TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Wildcats sported two players in double figures and forced the Blazers into a season-high tying 21 turnovers, as Arizona defeated UAB 49-44 Sunday afternoon at McKale Center, clinching Arizona's fourth straight victory.
For Arizona (6-3), the win marks its sixth victory in its last seven contests and its fourth straight home win, as the Cats improved to 4-1 at McKale Center this season.
Senior guard Candice Warthen led the team in scoring for the fifth time this season, as she put in 12 points and dished out a team-high equaling three assists in the win. She's led the team in assists in four straight games and in seven of nine games overall this season.
Sophomore guard Malena Washington also poured in 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting, recording her third double-digit scoring game of the season, and the second in her last three contests.
Sophomore forward LaBrittney Jones led the rebounding effort for Arizona, pulling down a team-high five boards, while contributing six points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field. Freshman guard Charise Holloway also produced off a solid game off the bench, recording six points and grabbing four rebounds.
The Wildcats scored 12 points of off 21 forced turnovers, while they won the battle of the benches for the fifth time this season, outscoring the UAB reserves 16-13.
The Cats jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead early, as they improved to 4-2 on the season when scoring first. Arizona bumped its first half lead to as high as nine points on two separate occasions before finally breaking through and claiming a double digit advantage near the end of the first half.
The Wildcats put together a mini 6-0 run in the final minutes of the half to cap-off an overall 18-4 scoring run over the final 12 minutes of the half to take a commanding 27-14 advantage into intermission.
The Cats scored eight points off of 12 forced first half turnovers, while the bench scored 11 of Arizona's total 27 first half points.
Arizona kept things rolling in the second half, never trailing the rest of the contest, while at one point extending its lead to as high as 15 points.
However, UAB made things interesting late, cutting Arizona's lead to just one point on three separate occasions in the second half, but the Cats put down some clutch free throws late to hold on for the five-point win.
