SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2021 • SECTION B Editor: Ryan Finley / [email protected] WILDCATS’ THOMAS DOES IT ALL UA needs stat-sheet-stuffing senior to step up in Saturday’s Sweet 16 game vs. Texas A&M PHOTO BY KELLY PRESNELL / ARIZONA DAILY STAR Hansen: Game a battle of Aggies must contend with Familiar faces joining SPORTS SECTION program-building coaches Wildcats’ sensational Sam new ones in Sweet 16 field STARTS ON B9 Arizona’s Barnes, A&M’s Blair crossed Four-year captain Thomas baffles opponents Early upsets have changed the calculus in Check out the Star’s UA paths on their way to the top. B2 with versaility, defensive tenacity. B6-7 a tournament that’s typically chalky. B8 football and softball coverage, and read up on Saturday’s NCAATournament games. B2 NCAA EXTRA SATURDAY, MARCH 27,2021 / ARIZONA DAILYSTAR RESTORATION SPECIALISTS BARNES, BLAIR MEET IN SATURDAY’S SWEET 16 he master builders of the Calipari. Arizona won the WNIT title You get the best shot from T women’s Sweet 16 are Barnes and Blair have every- a day later, Barnes went on to be the super-powers like A&M. Arizona’s Adia Barnes and thing and nothing in common. the Pac-10’s 1998 Player of the How good are the No. 2-seeded Texas A&M’s Gary Blair. They are Barnes is 43. Blair is 75. Barnes Year and the leading scorer in Aggies? They start three Mc- restoration specialists, no job too was a pro basketball player. Arizona history. Blair, then, 50, Donald’s All-Americans: Aaliyah big, too messy or too tiresome. Blair was a proud member of the was just getting started, too. He Wilson, Jordan Nixon and Ciera Maybe they should go into Greg Hansen United States Marine Corps who coached Arkansas to the 1998 Johnson. business together: Barnes and worked in the restaurant busi- Final Four and was soon whisked Arizona has recruited one Mc- Blair: We Fix Your Basketball ness before returning to school at away by A&M’s Bill Byrne where Donald’s All-American in history, Program. ing the wrong coaching offer — age 27 to play college baseball at Blair became a first-ballot Hall of junior forward Cate Reese. Even After all, they’ve got a special even at your alma mater — might Texas Tech.He has coached in 25 Famer. though she played high school connection. not always be the best move. NCAA Tournaments, including Here’s some perspective: At basketball in Cypress, Texas — 70 Blair was hired by Texas A&M “Your first (head coaching) job 15 in succession. This is Barnes’ Barnes’ age, 44, Blair coached miles from the A&M campus — athletic director Bill Byrne. might be your last job,”she said. first. Stephen F. Austin to the Sweet 16. Reese resisted recruiting pitches Barnes was hired by Greg Byrne, It wasn’t that Barnes didn’t These unlikely rivals in resto- Yes, Stephen F. Austin. He was from A&M to take a chance on Bill’s son. already have a good job. She was ration have one shared memory: just getting started, as is Barnes. Barnes’ restoration project at Blair took charge of an A&M at the 2016 women’s Final Four In the 1996 WNIT semifinals, The women’s Sweet 16 is, as Arizona. operation that had not had a in Indianapolis, an assistant with Barnes, then a sophomore at Ari- always, stacked with blue-blood If Blair is bitter, he didn’t winning season for seven years, the Washington Huskies, when zona, led the Wildcats past Blair’s programs: UConn, South Caro- sound that way after his club beat a bottom feeder of Big 12 bot- Byrne offered her the Arizona job. Arkansas Razorbacks 80-77 in lina, Baylor, Maryland, Stanford Iowa State in Wednesday’s Round tom feeders, having reached the “They were waiting for us to Amarillo, Texas. and A&M. of 32 victory. NCAA Tournament once. Ever. finish the season but we kept on Yes, Amarillo, Texas. How’s There are relative newbies like “Give Coach Barnes so much Barnes accepted the monu- winning,”she remembers. “Then that for the first step to Satur- Arizona and Missouri State, but credit for building that team, mental challenge of taking over I accepted the job while I was in day’s Sweet 16 Barnes v. Blair none of the coaches have made a blending in a few transfers, an Arizona’s women’s basketball Indianapolis prior to the Final match in San Antonio? climb to match that of Arizona’s blending in what she’s going to program that had one winning Four.” Barnes was the game’s leading Barnes. need because that is probably the season in 12 years. It was such a Texas A&M’s Blair can take scorer, with 25 points, and she Missouri State coach Amaka best rebuilt program that we’ve daunting venture that on Thurs- that a step further. In his eighth made an impression on Blair, Agugua-Hamilton, hired in 2019, seen in the last five to six to seven day Barnes admitted she didn’t season at A&M, the Aggies won then in his third season as the took over a 25-10 program and years,”he said. immediately say “yes” to Byrne’s the national championship. If Razorbacks head coach. went 26-4 her first season. That’s If anyone would know, Gary offer. women’s basketball got the vol- “Barnes was a better post quiteachange from Barnes’ 14- Blair would. “I had second, third, fourth ume of recognition given to men’s playerthan postplayers in the 16 and 6-24 baptism to coaching and fifth thoughts,”she said in a college basketball, Blair would SEC who are 6-4,”Blair said in a seasons. Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at Zoominterview, putting it in a be known as well as Syracuse’s postgame presssession. “Shewas At this level, Cinderella stories 520-573-4362 or [email protected]. long-range context that accept- Jim Boeheim or Kentucky’s John the difference.” often burn out in the Sweet 16. On Twitter: @ghansen711. ON EIGHTH TRY, CATS CAN MAKE FIRST-EVER ELITE 8 ARIZONA DAILY STAR Arizona won handily over 1997-98 dishing two assists and 1-seeded and eventual na- 2003-04 This year marks Arizo- Western Kentucky, 76-54, Record: 23-7 posting two steals in the tional runner-up Tennes- Record: 24-9, tied for na’s eighth-ever trip to the with 21 points coming from Roster: Barnes, Alexan- first half alone. She finished see, 75-60. first place in Pac-10 with NCAA Tournament, and Alexander. The Wildcats der, Griffith, Crank, Wil- with 30 points and 10 as Ar- In the first game, the Stanford just the second time they’ve led the entire game. Griffith lis, Reshea Bristol, Minter, izona won 94-77. Wildcats shut down Kent Roster: Polk, Wheel- made the Sweet 16. Here’s a added 18 points and went 5 Giordano, Hambrick, Phoe- The Wildcats couldn’t get State’s Dawn Zerman, the er, Adefeso, Grzyb, San- look at how they fared: of 6 from the 3-point line. nix,Walker,Imara,Monique much traction against No. 2 Mid-American Conference ford, Linda Pace, Chappell, In the second round, Ari- Paige, Lakeisha Taylor UConn in the round of 16, Player of the Year en route Linder, Jones, Dugar, Peter- 1996-97 zonaranintoNo.2Georgia. What went down: The losing 74-57. The Huskies to a 73-61 victory. It wasn’t son, Shannon Hobson, Ra- Final Record: 23-8 Barnes scored 16 first-half Wildcats’ first — and so far outrebounded the Wildcats an easy win, as the Wild- chael Schein Roster: Adia Barnes, Lisa points but was limited by only — trip to the Sweet 16 51-33. UA drew within two cats opened up a 23-point What went down: The Griffith, Marte Alexander, foul trouble early in the began with a first-round points with 11 minutes to lead before Kent State ral- No. 9-seeded Wildcats lost Felecity Willis, DeAngela second. Georgia’s lead bal- win over Santa Clara. Ari- go, but could get no closer. lied. Griffith led UA with 19 to Michigan State 72-60 Minter, Mikko Giordano, looned in the second half up zona found its groove at the Much of it was due to Alex- points. in the tournament’s first Monika Crank, Cha-Ron to 18 points. beginning of the second half ander leaving the game with Arizona fell to power- round. Polk led all scorers Walker, Amber Phoenix, The Wildcats made a with a 15-4 run that solidi- a knee injury in the second house Tennessee in the sec- with 23 points, yet her early Fatima Imara, Shontey comeback in the last 5:32 fied the 75-63 win. Alexan- half. ond round. Griffith scored foul trouble and time on the Hambrick with steals and 3-pointers der scored 23 points. the first eight points of the bench put the Wildcats out What went down: Arizo- from Griffith and Barnes to Barnes led the No. 1998-99 game for UA and finished of sync. na’s first-ever appearance pull within three. It wasn’t 3-seeded Wildcats in the Record: 18-11 with 11 points. Tamika Wheeler scored 11 points, in the NCAA Tournament enough, though, as the second game against Vir- Roster: Griffith, Bristol, Catchings, the Naismith making her the only oth- started with a bang. In the Bulldogs beat the Wildcats ginia, scoring 21 points, Willis, Crank, Julie Brase, Player of the Year winner, er Wildcat in double fig- first round, No.