TEMPE, Ariz. – Arnecia Hawkins scored a game-high 18 points to lead the No. 17 Arizona State women’s basketball team to a 69-46 win over CSUN on Monday afternoon.
A stifling defensive effort – CSUN scored a combined 13 points in the second and third quarters – and a balanced offensive attack were the main factors in helping the Sun Devils (9-3) win their sixth straight game.
Hawkins, who on Monday morning was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for her performance in ASU’s win over then-No. 10 Florida State last week, led the Sun Devils in scoring for the third straight game. Seven other players scored at least five points for the Sun Devils, led by senior Katie Hempen, who finished with nine.
ASU was dominant on defense and on the glass, scoring 33 points off 25 CSUN turnovers and scoring 21 points off 19 offensive rebounds. Sophie Brunner (seven points, five rebounds), Quinn Dornstauder (seven points, five rebounds), Hawkins and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (two points, five rebounds) all tied for the team lead with five rebounds.
CSUN (2-10) started off strong and led ASU 19-12 after a layup by Tessa Boagni with 1:48 remaining. But the Sun Devils closed the quarter on a 7-0 run and didn’t look back, ripping off a 20-4 run in the second quarter on their way to a 43-27 halftime lead. Hempen scored all nine of her points in the first half to lead the way.
ASU would continue to pour it on in the third quarter, outscoring the Matadors 17-5. Hawkins’ 3-pointer with 1:39 left in the third quarter gave the Sun Devils their largest lead of the game, 60-32.
In the second and third quarters the Sun Devils outscored the Matadors 41-13 and allowed CSUN to shoot only 25 percent from the floor (5-20).
Freshmen Sabrina Haines, Kianna Ibis and Armani Hawkins each notched a career-best three steals on Monday. The Sun Devils finished with 16 steals, while CSUN had only four. In addition, ASU had only eight turnovers for the game.
Serafina Maulupe led CSUN with 17 points and three assists, while Caroline Gilling, sister of former Sun Devil men’s basketball player Jonathan Gilling, added 11 points and four rebounds for the Matadors.
Up next for the Sun Devils is the Pac-12 Conference opener against the No. 19 California Golden Bears (8-2). The game will be played on Sat., Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.