Becky Burke's Thoughts on the Recent Big Victory

“That was a fun one,” Burke said. “It just seemed like everybody was at ease. Everybody was loose, but playing really, really hard at the same time.”

From the opening tip, Arizona set the tone, playing with pace, physicality, and focus on both ends of the floor. The Wildcats never let up, showcasing depth and balance while maintaining intensity for a full 40 minutes.

Burke's Thoughts

“I was excited to have a game where we come out from the beginning and set a standard, set the tone and play a complete 40 minutes and keep our foot on the gas,” Burke said. “To break 100 and everybody get to score, everybody get some good significant minutes while still playing hard and not letting loose, not getting complacent with a lead was really exciting.”

Oct 21, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona head coach Becky Burke speaks to media during Big 12 Womenís Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images | Sophia Scheller-Imagn Images

Arizona’s ability to stay locked in despite a comfortable margin stood out as a sign of growth, particularly for a team preparing to enter a demanding conference schedule.

“I think that’s the best way we know to build confidence,” Burke said. “We definitely enjoy a nine-inch nonconference, and I think that’s definitely something this group needed.”

The Bellarmine matchup also provided Arizona with a valuable opportunity to test new lineup combinations. Burke noted that much of the nonconference schedule featured smaller teams, limiting chances to evaluate the Wildcats’ size together on the floor.

“This was the first time we actually played a team that had a couple true players that played at the same time,” Barnes said. “So it allowed us to put two bigs in and see what happened.”

The results were encouraging for a young team that has seen its fair share of ups and downs so far and preparing to make a big step in to the tougher part of their schedule with constant important games.

“I was very pleasantly surprised and definitely optimistic moving forward that this is something we can line up that we can trust and go to,” Burke said. “We’re going to need the size, physicality, length, ability to rebound as we enter Big 12 play here on Monday.”

Scenes from the women's basketball game between Vanderbilt and Arizona at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. | Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona enters conference action with 11 games of experience, including lessons learned through both wins and losses.

“I’m actually thankful for those couple losses,” Burke said. “So many things get swept under the rug in wins. You need a couple wake-up calls. You need to remain humble and hungry.”

Burke believes the variety of nonconference opponents from different styles of play to teams with high-level talent has prepared her group in important ways, even if they haven’t yet seen everything the Big 12 will throw at them.

Mar 23, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes with her team during a break in the action as they take on the Syracuse Orange at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

“I think we’ve seen a lot of other things that instead have prepared us in other ways,” she said.

As Arizona prepares for Big 12 competition, Burke emphasized belief and consistency as key themes moving forward. With confidence high and momentum building, the Wildcats now turn the page ready to wake up, prepare, and embrace the challenge ahead.

“This is any given night,” Burke said. “We can beat anybody any night in this league, and I truly believe that from the top to the bottom.”

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