Arizona women’s basketball defeats Iona in home opener

The Arizona Wildcats secured a 74-61 victory over the Iona Gaels in their season home opener at McKale Center. Despite the win, head coach Becky Burke expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance, describing it as an “ugly win” and noting that the team played down to their opponent.

Arizona struggled defensively compared to their previous matchup against Stanford, creating only 15 turnovers and committing 17. The Wildcats built a significant lead in the second quarter by outscoring Iona 23-13, but the Gaels remained competitive throughout the game, even outscoring Arizona 19-17 in the final period.

Freshman Priyanka Ponnam made her debut, contributing three points and providing defensive presence. Burke emphasized the need for better practice preparation ahead of an upcoming game against UCLA.