had a career-high eight steals, which is second-most in program history. It was Arizona’s first win at the CU Events Center in program history.
• The win marked the first time UA has started 2-0 in conference since 2010-11, an achievement that hasn’t been reached since the 2010-11 season.
• Unfortunately, Arizona’s 11-game winning streak, a program record, came to an end on Sunday with an 80-64 road loss to Utah. McDonald scored 34 in the game.
• Arizona hosts No. 18 California on Friday and then welcomes No. 6 Stanford on Sunday.

Hockey

• Arizona had its first games since Dec. 1 on Friday and Saturday against Grand Canyon University. The ‘Cats split the series with GCU, winning on Saturday, 11-2. UA lost the opening game, 4-2.
• UA hosts UNLV on Saturday and Sunday.

Gymnastics

• The GymCats placed second in their first meet of the season. UA finished with a score of 194.750, just behind Central Michigan’s 194.875. The GymCats host Arkansas on Saturday.

UA Athletics

• While you’re working on your New Year’s resolutions, here are the New Year’s resolutions we proposed for a host of UA teams.

Football

• Arizona football made noise by making the DeMarco Murray hire official. The former NFL All-Pro running back will serve as the new RBs coach.
• We took a look at how all former Wildcats fared in the NFL in 2018,.
• Nick Foles did it again, throwing a game-winning TD pass late in the fourth quarter to beat the Bears 16-15 in the NFC Wild Card game on Sunday night.

Men’s Basketball

• Arizona started Pac-12 play with a 2-0 start thanks to wins over Colorado and Utah. Here is what we learned from those games.
• The ‘Cats (11-4, 2-0 Pac-12) handled CU on Thursday night with a 64-56 win. Brandon Williams led the way with 14 points. On Saturday afternoon, UA needed overtime to put away Utah, but got a thrilling 84-81 win. Chase Jeter had a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
• Check out our basketball section for all the latest on the team, including Justin Coleman’s shoulder injury.
• UA great and NBA champion Richard Jefferson served as Pac-12 Network’s analyst for the Utah game, and had some great things to say. We compiled them here.
• Former Wildcat Ryan Anderson is third in the NBA G League in rebounding percentage at 19.6. Anderson plays on the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the 76ers.
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright has been helping coach at a California high school. The former UA point guard was drafted in the second round of the G League draft last October by the Raptors 905, but he was waived shortly thereafter.
• Stone Gettings, a transfer from Cornell, practiced with the team for the first time since committing last spring. Gettings technically could play now for the ‘Cats, but there’s no chance of that happening according to coach Sean Miller. Gettings’s playing time will come next season for UA.

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