LAS VEGAS – The No. 23 Arizona State women's basketball team closed out the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout with a 54-41 win over St. John's on Saturday.
Sophie Brunner (15 points/7-10 FGs) and Quinn Dornstauder (12 points/5-8 FGs) combined for 27 points for the Sun Devils (3-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Brunner became the 22nd Sun Devil to reach 1,000 career points in the second quarter of Saturday's win.
Helping guide ASU's attack on Saturday was guard Reili Richardson. After leading ASU with 12 points in its game against No. 6 Maryland on Friday, Richardson came back with seven points, five assists and four steals on Saturday.
"I was happy to get the win today," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Obviously, we didn't pack our offense with us as much as we wanted to, but I thought that was a very gritty, tough win against St. John's. That's a good team that is going to be in the mix for the Big East Championship. The Big East is going to be strong this year, as we know since we played Marquette.
"I think it's a process for us this year and I think we're going take a lot from this weekend that we can work on when we get home. It's fun and we've had a number of coaches tell us we're going to be good. We all see the potential but we're just making mistakes that come with youth. Every day and every week hopefully we'll start to lessen those and when we do I think we can be a pretty awesome basketball team."
The Sun Devils shot 49 percent overall for the game, including 55 percent in the second and third quarters. During that 20-minute stretch the Sun Devils outscored St. John's 30-18. ASU's play in the middle quarters ultimately proved to be the difference in the game as the two teams were separated by only one point in the combined score of the first and fourth quarters (24-23 ASU). St. John's shot 32 percent for the afternoon, including 25 percent during the decisive second and third quarters.
Leading 14-12 after the first quarter, the Sun Devils extended out to a double-digit lead after scoring the first eight points of the second frame. Robbi Ryan and Kelsey Moos both connected from long range and Dornstauder followed with two free throws to put ASU up 22-12.
ASU held St. John's (2-3) scoreless for nearly six minutes, a stretch that started late in the first quarter and lasted until Kendyl Nunn's 3-pointer with 5:30 left in the first half.
The Sun Devils would outscore the Red Storm 16-7 in the second period to take a 30-19 lead at the half.
Brunner (five points) and Richardson (five points) combined for 10 of ASU's 14 points in the third quarter to help the Sun Devils enter the fourth quarter with a 44-30 lead.
The Sun Devils return to action next week when they host the annual ASU Classic. ASU will open tournament play on Saturday when it takes on Boston University at noon. The second game of Saturday's doubleheader will feature No. 16 Florida taking on Long Beach State (25 minutes after ASU vs. Boston U). Click here to purchase tickets to the ASU Classic.
Sophie Brunner (15 points/7-10 FGs) and Quinn Dornstauder (12 points/5-8 FGs) combined for 27 points for the Sun Devils (3-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Brunner became the 22nd Sun Devil to reach 1,000 career points in the second quarter of Saturday's win.
Helping guide ASU's attack on Saturday was guard Reili Richardson. After leading ASU with 12 points in its game against No. 6 Maryland on Friday, Richardson came back with seven points, five assists and four steals on Saturday.
"I was happy to get the win today," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Obviously, we didn't pack our offense with us as much as we wanted to, but I thought that was a very gritty, tough win against St. John's. That's a good team that is going to be in the mix for the Big East Championship. The Big East is going to be strong this year, as we know since we played Marquette.
"I think it's a process for us this year and I think we're going take a lot from this weekend that we can work on when we get home. It's fun and we've had a number of coaches tell us we're going to be good. We all see the potential but we're just making mistakes that come with youth. Every day and every week hopefully we'll start to lessen those and when we do I think we can be a pretty awesome basketball team."
The Sun Devils shot 49 percent overall for the game, including 55 percent in the second and third quarters. During that 20-minute stretch the Sun Devils outscored St. John's 30-18. ASU's play in the middle quarters ultimately proved to be the difference in the game as the two teams were separated by only one point in the combined score of the first and fourth quarters (24-23 ASU). St. John's shot 32 percent for the afternoon, including 25 percent during the decisive second and third quarters.
Leading 14-12 after the first quarter, the Sun Devils extended out to a double-digit lead after scoring the first eight points of the second frame. Robbi Ryan and Kelsey Moos both connected from long range and Dornstauder followed with two free throws to put ASU up 22-12.
ASU held St. John's (2-3) scoreless for nearly six minutes, a stretch that started late in the first quarter and lasted until Kendyl Nunn's 3-pointer with 5:30 left in the first half.
The Sun Devils would outscore the Red Storm 16-7 in the second period to take a 30-19 lead at the half.
Brunner (five points) and Richardson (five points) combined for 10 of ASU's 14 points in the third quarter to help the Sun Devils enter the fourth quarter with a 44-30 lead.
The Sun Devils return to action next week when they host the annual ASU Classic. ASU will open tournament play on Saturday when it takes on Boston University at noon. The second game of Saturday's doubleheader will feature No. 16 Florida taking on Long Beach State (25 minutes after ASU vs. Boston U). Click here to purchase tickets to the ASU Classic.