• Box Score
  
• Coach Bonvicini's Quotes
  
• Player Quotes
  TUCSON, Ariz.The University of Arizona women's basketball team opened the 1999- 2000 season with its annual Red-Blue scrimmage where the Blue team cruised to a 69-51 win over the Red team on Sunday night.

The Blue team went on a 10-3 run in the first six minutes of the game and went into the lockerroom at halftime with a 12-point lead. The Red team pulled to within four at the end of the first half, but the Blue team began the second half with a 13-7 run, giving them a 51-35 lead. With 12:27 remaining in the game, the Red squad cut the Blue team's lead to 10, but the blue team made 5-of-6 from the line in the second half, and the team shot 43 percent from the field to seal the win.

"The Blue team did a very nice job tonight, especially its guards," head coach Joan Bonvicini said. "They looked for each other, and played very well on defense. The Red team did not play as well, though. We did get a lot of scoring from the perimeter players."

Sophomore forward Elizabeth Pickney led all scorers, and the Blue team, with 17 points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. Senior guard Felecity Willis handed in 13 points and eight assists, while sophomore guard Julie Brase scored 11 points and sophomore center LaKeisha Taylor pulled down 14 boards. Senior forward Tatum Brown led the Red team with 12 points and pulled down 18 rebounds. Senior guard Monika Crank added eight points, and senior forward Angela Lackey and freshman guard Krista Warren each contributed seven points.

"We are going to be much stronger this year inside. Liz (Pickney), LaKeisha Taylor and Tatum (Brown) rebounded very well for us tonight," Bonvicini said. "We have talked about this all preseason, being strong on the boards and getting second chances. There is an emphasis on that everyday in practice. We were weak in that area last year, but I think that we are going to be improved an awful lot there this year."

"We have a very deep team, so I don't mind sharing the minutes this year," Tatum Brown said. "It especially helps if someone gets tired or in foul trouble."

Arizona faces the SBC Prerov Czechoslovakia team on Friday, Nov. 5 in the first of two exhibition games before the team travels to Hawaii to open the regular season in the Hawaiian Regent Classic on Friday, Nov. 19.