The Arizona Wildcats women’s basketball team faced a challenging night on the road, falling 74-60 to No. 14 Baylor in Waco, Texas, on Saturday. Despite the loss, head coach Becky Burke expressed pride in her team’s effort and resilience throughout the game, highlighting their determination to fight hard even when the odds were against them.
Arizona entered the matchup with a mindset to compete, and for much of the game, they did just that. The Wildcats managed to keep the game within striking distance, particularly in the fourth quarter when they repeatedly narrowed Baylor’s lead to single digits. However, a series of fouls hindered their ability to mount a serious comeback, culminating in a crucial moment late in the game when Coach Burke decided to bench fifth-year guard Lani Cornfield for the final 4:53 after a technical foul incident.
The technical foul stemmed from Cornfield’s reaction after making a jumper with just under five minutes remaining. She gestured toward a Baylor player, which resulted in an immediate whistle and a technical foul call against her. This was not an isolated incident for Arizona this season, as other players have exhibited similarly demonstrative behaviors that went unpunished, but Burke has reached her limit with such displays. She addressed the issue firmly after the game, condemning what she described as immature and selfish conduct on the court.
“I’m done with the immaturity,” Burke said, emphasizing that this reprimand was not aimed solely at Cornfield but at any player who shows such behavior. She stressed that gestures celebrating made baskets, especially in a close game when the team is down, are inappropriate and do not align with the team’s culture she is striving to build. Burke’s stance reflects her commitment to fostering a mature, team-first mentality within the Wildcats’ program.
In contrast to the frustrations surrounding Cornfield’s technical, several players demonstrated commendable poise and maturity. One standout was freshman Molly Ladwig, who earned her fifth start of the season and played a career-high 33 minutes. Ladwig tied her personal best by scoring 10 points on 40 percent shooting and contributed six rebounds and three assists, sharing second place on the team in assists alongside Cornfield. Her defensive tenacity was particularly notable late in the game, as she effectively contained a much larger post player by maintaining position and playing clean defense, despite finishing with four fouls.
Coach Burke praised Ladwig as the embodiment of the program’s future, highlighting her maturity, coachability, and team-first attitude. She sees Ladwig as a cornerstone player around whom the team culture will be built. While acknowledging areas for improvement such as speed, explosiveness, and shooting, Burke expressed enthusiasm about Ladwig’s potential and her role in shaping the Wildcats moving forward.
Alongside Ladwig, Cornfield and fellow freshman Daniah Trammell scored in double figures as well, each tallying 11 points to lead the team. Other contributors included Blessing ‘Adde’ Adebanjo, Tanyuel Welch, and Nora Francois. Welch led the team in rebounds with nine, adding seven points and an assist, while Adebanjo posted eight points, five rebounds, one block, and one steal. Francois facilitated the offense, dishing out a team-high four assists, and also added four points, two rebounds, and two steals.
The game’s early stages saw Arizona come out strong, forcing turnovers and capitalizing on opportunities at the free throw line. The Wildcats forced Baylor into five turnovers in the first quarter, with four of those resulting from steals that led to six points off turnovers. Arizona also went a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe in that period, helping them build a 22-15 lead despite a late stumble.
However, the Wildcats struggled to maintain that momentum in the second quarter. Their offense faltered, managing just eight points while Baylor’s performance improved significantly. The Bears scored 15 points in the first 10 minutes and then erupted for 23 points in the second quarter, limiting Arizona to only one free throw attempt in that period and reducing turnovers. This shift allowed Baylor to take control and head into halftime with a lead.
Coach Burke pointed to foul trouble as a recurring challenge for the Wildcats, noting that their aggressive style of play, while commendable, has often resulted in costly penalties. “We try to play so hard, and it’s just so hard to find that balance of being so undersized and just still trying