Shorthanded Arizona women's basketball team falls to Cincinnati Bearcats

Arizona was missing four key players, including starting point guard Lani Cornfield and forward Nora Francois, in the 77-61 loss.

Feb. 10, 2026 at 10:55pm

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The Arizona Wildcats women's basketball team faced a shorthanded roster and struggled against the Cincinnati Bearcats, losing 77-61. Arizona was missing four players, including starting point guard Lani Cornfield and forward Nora Francois, due to what the coach called "a coach's decision." The Bearcats took control early and never looked back, leading by as much as 25 points. Arizona's offense struggled without Cornfield, managing just 11 assists and 16 turnovers. Sumayah Sugapong led the Wildcats with 20 points, but also had 5 turnovers.

Why it matters

This loss highlights the challenges Arizona has faced with player availability and discipline issues this season. The Wildcats have had to deal with injuries and suspensions, which have hampered their ability to compete at a high level in the Big 12. The team's defensive struggles and foul trouble have been an ongoing concern that the coaching staff is trying to address.

The details

Arizona was already missing Montaya Dew and Micky Perdue heading into the game, but the late absences of Cornfield and Francois were a surprise. The coach described their absence as a "coach's decision" and was non-committal about their return for the next game. Without Cornfield running the offense, Arizona struggled with just 11 assists and 16 turnovers. Several players also got into foul trouble, including Kamryn Kitchen, Blessing 'Adde' Adebanjo, Daniah Trammell, and Achol Magot.

  • Arizona was already missing Montaya Dew and Micky Perdue heading into the road trip.
  • The initial player availability reports listed starting point guard Lani Cornfield and occasional starting forward Nora Francois as 'questionable'.
  • By the time the final availability report came out, Cornfield and Francois had joined Dew and Perdue as 'out'.

The players

Lani Cornfield

Arizona's starting point guard who was held out due to a "coach's decision".

Nora Francois

An occasional starting forward for Arizona who was also held out due to a "coach's decision".

Mya Perry

A star player for Cincinnati who was effective in the win.

Caliyah DeVillasee

Another star player for Cincinnati who was in the starting lineup.

Achol Magot

Arizona's center who had 8 points and 2 blocks in 14 minutes, but also struggled with foul trouble.

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What they’re saying

“That's just a coach's decision.”

— Adia Burke, Arizona Head Coach

“What I'm coaching defensively and what's happening...doesn't always go hand in hand. We have a fouling problem. We've had it all year. I mean, it's a them problem at this point. And I'm going to keep trying to coach them through and keep helping them out, but, I mean, it's just undisciplined. It's just, it's not acceptable, and it's going to keep happening if they don't fix it.”

— Adia Burke, Arizona Head Coach

“I just think she's been really good the last month, and really mature and just really aggressive. She's not out there tonight, we would be in major trouble. So just thought she's handled the adversity well, stepped up to the plate, done what we've asked her to do. And she's trying to do a lot by herself right now, which is not sustainable.”

— Adia Burke, Arizona Head Coach

What’s next

Arizona will look to rebound against rival Arizona State on Saturday. The Wildcats will need to address their defensive discipline and foul trouble issues in order to have a chance against the Sun Devils.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the ongoing challenges Arizona has faced this season with player availability and discipline. The Wildcats' inability to overcome the absences of key players and their struggles with fouls have been recurring problems that the coaching staff is working to resolve. As Arizona prepares to face rival Arizona State, they will need to find solutions to these issues in order to be competitive.