On the 127th birthday of basketball, the Arizona women’s basketball team had a party, routing NAU 71-47 on Friday in their non-conference finale.
It was a who’s who of basketball past and present. Arizona hosted Margaret Naismith Jonker, the great-granddaughter of basketball’s inventor, who has been in Tucson for the past few days promoting women’s participation in the game. She was joined by local celebrities and dignitaries, including Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, Lute Olson, Sean Miller and the Arizona men’s basketball team.
While UA gave Ms. Jonker a warm welcome, NAU was uncomfortable for 40 minutes, as the Wildcats successfully avenged last season’s 18-point road loss to the Lumberjacks.