Cate Reese’s double-double lifts Arizona past Idaho State in first round of WNIT

If the Arizona Wildcats were nervous about making their first postseason appearance in eight years, it didn’t show.

Freshman Cate Reese scored half of her 20 points in a dominant first quarter as Arizona women’s basketball beat Idaho State 66-56 on Thursday to advance to the second round of the WNIT.

The Wildcats (19-13) opened the game on a 9-2 run and led 18-7 after one quarter. Arizona jumped ahead by as many as 21 in the first half, but the Bengals opened the third quarter on a 13-2 run to make it a seven-point game.

They wouldn’t get any closer.

Reese, who also hauled in 10 rebounds, knocked down two free throws to put UA up by 10 with 5:03 left in the fourth, Aari McDonald put Arizona up 12 a few moments later by driving for a layup, and Sam Thomas buried a 3 to push it 60-45 with three minutes to play.

Arizona shot 38 percent from 3 and made 26 of its 36 free-throw attempts. Arizona’s frontcourt of Reese and Destiny Graham went 18 for 18 from the line.

McDonald had an usually quiet game, finishing with 15 points on 4-of-12 shooting, clanging several shots off the front iron, though she had five rebounds and five assists.

The announced attendance was 3,265. Head coach Adia Barnes thanked the fans after the game and challenged them to reach the 5,000-mark Sunday when Arizona hosts Pacific at 3 p.m.

McBryde out with illness

Arizona starting forward Dominique McBryde missed the game with an illness. She wore a black t-shirt and sweats on the bench. Graham started in her place.

This story will be updated.

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