WHAT: Pac-12 Tournament Quarterfinal: No. 10 Arizona State (25-5, 16-2 Pac-12/#2 seed) vs. California (14-16, 4-14 Pac-12/#10 seed)
WHEN: Friday at 11:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. MT
WHERE: KeyArena/Seattle
TELEVISION: Pac-12 Network/Pac-12 Arizona
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 (coverage begins noon MT)
UP NEXT
The No. 10/11 Arizona State women’s basketball team opens play at the Pac-12 Tournament on Friday (11:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. MT) when it faces Cal (#10 seed 14-16, 4-14 Pac-12) in the first of four quarterfinal matchups.
The Sun Devils (25-5, 16-2 Pac-12) finished tied for first place with No. 8/8 Oregon State (25-4, 16-2) as Pac-12 regular season co-champions. OSU was awarded the top seed and ASU the No. 2 seed by virtue of OSU’s win over ASU on Feb. 1 in the only regular season meeting between the two teams in Corvallis, Oregon.
The Sun Devils entered the final day of the regular season last Sunday with a chance to win the Pac-12 regular season title outright by beating No. 14 UCLA. After grinding out a win at USC on Friday, the Sun Devils were not able to complete the weekend sweep as they fell to the Bruins, 74-61, just the second time ASU came up short on the road this season (11-2). The setback at UCLA, which snapped ASU’s seven-game winning streak, coupled with Oregon State’s win at Cal created the aforementioned tie for first place.
ASU junior center Quinn Dornstauder (24 points, 10-14 FGs, five rebounds), junior forward Sophie Brunner (10 points and career-high-tying marks of 13 rebounds and 5 assists) and senior guard Katie Hempen (12 points/9-10 FTs) helped the Sun Devils stay within striking distance after falling behind by as many as 17. They would get as close as five points twice in the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer.
TELEVISION/RADIOASU’s quarterfinal game can be seen on Pac-12 Network/Pac-12 Arizona. Anne Marie Anderson (play by play) and Tammy Blackburn (analysis) will call Friday’s game with Jill Savage reporting from the sidelines. Both of Saturday’s semifinal matchups will also be shown by Pac-12 Networks. Sunday’s championship game will be broadcast by ESPN.
The game can also be heard on Sun Devil WBB’s radio partner on the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network presented by MidFirst, NBC Sports Radio AM 1060. Coverage of ASU’s quarterfinal game on Friday will begin at noon in the Valley. Coverage of subsequent games will begin 30 minutes before game time. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona’s 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 12th season as the voice of ASU women’s basketball.
SERIES NOTES VS. CAL
• ASU has faced Cal more times than any other team since the 2005-06 season (24x - each team has won 12). That series includes four meetings in the Pac-12 Tournament over a five-season stretch (2007-11). The Sun Devils won the front end of the series each of the last two years, coming away with a 68-59 win in Tempe in 2014 and a 67-52 win in Berkeley in 2015. Cal won each of the rematches, 74-63 in Berkeley in 2014 and 50-49 in Tempe in 2015. The Sun Devils swept the two regular seasons contests in 2015-16. Sophie Brunner had 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and a career-high-tying five assists in ASU’s 57-49 win on Jan. 4 in Tempe. Katie Hempen and Quinn Dornstauder added 14 points each for the Sun Devils, who forced Cal into 26 turnovers (ASU converted them into 20 points) and held the Bears 33 points below their scoring average (82.2 points). In the rematch in Berkeley on Feb. 12, Hempen scored 14 of her game-high 17 points in the second half to help lead ASU to a 64-49 win. Brunner (scored all 11 of her points in the second half, seven rebounds) and Arnecia Hawkins (10 points) also scored in double figures for the Sun Devils, who outscored Cal 22-11 in the third quarter to break open what was a tie game at the half.
ASU IN THE PAC-12 TOURNAMENT
• ASU has advanced to the championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament three times (2002, 2005 and 2007). They won the inaugural Pac-10 Tournament title in 2002, upsetting Stanford 70-63 in the championship game. Current Sun Devil associate head coach Amanda Levens played on the 2002 team that claimed the tournament title... ASU also played in the championship game in 2005 (Stanford won 56-42) and again in 2007 (Stanford won 62-55).
• This will be the fourth time the Sun Devils have been the No. 2 seed in the Tournament. In 2006 they came up two points short of advancing to the championship game, falling to UCLA, 60-59 in the semifinals… ASU earned a No. 2 seed again in 2007. They started with a win over UCLA in the quarterfinals before coming through with a hard-fought win over Cal in the semifinals. In the championship game the Sun Devils nearly pulled off a late comeback before falling to Stanford, 62-55… The Sun Devils claimed the No. 2 seed again last season after a 15-3 record in Pac-12 play. A win over Washington State in the quarterfinals led to a matchup with Stanford in the semifinals. After defeating the Cardinal twice in the regular season, the Sun Devils ran into a Stanford squad determined not to let history repeat itself. The Cardinal led by 13 with less than nine minutes remaining. It was then that the Sun Devils launched a furious rally and eventually took a 56-55 lead with 2:19 left. Unfortunately for the Sun Devils, their offense would stall as Stanford scored the last four points of the game for a 59-56 win.
• ASU has played Cal (5x) and Stanford (5x) more than any other team in the Tournament. Three of ASU’s meetings against Stanford have been in the title game.
CHARLI TURNER THORNE NAMED 2016 PAC-12 COACH OF THE YEAR
Arizona State University head women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne was named the John R. Wooden Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, according to an announcement by the Pac-12 on Feb. 29. Turner Thorne was voted coach of the year by the league’s head coaches.
This season Turner Thorne led ASU to its first regular season Pac-12 title since 2001. Along the way the team has had several remarkable accomplishments, including:
• Tying the school record for consecutive wins (15).
• Setting a new school record for most road wins (11).
• Tying the program’s highest AP Top 25 ranking in school history (No. 8).
• Setting a new program benchmark for best conference start (9-0), surpassing the previous standard of 7-0 set last season.
• Led or shared the top spot in the Pac-12 from start to finish in a season in which the conference was ranked No. 1 in the RPI for much of the year.
• Posted six wins over Top 25 teams, including No. 9 Stanford & No. 10 Florida State.
• Off the court, the team is coming off a year in which it had the No. 7 cumulative GPA in the country.
Earlier this season Turner Thorne, who also earned Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors in 2001, recorded the 400th win of her career (includes 40 wins at NAU) and last month she recorded the her 200th Pac-12 win.
The all-time winningest coach in program history and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in career wins (379), Turner Thorne has led the Sun Devils to the NCAA Tournament 10 times, including a pair of Elite Eight appearances. Last season the Sun Devils advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament where they came within two points of once again advancing to the Elite Eight.
Turner Thorne was also named Pac-12 Coach of the Year by the media on Mar. 2.
SUN DEVILS PLACE A SCHOOL RECORD THREE PLAYERS ON PAC-12’S ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Arizona State University women’s basketball players Sophie Brunner, Elisha Davis, Sabrina Haines, Katie Hempen and Kelsey Moos were recognized by the Pac-12 on Monday as the conference announced its annual awards for the 2015-16 season as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Brunner, Davis and Hempen were named to the conference’s 15-member All-Pac-12 Team. Davis (Pac-12 All-Defensive Team), Brunner (Pac-12 Defensive honorable mention) and Moos (Pac-12 Defensive honorable mention) were recognized for their exceptional contributions on the defensive end and Haines was named All-Freshman honorable mention.
All five players have played a major role in helping the No. 10 Sun Devils finish as regular season Pac-12 co-champions, the program’s first league title since 2001.
Brunner (All-Conference) and Davis (All-Defensive Team) were also recognized by the media that cover the league.
IN CASE YOU ARE JUST JOINING US... WHERE WE ARE...
• This season ASU has tied the program records for most conference wins (16) and consecutive wins (15) and set the program record for most road wins (15) . The Sun Devils shared the regular season conference title with Oregon State as both teams went 16-2.
• As of March 2 ASU is No. 8 in the NCAA RPI. The Sun Devils are one of six Pac-12 teams among the top 55: Stanford: 7, ASU: 8, Oregon State: 9, UCLA: 10, Washington: 34 and USC: 55. On Feb. 1 the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Sport Committee unveiled the first of three February top-10 rankings in seed order. The Sun Devils were No. 7 on the initial list (Feb. 1). They were No. 8 on the second presentation of rankings (Feb. 15) and No. 7 on the third and final release (Feb. 29).
• ASU is 31-5 in Pac-12 games going back to last season. Prior to its loss at Oregon State on Feb. 1, ASU’s 9-0 record in Pac-12 play was its best conference start in program history (surpassed last season’s 7-0 start). The Sun Devils are currently in the midst of their third consecutive 20-win season and the program’s 12th since the 2000-01 season. Of the 14 previous 20-win seasons the Sun Devils have had in program history, 10 have come under the direction of head coach Charli Turner Thorne.
• ASU concluded the regular season ranked in the top third of the Pac-12 in rebounding defense (1st/31.5 rpg), offensive rebounds (2nd/13.6 rpg), scoring defense (3rd/53.7 ppg/17th in the nation), 3-point FG pct. defense (3rd/29.3), turnover margin (3rd/+3.1), rebounding margin (4th/+5.4), FT pct. (4th/72.1), assists (4th/14.9 apg) and steals (4th/8.9 spg).
• ASU has won the battle of the boards in 23 of 30 games.
• ASU has had 15 or fewer turnovers 17 times this season. Last season the Sun Devils set the school record for fewest turnover per game (14.3). ASU is currently averaging 14.7 through 30 games.
• In the last three seasons the Sun Devils are 25-6 in games decided by five points or less and/or overtime.
WHERE WE’VE BEEN...
• ASU started the season ranked 15th in both the AP media poll and the USA Today Coaches’ poll. After seven games and a 4-3 record, the Sun Devils were ranked as low as No. 24 in the AP poll on Dec. 7. A 10-game winning streak eventually propelled them into the AP Top 10 on Jan. 11 (No. 10). On Jan. 18 (12 straight wins) they moved up to No. 8 tying the highest AP ranking in program history. On Feb. 8 they fell one spot to No. 9 after their school record-tying 15-game winning streak was snapped in a loss at Oregon State (Feb. 1). They remained No. 9 throughout their seven-game winning streak before falling to No. 10 after their loss at No. 14 UCLA in the regular season finale.
• ASU went unbeaten for nearly two months (Dec. 6 - Feb. 1) as it tied the school record for consecutive wins (15) before falling at Oregon State, 67-44. After the loss to the Beavers the Sun Devils won their next seven games before being upset at No. 14 UCLA, 74-61, in the regular season finale. ASU’s most recent winning streak represents the 24th time since 2001 that it has had a winning streak of five or more games. Included in those streaks are a 10-game winning streak in 2013-14, a 14-game winning streak last season and this season’s school-record-tying 15-game winning streak.
• On Dec. 14, 2015, ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne recorded her 400th career win following ASU’s 60-29 win at Hartford.
• After finishing the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 9-3 record, ASU is 31-5 in non-conference games the last three seasons.
• On Dec. 12, 2015, the Sun Devils won at Syracuse 61-54 and ended the Orange’s 72-game non-conference home court winning streak.
• With its sweep of Stanford (49-31 in Tempe/63-61 - OT at Stanford) ASU became the first Pac-12 school to sweep Stanford in the regular season in consecutive years.
• Two of ASU’s four losses – vs. current No. 13 Kentucky (68-64 in OT on Nov. 15) and vs. current No. 3 South Carolina (60-58 on Nov. 27 in Hawaii) – were by a combined six points.
HOW DID THE STORY BEGIN?
• ASU returned nine players, including four starters – senior guards Katie Hempen and Elisha Davis and junior posts Sophie Brunner and Kelsey Moos – from last year’s team that finished with 29 wins (second most in team history) and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Brunner (Pan American Games – silver medal) and Hempen (World University Games – gold medal) both earned medals last July while competing for USA Basketball. Also earning a medal was junior center Quinn Dornstauder (Canada), who brought back a silver medal from the World University Games.
• ASU was picked to finish third in the Pac-12 by the league’s coaches (1. Oregon State 2. Stanford 3. ASU) and second by the media who cover the league (1. Oregon State 2. ASU). Junior forward Sophie Brunner was selected to the media’s preseason All-Pac-12 team.
TEAM NOTES
• Seven different Sun Devils have led or tied for the team lead in scoring this season: Quinn Dornstauder (9x), Sophie Brunner (7x), Katie Hempen (7x), Arnecia Hawkins (6x), Kelsey Moos (2x), Elisha Davis (1x) and Sabrina Haines (1x).
• Both of ASU’s starting forwards – Kelsey Moos and Sophie Brunner were injured in the second half of ASU’s 60-58 loss vs. South Carolina in Hawaii on Nov. 27. Moos would go on to miss four games (returned at Syracuse on Dec. 12) and Brunner missed six games (returned vs. Marquette on Dec. 19). Moos also missed ASU’s contest vs. CSUN on Dec. 28.
• Brunner, who was named espnW’s National Player of the Week on Jan. 10, currently leads the team in scoring (10.7 ppg), rebounds (7.4 rpg), FG pct (54.2) and steals (1.8 spg) and is 3rd in assists (1.8 apg). In her last five games Brunner has averaged 11.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg and has connected on 60 percent of her shots (21-35). Last month, Brunner’s last-second heroics helped the Sun Devils come away with wins against USC (3-point play with 1.4 seconds left gave ASU a 69-68 win) and at Stanford (fadeaway jumper at the buzzer gave ASU 63-61 win in OT). Brunner’s seven steals vs. Arizona on Jan. 22 tied the single-game high in the Pac-12 during the regular season. Last season Brunner had eight steals vs. Colorado, the most of any player in the Pac-12 in 2014-15.
• Moos is second in rebounding (6.1 rpg) & FG pct. (44.2) and is third in steals (1.5 spg). She has scored in double figures 5 times, including a season-high 17 points at Oregon (Jan. 29), a game in which she hit a career high three 3-pointers. Moos has grabbed eight or more rebounds eight times this season, including four times in ASU’s last six games. In the three games she has scored in double figures – 13 at Syracuse, 12 vs. Utah and 17 at Oregon – Moos has shot 59 percent from the floor (13-22).
• On Feb. 5, senior Katie Hempen (currently with 178 3-pointers) passed Kylan Loney (161 - 2002-05) as ASU’s all-time leader in career 3-pointers. Hempen (started 72 of 98 games at ASU/65 straight starts), who is currently third on the team in scoring (9.4 ppg), has connected on 43.3 percent of her 3-pointers this season (3rd in the Pac-12). Hempen shot 51 percent (18-35) from long range during ASU’s recent seven-game winning streak. She needs 24 points to reach 1,000 at ASU (including her freshman season at SIUE, Hempen has 1,266 points).
• Senior guard Elisha Davis (started 69/129 career games/67 straight starts) is No. 2 on ASU’s all-time list for career assists (466). Current Indiana Fever guard Briann January (2006-09) is ASU’s all-time assists leader (534). Last month Davis was named one of 30 candidates for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award® in women’s basketball.
• ASU’s leading scorer off the bench last season, starting junior center Quinn Dornstauder is currently second on the team in scoring (9.7 ppg). She has accounted for the team’s top two single-game scoring totals in ASU’s last three games after dropping in a career-high 25 points vs. Washington (Feb. 21) and then 24 points at UCLA (Feb. 28). On Feb. 11, Dornstauder was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Women’s Basketball Team and is now in consideration for Academic All-America honors.
• With the earlier injuries to Brunner and Moos, senior guard Arnecia Hawkins stepped up to help fill the offensive void. During an earlier 10-game stretch (eight starts), Hawkins led ASU in scoring average (12.1 ppg) while connecting on 52 percent of her shots. Hawkins was named the Ann Meyers Drysdale Women’s National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Player of the Week for her performance in ASU’s 68-56 upset of No. 10 Florida State (Dec. 21) as she scored a career-high 23 points (13 in the fourth quarter) while making all seven of her field goal attempts (including a trio of 3-ptrs). Hawkins has scored in double figures 13 times this season.
• Freshman guard Sabrina Haines leads ASU’s first-year players in scoring (5.3 ppg) and leads the team in FT percentage (86.0). She has scored in double figures four times, including a career-high 19 points in ASU’s win at Washington State (Jan. 10).
• Freshman forward Kianna Ibis has connected on 67 percent of her shots (12-18) in ASU’s last six games. She has scored a career-high eight points twice in that span. In ASU’s 50-45 win at USC (Feb. 26), Ibis dropped in eight points and grabbed a career-high seven rebounds.
SUN DEVIL WBB EARNS NO. 7 RANKING IN WBCA ACADEMIC TOP 25
The Arizona State University women’s basketball team was among the top 10 women’s basketball programs in the classroom in 2014-15. The Sun Devil women’s basketball team’s combined team GPA of 3.558 was No. 7 among NCAA Division I institutions, according to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s (WBCA) 2015 Academic Team Honor Rolls, announced this past July. ASU was one of only seven schools among the WBCA’s Top 25 that also participated in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. On the court, the Sun Devils recorded the best finish of schools appearing in the WBCA’s Top 25 after advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Since the 1996-97 season (Charli Turner Thorne’s first season at ASU) ASU leads the Pac-12 in the number of first-team All-Academic conference awards (17) and the combined number of first- and second-team All-Academic conference awards (37).
DOMINANT DEVIL DEFENSE
One of the hallmarks of the Sun Devils women’s basketball team’s success during Charli Turner Thorne’s tenure at ASU has been great defense. Whether its offense is firing on all cylinders or not, ASU’s outstanding defense always gives it a shot to come out on top. Through 29 games, this year’s squad has continued the tradition of keeping the opposition’s offense in check. On average, opposing teams have scored 16.9 points under their scoring average when facing ASU. In fact, only one opponent (Marquette), scored more points than what it averaged coming into its game vs. ASU. Some of the Devils’ most impressive defensive performances this season include...
• ASU has held the opposition to a single-digit point total in a quarter 33 times this season times this season and 25 or fewer points in a half 24 times. The six points Hartford scored in the first half against ASU on Dec. 14 represented the fewest points ASU has ever allowed in a half. The 31 points Stanford scored against ASU (Jan, 4) represented the Cardinal’s lowest single-game point total in school history.
• Held (then) second-ranked South Carolina 17.4 points below its scoring average.
• Set the school record for fewest points allowed in a half (6) at Hartford.
• Florida State scored 21.7 points below its average and tied its lowest output in a quarter (9 points) against ASU.
• Held Stanford to its fewest points in school history (31) in 49-31 win.
• Turned a 27-20 halftime deficit at Oregon (Jan. 29) into a 46-33 lead after outscoring the Ducks 26-6 in the third quarter.
Other defensive notes...
• The opposition has shot below 30 percent from 3-point range 16 times.
• On average the Sun Devils are scoring 17.1 points per game off turnovers by the opposition. They have scored 20 or more points off turnovers 10 times.
• ASU has held the opposition to a single-digit point total in a quarter 33 times this season times this season and 25 or fewer points in a half 24 times.
• ASU has forced 20 or more turnovers 11 times. ASU forced a season-high 27 turnovers vs. Arizona (Jan. 22).
• Marquette (80), Washington (61), Oregon State (67), USC (68) and UCLA (61/74) are ASU’s only opponents that have scored more than 60 points in regulation (Kentucky & Stanford both went over 60 points in overtime).
CHARLI TURNER THORNE HAS SUN DEVIL WBB AMONG NATION’S ELITE
The all-time winningest coach in program history and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in career wins (379), 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Charli Turner Thorne has turned Sun Devil women’s basketball into one of the nation’s premiere programs since taking over in 1996-97. Included in ASU’s earlier run of 13 consecutive postseason appearances (2000-12) were a school record five-consecutive NCAA Tournament bids from 2005-09. During that time the Sun Devils qualified for the Elite Eight on a pair of occasions, making ASU one of only 15 programs in the country to have qualified for the Elite Eight at least two times between 2007-12.
In 2013-14 Turner Thorne raised the curtain on the team’s current era of success as she helped the Sun Devils post one of the best turnarounds in the country as they went from a 13-18 record and a ninth-place Pac-12 finish (5-13) in 2012-13 to a 23-10 record and fourth-place Pac-12 finish (11-7). Included among ASU’s 23 wins in 2013-14 were three triumphs over Top 25 teams.
Last season Turner Thorne was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year for a season in which she led the Sun Devils to their best start in school history (18-1), their best conference start in school history (7-0), a second-place finish in the Pac-12 and 29 wins, the second-highest number of wins in school history.
Under Turner Thorne’s leadership the program is ascending to even greater heights this season. In the month of January alone the Sun Devils posted the best conference start in school history (9-0), equalled the highest AP ranking in school history (No. 8) and matched the school record for consecutive wins (15). Most recently they clinched their first Pac-12 regular season championship since 2001.
On December 14, 2015, Turner Thorne added another milestone as she won her 400th career game (360 at ASU and 40 at Northern Arizona).
The outstanding success Sun Devil women’s basketball has enjoyed under Turner Thorne is a 180-degree difference from the program that had an aggregate record of 20-60 in the three years prior to her arrival and only two NCAA Tournament wins in its history. Last season, Turner Thorne led the Sun Devils to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in her ASU tenure.
FORMER SUN DEVIL BRIANN JANUARY NAMED TO PAC-12 ALL-CENTURY TEAM
Former Arizona State University women’s basketball standout Briann January was named to the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball All-Century Team according to an announcement by the Pac-12 on Feb. 29..
Sixty-one panelists, consisting of media members, Pac-12 staff, coaches and players, were responsible for the selection of the team. Each panelist ranked their top twelve in each category, with their top selection receiving 12 points, their second selection receiving 11 points, etc. The points were then tallied across the entire panel, and the top vote-getters formed the All-Century Team. Only players who were active at their university while the university was a member of the Pac-12 were eligible.
January, one of eight ‘starting guards’ named to the All-Century Team, ended her stint as a Sun Devil at or near the top of several ASU career statistical categories including assists (first), free throw percentage (first), steals (second), free throws (second), 3-point field goal percentage (fourth), 3-point field goals (fifth) and points (seventh).
A two-time Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, January earned honorable mention All-America recognition from the Associated Press and WBCA in 2009. During her four-year career the Sun Devils won 77 percent of their games (104-32), including 82 percent of their Pac-10 games (59-13), and qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four years, including two Elite Eight appearances (2007, ‘09).
January was selected by the Fever with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft. In that time she has played a major role in helping Indiana earn three trips to the WNBA Finals. January is coming off a 2015 campaign in which she shot career highs in field goal percentage (42.6 percent) and 3-point percentage (43.1 percent) while connecting on 84.5 percent of her free throw attempts. The Fever made it to the WNBA Finals last season where they were edged by Minnesota in five games (3-2). January averaged 15.4 points in the series.
In 2014 January was named to the East All-Star Team for the WNBA’s annual All-Star Game that was played in Phoenix. In 2012, January averaged 10.0 ppg in the WNBA Finals to help lead the Fever over the Minnesota Lynx for the WNBA title. As a rookie in 2009, January had an immediate impact as Indiana made its first WNBA finals appearance.
Most recently, January was one of 25 athletes named as finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team.
SUN DEVIL WBB SIGNS TOP 10 CLASS FOR NEXT SEASON
On Nov. 11, 2015, Arizona State University head women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne announced the signing of five student-athletes – Sydney Goodson, Reili Richardson, Jamie Ruden, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan – whose outstanding ability, talent and potential for immediate impact have the signing class ranked among the top 10 in the country by espnW HoopGurlz.
Goodson, a 5-8 guard, will be joining the Sun Devils from Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, where she has already led her team to a pair of TAPPS Class 5A state title game appearances. After a runner-up finish in 2013, the Lady Warriors came away with the title in 2015 as Goodson averaged 12.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals on her way to earning First-Team All-State honors and being named the District’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Richardson will be coming to ASU from Brea Olinda High School in Brea, California. The 5-9 guard averaged 17.4 points as a junior while earning numerous awards, including MaxPreps 2014-15 California All-State Division 3 Second-Team recognition, Southern Section All-Open Division Team and Orange County Register All-County First-Team honors.
A 6-1 post, who has incredible versatility, Ruden has averaged 20 or more points each of the last three seasons for John Marshall High School (Rochester, Minnesota). Ruden is coming off a junior campaign in which she earned AP First-Team All-State and Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association Class 4A All-State recognition after averaging 23 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game in leading John Marshall to a 27-2 record and a state runner-up finish.
Also coming to ASU from the North Star State is Russell, a 5-8 guard out of Osseo High School in Osseo, Minnesota. Like Ruden, Russell also earned 2015 Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association Class 4A All-State honors after a spectacular junior campaign in which she averaged 23.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.8 steals.
A 5-9 guard, Ryan enters the 2015-16 season as the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Wyoming, where she has enjoyed a prolific career at Sheridan High School (Sheridan, Wyoming). Named to the All-State team in each of her first three seasons, Ryan has twice been invited to the U17 Olympic trials for women’s basketball and has also competed in the Chicago Nike National Invitation Tournament.
2014-15 RECAP
• ASU made its 13th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament (its 10th under head coach Charli Turner Thorne) and earned a No. 3 seed in the Greensboro Regional (tied highest NCAA seed in school history)... ASU got off to its best start (18-1) and conference start (7-0) in school history. In addition, ASU reached 20 wins faster than any team in program history (22 games)... ASU’s 14-game winning streak (started on Nov. 30 and ended on Jan. 25) was its second longest in school history. Only the 2008-09 team won more games in succession (15)… Tied the 2006-07 squad for the best road record in school history (10-1)… Finished among the nation’s Top 30 teams in 3-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense (4th/25.4), Scoring Defense (21st/55.9 ppg), 3-Point Field Goal Percentage (22nd/36.1), Field Goal Percentage (27th/44.0) and Scoring Margin (27th/+11.0... Set the school record for fewest turnovers per game (14.3). Eclipsed the previous record (16.4 by the 2011-12 team) by more than two turnovers per game... Gave up nearly 10 fewer points per game (9.8) in 2014-15 (55.9) compared to the 2013-14 team (65.7).