Aari McDonald and Cate Reese earn All-Pac-12 honors

The Pac-12 announced its all-conference teams today as voted on by the league’s coaches. Among those honored were Arizona’s Aari McDonald and Cate Reese, who helped lead the Wildcats to a 17-12 record after winning just six games last year.

McDonald was one of 15 players named to the All-Pac-12 Team. She was also one of five named to the All-Defensive Team.

Reese was one of five Pac-12 freshmen named to the All-Freshman Team.

McDonald has taken the conference and nation by storm after transferring from Washington. Her 24.9 points per game make her the No. 3 scorer in the country and No. 1 in the conference. She was 12th in the conference with 4.3 assists per game, despite sharing point guard duties with Lucia Alonso for most of the season.

On defense, McDonald was second in the league in steals, averaging 2.7 per game. She averaged 6.5 rebounds per game, good for 17th in the conference and fourth among guards. She accomplished all of it while playing over 37 minutes per game.

Over the weekend, McDonald became one of only four Pac-12 players to ever have at least 700 points and 120 assists in a season. Heading into the Pac-12 Tournament, she has 721 points and 126 assists.

McDonald is one of only two Arizona players to ever score over 600 points, and she accomplished it faster than the only other player, current head coach Adia Barnes.

On Feb. 24, McDonald took sole possession of Arizona’s single-season scoring record when she surpassed 653 points. That record had been held by Barnes for 21 years.

Reese led all Pac-12 freshmen in rebounding (6.8 per game) and was second in scoring (11.1 points per game). Once the conference season started, she averaged 9.1 ppg and 5.1 rpg. The former McDonald’s All-American started every game for the Wildcats, averaging over 26 minutes per contest.

The Wildcats’ next game will be against USC in the Pac-12 Tournament. That game will air on the Pac-12 Networks at 3 p.m. MST on Thursday, March 7.

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