by Drew McCullough
Sun Devil Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz. — The No. 22 Arizona State women's basketball team suffered its first home loss of the season on Friday, falling to Utah 58-56 at Wells Fargo Arena. The Utes used a 26-13 fourth quarter to overcome an 11-point deficit and, with the win, move into a tie for fourth place in the Pac-12 with ASU.
Sophomore guard Robbi Ryan recorded 16 points, two rebounds and two assists on the day to lead the Sun Devils (13-6, 4-3 Pac-12), who dropped into a fourth-place tie in the Pac-12 with Utah (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12). Sophomore guard Reili Richardson posted 11 points and five rebounds for ASU, and redshirt junior guard Courtney Ekmark contributed five points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils.
The arena buzzed with energy, excitement and screaming children throughout the entire game, thanks in large part to the 12th annual "Sparky's Kids to College Field Trip Day," an initiative designed to introduce fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders to a college campus.
"It's always awesome," Sun Devil head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "It's a great event and it's an opportunity for these kids to come in and hopefully think about going to college.
"Some of them are probably going to be first-generation kids if they do go — that's part of the program," she said. "Hopefully expose them to college women's basketball, recruit a few new fans. It's always a big event and we're very grateful to Utah (for agreeing to let us do it)."
The Sun Devil players took notice of the overall atmosphere the children created as well.
"It was great, we love kids' day," Ryan said. "They bring a lot of energy, and we just really appreciate all our fans and everybody who comes to support us."
Added Ekmark: "The kids were awesome. It makes it fun to play when it's a loud gym."
The Sun Devils led 43-32 heading into the fourth quarter, but weren't able to keep up the same momentum and lockdown defense they displayed in the second and third quarters. During that same stretch ASU shot 45.5 percent from the field (15 for 33) and recorded 34 of its 56 total points. Additionally, the Sun Devils grabbed 23 rebounds, swiped six steals and dished out eight assists over those two quarters.
Ryan was ASU's star in the middle periods — scoring nine of her 16 total points — including a near-half-court buzzer-beater to end the first half.
ASU's defense was also a force to be reckoned with in the middle quarters, as the Sun Devils held the Utes to just 17 of their 58 total points and forced them to shoot a mere 28 percent from the field (7 for 25). ASU also forced Utah to turn the ball over 12 times during those two quarters.
The first and fourth quarters, however, proved to be the difference for the Utes, who scored 41 of their 58 total points in those quarters combined while shooting 45.5 percent from the field (15 for 33).
"You always go through one little stretch where it's kind of your funk stretch, and I feel like we're in that right now," Turner Thorne said. "Hopefully we can get out of it pretty quick here and start getting back to playing Sun Devil basketball and get on another streak and get going."
The Sun Devils will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon, as they host the Colorado Buffaloes at 2 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. The action can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona/Mountain, with Cindy Brunson and Drew Shiller on the call. The game can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and TuneIn Radio. Pregame coverage kicks off at 1:30 p.m.
Sun Devil Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz. — The No. 22 Arizona State women's basketball team suffered its first home loss of the season on Friday, falling to Utah 58-56 at Wells Fargo Arena. The Utes used a 26-13 fourth quarter to overcome an 11-point deficit and, with the win, move into a tie for fourth place in the Pac-12 with ASU.
Sophomore guard Robbi Ryan recorded 16 points, two rebounds and two assists on the day to lead the Sun Devils (13-6, 4-3 Pac-12), who dropped into a fourth-place tie in the Pac-12 with Utah (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12). Sophomore guard Reili Richardson posted 11 points and five rebounds for ASU, and redshirt junior guard Courtney Ekmark contributed five points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils.
The arena buzzed with energy, excitement and screaming children throughout the entire game, thanks in large part to the 12th annual "Sparky's Kids to College Field Trip Day," an initiative designed to introduce fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders to a college campus.
"It's always awesome," Sun Devil head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "It's a great event and it's an opportunity for these kids to come in and hopefully think about going to college.
"Some of them are probably going to be first-generation kids if they do go — that's part of the program," she said. "Hopefully expose them to college women's basketball, recruit a few new fans. It's always a big event and we're very grateful to Utah (for agreeing to let us do it)."
The Sun Devil players took notice of the overall atmosphere the children created as well.
"It was great, we love kids' day," Ryan said. "They bring a lot of energy, and we just really appreciate all our fans and everybody who comes to support us."
Added Ekmark: "The kids were awesome. It makes it fun to play when it's a loud gym."
The Sun Devils led 43-32 heading into the fourth quarter, but weren't able to keep up the same momentum and lockdown defense they displayed in the second and third quarters. During that same stretch ASU shot 45.5 percent from the field (15 for 33) and recorded 34 of its 56 total points. Additionally, the Sun Devils grabbed 23 rebounds, swiped six steals and dished out eight assists over those two quarters.
Ryan was ASU's star in the middle periods — scoring nine of her 16 total points — including a near-half-court buzzer-beater to end the first half.
ASU's defense was also a force to be reckoned with in the middle quarters, as the Sun Devils held the Utes to just 17 of their 58 total points and forced them to shoot a mere 28 percent from the field (7 for 25). ASU also forced Utah to turn the ball over 12 times during those two quarters.
The first and fourth quarters, however, proved to be the difference for the Utes, who scored 41 of their 58 total points in those quarters combined while shooting 45.5 percent from the field (15 for 33).
"You always go through one little stretch where it's kind of your funk stretch, and I feel like we're in that right now," Turner Thorne said. "Hopefully we can get out of it pretty quick here and start getting back to playing Sun Devil basketball and get on another streak and get going."
The Sun Devils will look to get back on track Sunday afternoon, as they host the Colorado Buffaloes at 2 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. The action can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona/Mountain, with Cindy Brunson and Drew Shiller on the call. The game can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 and TuneIn Radio. Pregame coverage kicks off at 1:30 p.m.