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Pickney leads UA to battle with Lobos

Riding on the recent surge of sophomore forward Elizabeth Pickney, the UA women's basketball team returns home for their first regular season game at McKale Center against New Mexico on Saturday night at 7.

Over the Wildcats' three victories in Hawaii en route to the Hawaiian Regent Wahine Classic championship, Pickney averaged 18 points per game, a start that both her teammates and coaches are not surprised about.

"That is definitely something that I expected Liz to do," associate head coach Denise Dove-Ianello. "She did a really good job in the off-season of improving her strength and her overall game."

Dove-Ianello also added the Pickney's improvement is not by chance, but due to hard work over the offseason.

"She worked so hard before this season that right now she is paying the dividend for all the hard work she has put in," Dove-Ianello added. "She is a great scorer, she has just gotten to be more stronger, more physical. I am very proud of Liz thus far."

Sophomore guard Julie Brase said that she has confidence when passing the ball inside to Pickney and has also been delighted with her play of late.

"Liz is a great player and I like knowing that I can pass it in to her and that she is going to catch it and that she is going to score," she said. "I love playing with her because she is always complimenting all of us. She is a good teammate."

Pickney said that she is happy with the numbers she put up in Hawaii, but will contribute in whatever way she foresees her team needing.

"I went into this past weekend the same way that I go into every game, giving it my all so that the team can succeed" Pickney said. "I would like to be one of the leading scorers on the team, but I go into each game with the focus that we need to win. If I can help the team win by scoring a lot I will do that, but if the team needs me to help out in other ways, I will try to do that as well."

Pickney added that even though the Wildcats run a three-guard offense, there is yet an opportunity for post players to shine.

"Everyone focuses on our guards, but recently Tatum and I have shown that we have force inside, however, to be a good team, there has to be an even combination between the guards and posts," she said. "If the guards can consistently get it to us and we can do the same with getting it back out to them, we'll do well this year."

Senior guard Felecity Willis said that Pickney's numbers were something that she anticipated and will continue to anticipate going into the New Mexico game.

"Big scoring is something I expected out of Liz. I saw it last year, and she has come out this year on fire, so I am not surprised," Willis said. "This team has so many scorers, but Liz is playing so well right now and is providing us with someone who can step up and lead our team."