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The history of Arizona women’s basketball isn’t near the success that UA fans have seen with men’s basketball with their 39 NCAA Tournament appearances, 21 Sweet Sixteens, 11 Elite Eights, four Final Fours and one National Title.
However, the success of the program all changed when then-head coach Adia Barnes managed to get things going in the right direction and eventually landed them on the biggest stage in the 2021 national title game where the Wildcats fell 54-53 against Stanford.
Not only was Barnes a massive part of turning things around but so was star guard Aari McDonald, who followed her coach from Washington to Tucson and helped build a tough physical program.
While in Tucson, McDonald finished with averaging 21.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 4.2 APG while shooting 44% from the field in 93 games in her three years with the program.
“Although I’m from California, I want to say I’m from Arizona as well,” McDonald said when asked about the Wildcats. “I made incredible bonds over there and I do keep up with everyone.”
In three years with the program, McDonald finished with 2,041 points (No. 3), 386 assists (No. 10) and 235 steals (No. 7) making her arguably the best player in the history of Arizona women’s basketball.
After not making an WNBA roster to start the beginning of the season, McDonald signed with the Indiana Fever where she played in 20 games and made 13 starts.
With the injuries the Fever suffered this season, McDonald was a calming force for the team. However, that has unfortunately come to an end as she suffered a broken bone in her right foot in the team’s last game against the Phoenix Mercury.
While she was on the court, McDonald averaged 9.8 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.4 RPG while shooting 43% from the field and 31% from the 3-point line.
This season, she scored a career-high 27 points in a game against the Mercury in the last game of the month of July. Then, McDonald recorded a season-high nine assists against Seattle in another Fever win.
This is a big blow to the Fever and a devastating season ending injury for McDonald, who was finding her way in the WNBA this season.
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