LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophie Brunner scored 18 points including the game-winning basket with 5.5 seconds remaining to lift Arizona State to its second consecutive win over a ranked, SEC opponent as the Sun Devils upset No. 15 Kentucky 73-71 in overtime on Sunday.
Brunner scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and overtime and also added six rebounds and a career-high six assists for the Sun Devils (6-2), who came back to defeat then-No. 19 Florida last Sunday in the championship game of the ASU Classic.
Quinn Dornstauder added 15 points while Reili Richardson had 12 points and six assists in her first career start. Richardson was starting in place of fellow freshman guard Kiara Russell, who was injured in preparations leading up to Sunday's game and is currently being evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
The Sun Devils, who won their fourth straight game, were plus-nine on the boards, including a 14-7 advantage in offensive rebounds, which they were able to turn into 17 second-chance points. Kelsey Moos led ASU's rebounding effort with 10 to go along with seven points, two blocks and two steals.
Kentucky (7-3) was led by Maci Morris, who scored a game-high 29 points. Also posting double figures in scoring for the Wildcats were Taylor Murray (16 points) and Makayla Epps (14 points).
After trailing by as many as nine points in the second quarter and by seven at the half, the Sun Devils outscored the Wildcats 16-7 over the first 3:52 of the third quarter to take a 40-38 lead after Dornstauder's jumper. Kentucky would answer with a 10-0 run to go up 48-40, but Brunner scored the last four points of the quarter to get ASU within four entering the fourth quarter.
After a jumper by Epps gave Kentucky a 52-46 lead with 8:16 left, ASU would reel off eight straight points – two free throws by Dornstauder, a layup by Richardson, a jumper by Dornstauder and a tip in by Brunner – in a span of 3:05 to go up 54-52.
ASU would eventually extend its lead to three, but a 3-pointer by Makenzie Cann and a jumper by Morris put Kentucky back up 61-59 with 61 seconds left. Sabrina Haines, who scored nine points and had four rebounds, would come back with a jumper on ASU's ensuing possession to tie the score at 61-61. Neither team scored in the last 45 seconds and for the second straight year the two teams went to overtime.
The Sun Devils led by as many as four in the extra session after a 6-0 run put them up 69-65 with 2:20 left. Moos had a big role during the scoring burst as she accounted for two baskets, two rebounds and two blocks.
Kentucky would rally to tie the game again by scoring the next four points but ASU would reclaim the lead on a jumper by Robbi Ryan with 1:01 left.
Murray came back with a bucket and foul at the opposite end, but missed the free throw that would have given Kentucky the lead.
Richardson attempted to give ASU the lead with 12 seconds left, but missed her shot that was contested by two Wildcats. The stage was set for Brunner's heroics as she caught Moos' ensuing inbounds pass in the paint, made a quick move and – while falling to the floor – let go of the shot that gave ASU the lead with 5.5 seconds left.
Kentucky had a chance to tie or take the lead but Moos and Brunner forced Epps into a difficult shot from long distance at the buzzer.
The Sun Devils close out their current road trip on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. MT) when they play at Middle Tennessee.
Brunner scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and overtime and also added six rebounds and a career-high six assists for the Sun Devils (6-2), who came back to defeat then-No. 19 Florida last Sunday in the championship game of the ASU Classic.
Quinn Dornstauder added 15 points while Reili Richardson had 12 points and six assists in her first career start. Richardson was starting in place of fellow freshman guard Kiara Russell, who was injured in preparations leading up to Sunday's game and is currently being evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
The Sun Devils, who won their fourth straight game, were plus-nine on the boards, including a 14-7 advantage in offensive rebounds, which they were able to turn into 17 second-chance points. Kelsey Moos led ASU's rebounding effort with 10 to go along with seven points, two blocks and two steals.
Kentucky (7-3) was led by Maci Morris, who scored a game-high 29 points. Also posting double figures in scoring for the Wildcats were Taylor Murray (16 points) and Makayla Epps (14 points).
After trailing by as many as nine points in the second quarter and by seven at the half, the Sun Devils outscored the Wildcats 16-7 over the first 3:52 of the third quarter to take a 40-38 lead after Dornstauder's jumper. Kentucky would answer with a 10-0 run to go up 48-40, but Brunner scored the last four points of the quarter to get ASU within four entering the fourth quarter.
After a jumper by Epps gave Kentucky a 52-46 lead with 8:16 left, ASU would reel off eight straight points – two free throws by Dornstauder, a layup by Richardson, a jumper by Dornstauder and a tip in by Brunner – in a span of 3:05 to go up 54-52.
ASU would eventually extend its lead to three, but a 3-pointer by Makenzie Cann and a jumper by Morris put Kentucky back up 61-59 with 61 seconds left. Sabrina Haines, who scored nine points and had four rebounds, would come back with a jumper on ASU's ensuing possession to tie the score at 61-61. Neither team scored in the last 45 seconds and for the second straight year the two teams went to overtime.
The Sun Devils led by as many as four in the extra session after a 6-0 run put them up 69-65 with 2:20 left. Moos had a big role during the scoring burst as she accounted for two baskets, two rebounds and two blocks.
Kentucky would rally to tie the game again by scoring the next four points but ASU would reclaim the lead on a jumper by Robbi Ryan with 1:01 left.
Murray came back with a bucket and foul at the opposite end, but missed the free throw that would have given Kentucky the lead.
Richardson attempted to give ASU the lead with 12 seconds left, but missed her shot that was contested by two Wildcats. The stage was set for Brunner's heroics as she caught Moos' ensuing inbounds pass in the paint, made a quick move and – while falling to the floor – let go of the shot that gave ASU the lead with 5.5 seconds left.
Kentucky had a chance to tie or take the lead but Moos and Brunner forced Epps into a difficult shot from long distance at the buzzer.
The Sun Devils close out their current road trip on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. CT/5:30 p.m. MT) when they play at Middle Tennessee.