Talk about "Cardiac Cats."

Arizona upset defending National Champion No. 15 Notre Dame, 72-70, on a layup by Elizabeth Pickney as time expired Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz.

After forward Krista Warren hit a game-tying layup with 20 seconds remaining, freshman guard Dee-Dee Wheeler picked off Notre Dame's inbound pass. After wearing time off the clock, UA guard Julie Brase hit Pickney under the basket to set up the game-winning score.

Pickney scored 27 points on the night, 21 in the second half.

"I thought Pickney played well," said Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw.

"She made some plays down the stretch. Obviously, her being perfect from the line did not help us."

Wheeler added 18 points for the Wildcats, a career high.

The game was close throughout, featuring 15 lead changes. The Wildcats (2-0) combated poor shooting by going perfect at the free-throw line, hitting all 20 of their foul shots and forcing the Irish (1-2) into 21 giveaways to their 12.

"It was a tremendous win tonight," said UA head coach Joan Bonvicini. "This game was about respect. I think we beat a very good opponent tonight." Notre Dame preseason first-team All-Big East guard Alicia Ratay scored 19 points in the losing effort.

It was the second-consecutive loss suffered by the Irish, who lost to No. 20 Colorado State last Wednesday. The Fighting Irish had not lost a game to a Pacific 10 Conference opponent since the 1991-1992 season. The Wildcats shot 33.8 percent from the field for the game, their lowest mark since last season's 95-65 loss to the Irish. "It makes you feel a lot better knowing that you beat a team that beat you by 30 the year before," Pickney said.