Arizona Women’s Basketball Gets the Start They Hoped For

The Becky Burke era for Arizona women's basketball has gotten off to a 2-0 start with a 62-59 win over UC Riverside and a 75-61 win over UC Irvine.

It is essentially a completely new roster for the Wildcats since bringing in Burke, so expectations were unknown heading into the year. The Wildcats were picked to finish 14th in the preseason poll, meaning they were entering the season being able to play loose and with nothing to lose.

There is still a lot of season left and a lot of learning to do as the players learn to play with each other early in the season, but the Wildcats have opened the season with a pair of wins at McKale Center.

Here is a look at how each of the first two games went last week.

62-59 win over UC Riverside

It was freshman Daniah Trammell who scored the first point of the season for Arizona with a free throw.

Daniah into double figures (11pts) in her collegiate debut‼️

📺 ESPN+ | #BDSU pic.twitter.com/kmLJnN8GZM
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) November 7, 2025

It was a low-scoring first half as Arizona trailed 25-23. The Wildcats went on an 11-2 run in the third quarter to take a 39-33 lead.

Arizona scored the same number of points in the third quarter as it did the entire first half to take a 46-39 lead into the final quarter. The Highlanders did not go away as they went on a 9-2 run in the fourth quarter to cut Arizona's lead to just 54-52 with just over three minutes to go in the game.

UC Riverside tied the game at 58 with just under two minutes left. The Wildcats got a stop in the final seconds to hold on for the win to open the season.

AND ONEEEEEEEEE.

📺 ESPN+ | BDSU pic.twitter.com/5sYemYAN1C
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) November 7, 2025

Arizona turned the ball over 16 times, but also forced 23 turnovers. It was grad transfer Mickayla Perdue who led the Wildcats in scoring with 17 points despite coming off the bench, where she still played 34 minutes. She was one of three players to score in double figures for Arizona.

75-61 win over UC Irvine

After leading the team in the season opener, Perdue joined the starting lineup against the Anteaters and lifted the Wildcats to the win as she dropped 31 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the field and 5-of-13 shooting from deep. She also played 40 minutes.

Arizona found itself down 15-10 after one quarter, but the Wildcats went on to score 31 points in the second quarter and take a 41-32 lead into halftime. Arizona stayed ahead as it led 60-45 going into the fourth quarter before holding on for a 14 point win.

Perdue was on FIRE vs UC Irvine🔥🔥

🔺9/20 from the field
🔺31 POINTS
🔺Home Court DUB

Mickayla Perdue Highlights⬇️#Big12WBB | @ArizonaWBB pic.twitter.com/OGSLck6J1q
— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) November 10, 2025

The Wildcats had three players score in double figures again, including Trammell, who has scored 13 points in each of her first two collegiate games.

Arizona limited the turnovers a bit more to 13 in its second game of the season, while forcing 17 UC Irvine turnovers.

Across the first two games, Perdue leads the way, averaging 24 points per game, with Trammell and grad transfer Noelani Cornfield also averaging double-digit points on the season. Cornfield is also averaging a double-double with 10 assists as she dished 12 dimes to go along with five steals in the win over UC Irvine.

Lani joins ELITE company 👏

Her 12 dimes tonight is the most by a Wildcat in a single-game since Aari McDonald dished out 14 in 2019#BDSU pic.twitter.com/9AUKdlIxeW
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) November 10, 2025

Arizona continues its season at McKale Center on Sunday against Grambling with a tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. (MST).

What are your thoughts on the 2-0 start to the season for Arizona? To let us know, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.