Arizona

Arizona women’s basketball dominated by UCLA in final regular season Pac-12 game

Published

2 years ago

March 3, 2024

Arizona women’s basketball dominated by UCLA in final regular season Pac-12 game

The final regular season Pac-12 women’s basketball game in McKale Center was something to write home for the visiting UCLA Bruins.

“I’m going to forget about that one really fast,” Arizona Wildcats head coach Adia Barnes said. “That was a tough game. We did not play well. All credit to UCLA. They’re really good. I wouldn’t be surprised it they’re not in the Final Four. Coach (Cori) Close has done an incredible job. She has a really deep, good team that has—I don’t think they have a lot of weaknesses.”

Arizona played lights-out before falling to USC in double overtime on Thursday night. On Saturday, they were never in it against UCLA, losing 61-41. It was the fifth straight game that the Bruins held their opponents to 55 points or less, including games against Colorado and Utah.

“If I look at the whole season, I’d say we really got killed by Stanford here, played a bad game at Oregon, and then this,” Barnes said. “These are the three worst losses of the year as far as performance.”

The Bruins controlled things on both ends of the floor from the first whistle. They kept Arizona from scoring until the 4:52 mark in the first quarter. Fifth-year senior Helena Pueyo, playing in her last regular season home game, hit the two-pointer that cut UCLA’s lead to 13-2.

It looked like Arizona had settled down. The Wildcats cut the UCLA lead to six with 1:52 to go in the opening period. That just woke up the Bruins, who pushed it back to double digits with two straight buckets.

“When they punched us we could not bounce back,” Barnes said. “They’re just really good and we played really bad. I thought we were very tight. I don’t know why we were so tight. It looked like we had the pressure to win and we had no pressure, but we played with a lot of tension.”

Barnes said she felt that fifth-year senior Esmery Martinez was especially tight. Martinez was obviously emotional, even after the game.

“I don’t think it was a physical,” Barnes said. “I think it was a mental stress and tightness and emotions…I kind of knew Esmery would probably play like this because the last week, she’s been down. So it was just…a struggle.”

Early in the season, UCLA was a dominant team. The Bruins opened the season with 14 straight wins against a strong schedule. Then things got difficult in the early part of conference play.

The Bruins had some tough opponents. Lauren Betts was away from the team for a while. Izzy Anstey retired from basketball. Anglea Dugalic and Lina Sonstag went to play with their national teams in Olympic qualifying. And the Bruins looked out of sorts.

They lost four games between Jan. 14 and Feb. 4.

Betts returned on Feb. 9 for the first matchup between Arizona and UCLA. The Bruins won by eight in Pauley Pavilion. They’ve only lost to No. 11 Oregon State since, going on a 7-1 run, and are once again looking like the class of the Pac-12 and a possible Final Four team.

It was a rough way for Arizona to end the regular season and send three seniors out. The team honored Pueyo, Martinez, and Isis Beh before the game.

With just seconds to go and their team destined to lose, most of the 7,845 fans were still in attendance. They stood and chanted, “U-of-A! U-of-A!” They were still there after the final buzzer when Barnes addressed them.

“You guys never give up on us,” Barnes said to the crowd. “We were getting our ass kicked tonight. You guys didn’t walk out…You always stay till the end and supported us through losses.”

The seniors expressed similar feelings about their teammates, coaches, and community after the game.

“For me, I couldn’t have picked a better place to finish my career,” Beh said. “I really love the fans here, my coaches, and my teammates.”

For Martinez, it was almost too much to talk about. She sat staring at the ground, barely able to speak before the tears started.

“I’m really sad now,” Martinez said. “Arizona really took me and made me feel okay, I was home. I’m not from here. They made me feel like I was welcome here. And the players are family—like Helena, she’s my sister.”

Pueyo led the Wildcats with 16 points. She added 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and 6 steals. After playing 50 minutes against USC, Barnes was able to “limit” her to 36 on Saturday. She wasn’t thinking about any of that after the game.

In a very rare occurrence, freshman Breya Cunningham was not saddled with foul trouble. The post player was on the floor for a few seconds shy of 30 minutes. She has only hit the 30-minute mark once this season, going 33 minutes against Oregon State in a double-overtime game on Jan. 12.

Pueyo wasn’t thinking about anyone’s stats after the game. Instead, it was her five-year journey and the fans standing to cheer her as she checked out for the last time.

“For me, it means everything,” Pueyo said. “Five years here. It’s been my house for five years, my family. I love Adia. I love Salvo (Coppa). They came all the way to Spain to try to get me here. It’s a really special place. I love it. I know it’s sad because it wasn’t our best basketball, but it was just my emotions…I love this program. I love the fans and this has been a pleasure for me.”

Arizona next plays in Las Vegas in its final Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Wildcats are the No. 7 seed and will face No. 10 seed Washington at 7 p.m. MST on Wednesday, Mar. 6. The team will hold a meet and greet for the fans on Tuesday, Mar. 5 in Vegas.

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Here’s how to give public comment on future Colorado River plans

Published

12 minutes ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Here’s how to give public comment on future Colorado River plans

PHOENIX — After years of negotiations, Arizona still doesn’t know what its long-term water future will look like, and now the federal government is preparing to step in.

States across the Colorado River Basin have failed to reach a deal on how to share the shrinking river after current operating rules expire in 2026. With no state-led agreement in place, federal officials are moving forward with their own plan, one that could bring steep cuts to Arizona’s water supply.

And for Arizonans, the clock is ticking to weigh in. Public comment remains open until March 2. To submit your comment on what the government should do, send your comments in email to crbpost2026@usbr.gov.

Additional information is available online. The project website can be accessed here, along with links to YouTube videos published by the government, recorded in January and February which walk through of the options available.

Many Arizona leaders have already offered their public comments, which are overwhelmingly negative.

“We were very disappointed with that document,” said Brenda Burman, the Central Arizona Project General Manager “If any of those alternatives were implemented, it would be very difficult, and perhaps devastating for Arizona.”

Arizona’s top Colorado River negotiator, Tom Buschatzke, echoed those concerns.

“None of those alternatives are very good for the state of Arizona,” Buschatzke said. “I’m not seeing how we’re going to break that stalemate.”

Congressman Juan Ciscomani also criticized the proposals, saying the impacts of Colorado River cuts extends into Pinal, and Pima counties.

“That’s not an acceptable solution for us,” Ciscomani said. “We want to play ball, but we want to make sure everyone across the board uses less and becomes more efficient.”

Some of the federal alternatives would reduce Arizona’s Colorado River supply by 40%, 50%, or in the most extreme case up to 70%.

Experts at ASU Kyl Center for Water Policy say part of the problem lies upstream.

“The reason for this current impasse is because the upper basin states have refused to take cuts in their Colorado River use,” said Sarah Porter, the center’s director.

Upper Basin states like Colorado and Utah rely on different water rules than Arizona and other Lower Basin states, complicating negotiations that have dragged on for years.

Arizona has already been living with cuts for several years. Since 2021, the state has faced an 18% reduction in Colorado River water deliveries due to a Tier 1 shortage declaration. Most of those cuts have fallen on Central Arizona Project users, including agriculture and some tribal communities.

Buschatzke argues that pushing Arizona into deeper reductions would violate long-standing Western water law.

“We will be protecting the state of Arizona,” he said. “And if that has to be litigation, it will be litigation.”

That means a lawsuit against the federal government, or upper basin states is now a real possibility if the final plan moves forward unchanged. The state legislature has put $3 million in a state fund for potential litigation on the Colorado River.

After the comment period closes, the federal government is required to review public feedback and issue a formal ‘Record of Decision’, likely sometime this summer. Advocacy groups say public feedback matters.

“I just encourage Arizonans to look at this document, understand what that means for your family, your businesses, and what it means for the future,” said Kyle Roerink of the Great Basin Water Network. “Then figure out if you want to advocate for one scenario over another.”

A new operating plan must be in place by October 1, setting the rules for how the Colorado River will be managed for years to come, and shaping Arizona’s water future in the process.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Arizona

Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for Feb. 28, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Arizona Lottery Powerball, The Pick results for Feb. 28, 2026

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers

06-20-35-54-65, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning The Pick numbers

09-12-15-25-31-35

Check The Pick payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers

6-1-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers

07-10-22-30-36

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Triple Twist numbers

08-09-14-17-30-41

Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results

What time is the Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?

In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.

How to play the Powerball

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:

Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Arizona

Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Wildcats odds, picks and predictions

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Wildcats odds, picks and predictions

The No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks (21-7, 11-4 Big 12) visit the No. 2 Arizona Wildcats (26-2, 13-2) Saturday afternoon for a 4 p.m. ET (ESPN) tip from McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the Kansas vs. Arizona odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.

Kansas got back in the win column on Monday with a 69-56 victory over Houston, covering as a 2.5-point home underdog with the Under (137.5) hitting. G Tre White led all scorers with 23 points while F Bryson Tiller (11 points, 10 rebounds) added a double-double in the much-needed victory after the Jayhawks had dropped 2 of their previous 3.

Arizona has won 3 in a row after taking down Baylor 87-80 on Tuesday, narrowly failing to cover as a 7.5-point road favorite with the Over (154.5) hitting. G Jaden Bradley scored a team-high 25 points, G Brayden Burries added 24, and F Tobe Awaka (10 points, 13 rebounds) added a double-double.

– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!

Kansas at Arizona odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 9:40 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Kansas +400 (bet $100 to win $500) | Arizona -550 (bet $550 to win $100)
Against the spread (ATS): Kansas +9.5 (-110) | Arizona -9.5 (-110)
Over/Under (O/U): 149.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Kansas at Arizona picks and predictions

Prediction

Arizona 76, Kansas 69

PASS.

There is minimal value on the Wildcats (-550) to win at home on Saturday against a Jayhawks team that is 5-4 on the road this season.

BET KANSAS +9.5 (-110).

The Jayhawks are 18-10 ATS this season, including 9-3 ATS over their last 12. They are 3-1 ATS over their last 4 on the road, as well, and are coming off a massive win over No. 5 Houston to build momentum heading into another tough contest.

The Wildcats have failed to cover in 4 of their last 5 games, including each of their last 4 as favorites and back-to-back games at home.

With a near double-digit spread, the advantage belongs to the road squad.

BET UNDER 149.5 (-105).

The Wildcats have hit the Under in 7 of their last 10 games, including 3 of their last 4. They have scored 78 or fewer points in 4 of their last 5 games while allowing 68 or fewer in 5 of their last 10, including 2 of their last 3.

The Jayhawks have hit a 19-9 Under record this season and have also hit the Under in 7 of their last 10. They have scored 69 or fewer points in 3 of their last 4 while allowing 75 or fewer in 7 of their last 10.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

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