There was a hope that a move out of the Pac-12 might help Arizona’s foul problems, especially when it comes to frontcourt players like Breya Cunningham and Isis Beh. It may turn out to be true when Big 12 play starts, but the returns aren’t good in nonconference play.
After beating UNLV, Cunningham was asked if she would be glad when reporters stopped asking her about fouls. She laughed and answered in the affirmative. Neither Cunningham nor Arizona as a team are at the point where those questions can go away.
The Wildcats are committing 20.9 fouls per game. That’s the highest number going back at least 15 years when the database at Her Hoop Stats begins. The closest they have been to that number since the 2009-10 season was 2016-17 when they committed 19.6 personal fouls per game.
Those 20.9 personal fouls are leading to 9.4 free throw trips and 19.5 free throw attempts per game for Arizona’s opponents. Opponents are hitting their free throws at a 69.8 percent clip. On the other end, Arizona is taking 20.5 free throws in 9.7 free throw trips and hitting 69.5 percent of those shots.
The 2016-17 team was the first under current head coach Adia Barnes. It was a year of seeing what worked and what didn’t while implementing a new system with players Barnes did not recruit. The current team is very young but it has seven players who were ranked in the top 100 of their classes according to ESPN HoopGurlz. Five of those players were recruited to Arizona as freshmen. Three of them were in the top 25 of their classes.
What’s going on with the Wildcats?
It starts early. Arizona has had multiple games with multiple starters picking up two fouls in the first quarter this season. That usually leads to extended time on the bench. When Barnes has rolled the dice and brought players back in the first half with two fouls, it has often come back to bite her.
Part of the problem is not doing the work early both on the perimeter and in the post. In some cases, it’s going for the block when it’s unnecessary. On far too many occasions, it’s the offensive fouls, both on screens and drives, that are causing the whistles.
While Barnes has noted that her perimeter is not as athletic as in some years, it’s actually the most athletic perimeter player who is picking up most of the fouls, especially early in games.
Skylar Jones has picked up two fouls in the first quarter of four games. She has two fouls in the first half of two other games. Those six games make up over half of Arizona’s 11-game schedule this season.
Jones is not just having a problem on the defensive end. She has picked up four offensive fouls so far this season. Those have added to Arizona’s turnover problems, which are still hovering at 19.6 per game—again, the highest number in the last 15 years.
For Barnes, that’s an issue of fundamentals. She has been focusing on teaching Jones to jump stop instead of barrelling into the defender. It paid some dividends in Arizona’s loss to GCU. Jones pulled up or waited for defenders to fly by her on a few occasions against the Lopes. It’s a hard habit to break, though. Late in the game, she picked up an offensive foul trying to take on two defenders.
Jones is the one returning starter whose fouls have actually increased this season. She is committing 4.9 fouls per 40 minutes, an increase from 3.7 per 40 minutes last year. She fouls on 5.6 percent of possessions compared to 4.6 last year. She is a critical part of Arizona’s offense, so the fouls have put a crimp in getting her on track.
Jada Williams has had her difficulties this season, as well. Arizona’s point guard is the heart of the team whether she’s scoring or not. She has picked up multiple fouls in the first half five times this year. She has ended three of her last four games with four fouls. Two of her 22 fouls this season have come on the offensive end.
Williams is not committing considerably more fouls this year. Last year, she ended with 3.1 per 40 minutes. This year, she sits at 3.2 per 40 minutes. However, without Helena Pueyo by her side, she is even more crucial to the team. When she is off the floor, they do not function as well and can lack a bit of toughness. The early fouls are especially damaging in that regard.
Cunningham has had the first-half blues, as well. Like Jones, she has picked up two fouls in the first quarter four times and two fouls in the first half an additional two times. In the loss at NAU, Jones, Cunningham, and Beh all had three fouls in the first half. Cunningham and Beh eventually fouled out.
Like Jones and Williams, the problems are on both ends of the floor for Cunningham. She has picked up three offensive fouls this season, all coming on illegal screens.
Barnes has tried to adapt the defense to keep Cunningham out of foul trouble. Most importantly, she’s not using her to trap this year and she’s giving her easier defensive assignments when possible.
Eleven games in, it has had some positive effects. She is fouling on seven percent of possessions, down from 8.8 percent last season. Her 7.1 fouls per 40 minutes have dropped to 6.2 per 40. However, as the Wildcats’ top scorer, having her go to the bench early on has coincided with a lull in play. Arizona ends up losing leads or falling behind when the starters pick up early fouls.
As for Beh, her personal fouls per 40 minutes have dropped considerably so far this year, but they are still on the high side. She has dropped from 5.9 per 40 to 4.8 per 40 minutes this season. However, as with the other players, she has yet to face the tougher competition on the schedule. Getting the early fouls under control will be required before conference play.
It’s not just about four players. Arizona has had at least one player end with four fouls in nine of its 11 games. The Wildcats have had multiple players with four or more fouls in six games. Barnes has given her young bench considerable playing time, and many of them are picking up fouls at high rates. However, the early fouls by the starters are a concern moving forward.
Considering that the team has not played the toughest nonconference schedule, the coaching staff and players have to be focused on reducing their fouls before things get tougher. And they better hope the Big 12 is called differently than the Pac-12.