SALT LAKE CITY — Big-time players show up in big-time moments.
For BYU women's basketball, Paisley Johnson Harding was a big-time player in the 11th-seeded Cougars' first-round upset of Rutgers.
Arizona's Aari McDonald was the big-time player in Round 2.
McDonald had 17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals to help the third-seeded Wildcats hold off the Cougars, 52-46 Wednesday evening at the UTSA Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Cate Reese had 12 points and five rebounds for Arizona (18-5), which shot just 34% from the field but forced 15 turnovers — including 11 steals.
The Wildcats held BYU to one field goal in the final five minutes, 11 seconds.
No team led by more than five in a game marked by defense, including the two-time Pac-12 defensive player of the year McDonald, a finalist for Naismith defensive player of the year.
BYU held the Wildcats to just 3 points over a 10-minute, 33-second span bridging the third and fourth quarter and taking a 43-39 advantage with 5:03 left in the game.
But McDonald doubled Arizona's scoring output in that game with one 3-pointer, and Sam Thomas drained another three with 3:43 to go that gave the lead right back to the Wildcats.
BYU's Tegan Graham cut the deficit back to one with her third 3-pointer, but the Cougars never led again.
Shaylee Gonzales had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead BYU, which got 13 points, five rebounds and three assists from Graham. Lauren Gustin added 8 points and 11 rebounds for the Cougars (19-6).
This story will be updated.
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