WHAT: No. 21/19 Sun Devil WBB (8-2) vs. Holy Cross (2-8)
WHEN: Wednesday at 5 p.m. MT
WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena • Tempe, Arizona • Click here to purchase tickets
PROMOTION: Maroon Monsoon T-shirt Giveaway
LIVE VIDEO: http://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
LIVE AUDIO: TuneIn.com
UP NEXT
Winners of its last six contests, the No. 21/19 Arizona State women's basketball team (8-2) closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule on Wednesday (5 p.m. MT) when it hosts Holy Cross (2-8) at Wells Fargo Arena.
Wednesday's game is the second of four consecutive the Sun Devils are playing at home. When they return from the holiday break they will open up Pac-12 play with home games against No. 14 (AP & USA Today coaches polls) Stanford on Dec. 30 and No. 20 (coaches poll) California on New Year's Day.
A victory on Wednesday would be ASU's 40th non-conference, regular-season win in the last four seasons. Going back to the 1986-87 season – the first season of Pac-10/Pac-12 play – ASU's current non-conference win total of 39 the last four seasons is by far the most in that span of time in program history (the next highest total is 33 games done three times: 2003-06/2004-07/2005-08).
The Sun Devils' current six-game winning streak represents the 24th time since 2001 that they have had a winning streak of five or more games. The program is currently in the midst of an unprecedented period in program history in which it has had a double-digit winning streak three straight seasons: 2013-14: 10, 2014-15: 14, 2015-16: 15. The 2014-15 team came within a win of tying the school record of 15 straight, a feat achieved by last year's team. Speaking of winning streaks, the Sun Devils will look to continue their recent trend of building momentum going into conference play. The 2013-14 team won 10 straight, the 2014-15 team won seven straight and last season ASU brought a six-game winning streak into Pac-12 play.
During its current six-game winning streak the Sun Devils are shooting 49 percent from the floor, are +11.8 on the boards and have a +6.7 advantage in assists per game. ASU's advantage on the boards has been especially telling on the offensive glass where they have grabbed twice as many rebounds as the opposition (82-41). The Sun Devils have taken full advantage of the extra opportunities as they have a 78-24 advantage in second-chance points over the last six games.
Leading the way on the offensive end during ASU's current winning streak have been senior posts Sophie Brunner (13.2 ppg/33-50 FGs - 66 percent) and Quinn Dornstauder (10.8 ppg/28-46 FGs - 61 percent), who have combined to average 24.0 ppg and shoot a collective 63.5 percent (61-96) from the floor. Dornstauder (4-4 FGs, nine points) and Brunner (4-4 FGs, eight points) did not miss a shot and combined for 17 of ASU's 30 points in the fourth quarter of ASU's come-from-behind win over Florida on Dec. 4. Brunner scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and overtime of ASU's win at Kentucky on Dec. 11. She did not miss a shot (7-7) in the first half of ASU's win over Oral Roberts on Saturday in which she notched her second double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) of the season. Brunner (6.8 rpg), Kelsey Moos (6.2 rpg) and Dornstauder (4.3 rpg) are leading ASU's rebounding effort during the winning streak.
COVERAGE
Wednesday's game vs. Holy Cross will be streamed at http://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. The game can also be heard live on the Sun Devil Athletics Tune-In Channel. Pre-game will begin at 4:30 p.m. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 13th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
SERIES NOTES
ASU has been victorious in each of its prior two meetings against Holy Cross, winning 67-49 on December 19, 1995 in a game that took place in Anchorage, Alaska, and again 81-56 on December 20, 2003 at Holy Cross.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• This year's Sun Devil squad returns three senior starters – posts Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder and Kelsey Moos – from the 2015-16 team that captured a share of the Pac-12 regular season title, won 26 games (tied for third-highest win total in program history) and went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest placement in program history. In addition, 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Charli Turner Thorne also welcomes a five-member freshman class – Sydney Goodson, Reili Richardson, Jamie Ruden, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan – that was ranked among the nation's top 10 signing classes when it was announced last fall, and Sara Hattis, a graduate post who will be eligible to play this season after transferring to ASU from the University of Texas in May.
• As of Dec. 20, ASU ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in 3-point FG pct. defense (first/21.5 percent), rebounding defense (first/27.8 rpg), scoring defense (third/55.2 ppg) and offensive rebounds (third/15.5 rpg). Brunner currently ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (3.3 rpg), fifth in field goal percentage (58.0) and 12th in rebounding (6.2 rpg), Dornstauder is ninth in field goal percentage (52.2), Richardson is 12th in free throw percentage (74.1) and 13th in assists (4.1 apg) and Moos is 11th in steals (1.7 spg).
• ASU has shot 55.8 percent from the floor in its last two games. Another shooting percentage note from current winning streak: The Sun Devils were 13-14 from the floor in the fourth quarter of their come-from-behind win over Florida (Dec. 4), a game they trailed by 12 entering the final period. In their win at Kentucky (Dec. 11) they were 6-8 from the floor in OT. In short, when it mattered most in their consecutive wins over ranked teams the Sun Devils shot a combined 86 percent (19-22).
• In November Sophie Brunner became the 22nd Sun Devil to reach 1,000 career points. On Dec. 4 Brunner was named the ASU Classic MVP for the third time in her four-year Sun Devil career after averaging 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals while connecting on 62.5 percent of her field goals during the two-game tournament. She collected her 17th career double-double in ASU's win over Oral Roberts (Dec. 17).
• Dornstauder (99 career blocks) needs one block to move into a tie for third place (100/Becca Tobin/2008-11). Kali Bennett (165 blocks/2010-12) is in second place.
• Moos has 18 assists and only three turnovers during ASU's current winning streak. Moos has established new single-game career highs for assists (8) and steals (6) and tied a career high with three 3-pointers.
• Reili Richardson (27 assists) and Sabrina Haines (22) have combined for 49 of ASU 101 assists during its current winning streak. Richardson has started each of ASU's last three games at point guard after Kiara Russell was injured in preparations leading up to ASU's game at Kentucky. Russell, who has missed each of ASU's last three games, is currently being evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
• Sophomore forward Kianna Ibis is shooting 54 percent (19-35) from the floor in ASU's last five games. She scored 13 points (one short of tying career high) in ASU's win over Oral Roberts (Dec. 17).
• ASU's five member freshman class – Sydney Goodson, Reili Richardson, Jamie Ruden, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan – combined for 60 points and 19 assists the first two wins of the season. Richardson was named the Pac-12's Freshman of the Week after averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 assists while connecting on 58 percent of her shots in the two wins. Richardson, who had seven points and seven assists in her Sun Devil debut, tied fellow freshman Robbi Ryan with a game-high 11 points (4-7 FGs) to go along with four assists in ASU's 82-37 win over San Jose State. Ryan scored 19 points in ASU's loss at Marquette (Nov. 19). The 19 points represent the most scored by a Sun Devil this season. Ryan also led ASU in scoring (13 points) in its win at Middle Tennessee (Dec. 13). Russell started the first six games at point guard before getting injured during the week of preparation for ASU's game at Kentucky (Dec. 11). Richardson got her first career start against the Wildcats and accounted for 12 points, six assists and four rebounds while playing 40-plus minutes. She has averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists in the three games she has started.
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
• ASU shot over 50 percent from the field for the second consecutive game en route to a 79-52 victory over Oral Roberts on Saturday,
• Four Sun Devils reached double digits in scoring, led by Sophie Brunner's second double-double of the season as she led all players with 18 points and 10 rebounds Reili Richardson and Quinn Dornstauder posted 11 and 10 points, respectively. Kianna Ibis came off the bench to the tune of a season-best 13 points, helping the Sun Devils to a 34-16 advantage in bench scoring.
• The Sun Devils (8-2) absolutely dominated the boards, outrebounding the Golden Eagles, 43-16 – a plus-27 margin that was ASU's largest of the season. It was also notable as ORU (7-5) entered the contest leading its conference in total rebounds and rebounds per game, averaging 42.6 coming into the contest.
SUN DEVIL WBB JUST AS SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM AS IT IS ON THE COURT
For the Fall 2016 semester the Sun Devil WBB team turned in an extraordinary effort in the classroom that resulted in a 3.63 team GPA. Every player on the roster has a cumulative GPA about 3.0, including nine players with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher.
Since the 1996-97 season, Turner Thorne's first season at ASU, the Sun Devils lead the Pac-12 in the number of first-team All-Academic conference awards (19) and the combined number of first- and second-team All-Academic conference awards (40). In 2014-15 ASU's team GPA (3.558) was No. 7 on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) 2015 Academic Honor Roll.
BRUNNER NOMINATED FOR WBCA/ALLSTATE GOOD WORKS TEAM
Arizona State University women's basketball's Sophie Brunner was one of 97 women's basketball student-athletes recently named as nominees for the 2017 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team®. The esteemed award honors an outstanding group of student-athletes who represent the sport's finest in the areas of community service and leadership among their peers.
The Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® recognizes players at all levels of college basketball whose charitable involvement and altruistic acts stand out amongst all other student-athletes participating in the sport.
Brunner's selfless and giving attitude has been on display since her freshman year when she volunteered to be a frequent participant in the Sun Devil women's basketball team's Character Code program. Since that time Brunner, who was also a nominee for the Good Works Team in 2015, has led assemblies in more than 30 schools across the Valley where she encourages youth to practice good character at home, at school and with friends.
In 2014 Brunner joined a group of Sun Devil student-athletes who traveled with Arizona State University American Indian students to Hopi and Navajo lands as part of the ASU Tribal Nations Tour. Sophie joined her peers in the endeavor to interact with tribal members, encourage higher education and wellness, and work on community service projects.
Brunner's community service efforts have also included being a leader in the Interact Program, where she performed service projects for the underserved, made holiday baskets and kits for Haiti and organized food drives. She also took part in DAWG, a drug and alcohol awareness group promoting sobriety and mentoring her peers.
FREE THROWS
• ASU was picked to finish in fourth place in the Pac-12 by both the league's coaches and media who cover the conference. The Sun Devils received one first-place vote in the media poll.
• Over the last three seasons ASU is 39-7 (.848) in non-conference games and 48-6 (.889) at home.
• ASU is 31-5 in regular season Pac-12 games the last two seasons. Prior to its loss at Oregon State on Feb. 1, 2016, ASU's 9-0 record in Pac-12 play was its best conference start in program history (surpassed last 7-0 start in 2015).
• The Sun Devils are 23-4 in road games since the start of the 2014-15 season. Last season the Sun Devils set a program record with 11 road wins.
• ASU has allowed an average of only 55.3 points per game since the start of the 2014-15 season (75 games). ASU has held the opposition to 50 or fewer points 28 times during that stretch. They are 27-1 in those contests. On average, opposing teams scored more than 15.0 points under their scoring average when facing ASU last season. In fact, only two opponents (Marquette and Tennessee), scored more points than what they averaged coming into their respective games vs. ASU.
• In the last three seasons the Sun Devils are 26-6 in games decided by five points or less and/or overtime. The most recent such game came in ASU's 73-71 overtime win at Kentucky on Dec. 11.
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 (388), 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.
Last season Turner Thorne was named the 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year (coaches and media), the second time she has been recognized with the honor (2001), after leading the Sun Devils to their second regular season Pac-12 championship. ASU would go on to earn its highest NCAA Tournament seed (No. 2) in program history. In 2016 ASU has also tied the program records for most conference wins (16) and consecutive wins (15) and set the program record for most road wins (11). Turner Thorne would go on to also be named the WBCA Region 5 Co-Coach of the Year.
In 2014-15 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.
In 2013-14 Turner Thorne, who recorded both the 400th win of her coaching career and her 200th Pac-12 win last season, 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.
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.
CELEBRATING ELITE ACCOMPLISHMENT
This season will be the 10th anniversary of ASU's first ever appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. Led by senior forwards Aubree Johnson and Emily Westerberg who were both named to the All-Pac-10 Team, ASU set school records for overall wins (31), most Pac-10 wins (16 - tied in 2016) and most road wins (10 - broken in 2016) With the honor, Westerberg became the first Sun Devil to be named to the All-Pac-10 Team three times. In addition to Johnson and Westerberg's accolades, sophomore guard Briann January was named All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and guard Dymond Simon was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team.
SUN DEVIL WBB ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF EVA RUBIN AND BRE'YANNA SANDERS
On Nov. 9, 2016, Arizona State University head women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne today announced that student-athletes Eva Rubin and Bre'yanna Sanders signed national letters of intent to join the Sun Devil women's basketball program.
"We are excited to announce that Eva and Bre will be joining our Sun Devil women's basketball family," Turner Thorne said. "Both of these young women come from great families and will not only excel on the court but in the classroom and our community."
A 6-5 post, Rubin will be coming to ASU from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as a junior in 2016. Ranked No. 14 at her position by ESPN.com, Rubin earned Class 3A/4A All-State recognition from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association last season in addition to also being named to the All-Area and All-Conference teams. As a sophomore in 2015, Rubin helped lead her squad to a fourth-place finish in the IHSA 4A state tournament. During Homewood-Flossmoor's run in the tournament, Rubin tied a Class 4A single-game record with five blocked shots.
A 6-0 forward, Sanders will be joining the Sun Devils from Clovis West High School in Fresno, California, where she has earned first-team All-Valley recognition in addition to being named the team's defensive player of the year each of the last two seasons. In 2016 Sanders averaged 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.2 blocks in helping lead her team to 30-4 record and the semifinals of the Southern California Regional Open Division. She would go on to be named the league co-player of the year. In 2015 Sanders had a big role on a team that posted a 26-5 record, its third straight Central Section Division I title and reached the second round of the Southern California Open Division regional.
WHEN: Wednesday at 5 p.m. MT
WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena • Tempe, Arizona • Click here to purchase tickets
PROMOTION: Maroon Monsoon T-shirt Giveaway
LIVE VIDEO: http://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
LIVE AUDIO: TuneIn.com
UP NEXT
Winners of its last six contests, the No. 21/19 Arizona State women's basketball team (8-2) closes out the non-conference portion of its schedule on Wednesday (5 p.m. MT) when it hosts Holy Cross (2-8) at Wells Fargo Arena.
Wednesday's game is the second of four consecutive the Sun Devils are playing at home. When they return from the holiday break they will open up Pac-12 play with home games against No. 14 (AP & USA Today coaches polls) Stanford on Dec. 30 and No. 20 (coaches poll) California on New Year's Day.
A victory on Wednesday would be ASU's 40th non-conference, regular-season win in the last four seasons. Going back to the 1986-87 season – the first season of Pac-10/Pac-12 play – ASU's current non-conference win total of 39 the last four seasons is by far the most in that span of time in program history (the next highest total is 33 games done three times: 2003-06/2004-07/2005-08).
The Sun Devils' current six-game winning streak represents the 24th time since 2001 that they have had a winning streak of five or more games. The program is currently in the midst of an unprecedented period in program history in which it has had a double-digit winning streak three straight seasons: 2013-14: 10, 2014-15: 14, 2015-16: 15. The 2014-15 team came within a win of tying the school record of 15 straight, a feat achieved by last year's team. Speaking of winning streaks, the Sun Devils will look to continue their recent trend of building momentum going into conference play. The 2013-14 team won 10 straight, the 2014-15 team won seven straight and last season ASU brought a six-game winning streak into Pac-12 play.
During its current six-game winning streak the Sun Devils are shooting 49 percent from the floor, are +11.8 on the boards and have a +6.7 advantage in assists per game. ASU's advantage on the boards has been especially telling on the offensive glass where they have grabbed twice as many rebounds as the opposition (82-41). The Sun Devils have taken full advantage of the extra opportunities as they have a 78-24 advantage in second-chance points over the last six games.
Leading the way on the offensive end during ASU's current winning streak have been senior posts Sophie Brunner (13.2 ppg/33-50 FGs - 66 percent) and Quinn Dornstauder (10.8 ppg/28-46 FGs - 61 percent), who have combined to average 24.0 ppg and shoot a collective 63.5 percent (61-96) from the floor. Dornstauder (4-4 FGs, nine points) and Brunner (4-4 FGs, eight points) did not miss a shot and combined for 17 of ASU's 30 points in the fourth quarter of ASU's come-from-behind win over Florida on Dec. 4. Brunner scored 16 of her 18 points in the second half and overtime of ASU's win at Kentucky on Dec. 11. She did not miss a shot (7-7) in the first half of ASU's win over Oral Roberts on Saturday in which she notched her second double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) of the season. Brunner (6.8 rpg), Kelsey Moos (6.2 rpg) and Dornstauder (4.3 rpg) are leading ASU's rebounding effort during the winning streak.
COVERAGE
Wednesday's game vs. Holy Cross will be streamed at http://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. The game can also be heard live on the Sun Devil Athletics Tune-In Channel. Pre-game will begin at 4:30 p.m. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 13th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball. He will be joined by former Sun Devil head coach Maura McHugh.
SERIES NOTES
ASU has been victorious in each of its prior two meetings against Holy Cross, winning 67-49 on December 19, 1995 in a game that took place in Anchorage, Alaska, and again 81-56 on December 20, 2003 at Holy Cross.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• This year's Sun Devil squad returns three senior starters – posts Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder and Kelsey Moos – from the 2015-16 team that captured a share of the Pac-12 regular season title, won 26 games (tied for third-highest win total in program history) and went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest placement in program history. In addition, 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Charli Turner Thorne also welcomes a five-member freshman class – Sydney Goodson, Reili Richardson, Jamie Ruden, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan – that was ranked among the nation's top 10 signing classes when it was announced last fall, and Sara Hattis, a graduate post who will be eligible to play this season after transferring to ASU from the University of Texas in May.
• As of Dec. 20, ASU ranked among the top third in the Pac-12 in 3-point FG pct. defense (first/21.5 percent), rebounding defense (first/27.8 rpg), scoring defense (third/55.2 ppg) and offensive rebounds (third/15.5 rpg). Brunner currently ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (3.3 rpg), fifth in field goal percentage (58.0) and 12th in rebounding (6.2 rpg), Dornstauder is ninth in field goal percentage (52.2), Richardson is 12th in free throw percentage (74.1) and 13th in assists (4.1 apg) and Moos is 11th in steals (1.7 spg).
• ASU has shot 55.8 percent from the floor in its last two games. Another shooting percentage note from current winning streak: The Sun Devils were 13-14 from the floor in the fourth quarter of their come-from-behind win over Florida (Dec. 4), a game they trailed by 12 entering the final period. In their win at Kentucky (Dec. 11) they were 6-8 from the floor in OT. In short, when it mattered most in their consecutive wins over ranked teams the Sun Devils shot a combined 86 percent (19-22).
• In November Sophie Brunner became the 22nd Sun Devil to reach 1,000 career points. On Dec. 4 Brunner was named the ASU Classic MVP for the third time in her four-year Sun Devil career after averaging 12.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.5 steals while connecting on 62.5 percent of her field goals during the two-game tournament. She collected her 17th career double-double in ASU's win over Oral Roberts (Dec. 17).
• Dornstauder (99 career blocks) needs one block to move into a tie for third place (100/Becca Tobin/2008-11). Kali Bennett (165 blocks/2010-12) is in second place.
• Moos has 18 assists and only three turnovers during ASU's current winning streak. Moos has established new single-game career highs for assists (8) and steals (6) and tied a career high with three 3-pointers.
• Reili Richardson (27 assists) and Sabrina Haines (22) have combined for 49 of ASU 101 assists during its current winning streak. Richardson has started each of ASU's last three games at point guard after Kiara Russell was injured in preparations leading up to ASU's game at Kentucky. Russell, who has missed each of ASU's last three games, is currently being evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
• Sophomore forward Kianna Ibis is shooting 54 percent (19-35) from the floor in ASU's last five games. She scored 13 points (one short of tying career high) in ASU's win over Oral Roberts (Dec. 17).
• ASU's five member freshman class – Sydney Goodson, Reili Richardson, Jamie Ruden, Kiara Russell and Robbi Ryan – combined for 60 points and 19 assists the first two wins of the season. Richardson was named the Pac-12's Freshman of the Week after averaging 9.0 points and 5.5 assists while connecting on 58 percent of her shots in the two wins. Richardson, who had seven points and seven assists in her Sun Devil debut, tied fellow freshman Robbi Ryan with a game-high 11 points (4-7 FGs) to go along with four assists in ASU's 82-37 win over San Jose State. Ryan scored 19 points in ASU's loss at Marquette (Nov. 19). The 19 points represent the most scored by a Sun Devil this season. Ryan also led ASU in scoring (13 points) in its win at Middle Tennessee (Dec. 13). Russell started the first six games at point guard before getting injured during the week of preparation for ASU's game at Kentucky (Dec. 11). Richardson got her first career start against the Wildcats and accounted for 12 points, six assists and four rebounds while playing 40-plus minutes. She has averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 assists in the three games she has started.
NOTES FROM LAST GAME
• ASU shot over 50 percent from the field for the second consecutive game en route to a 79-52 victory over Oral Roberts on Saturday,
• Four Sun Devils reached double digits in scoring, led by Sophie Brunner's second double-double of the season as she led all players with 18 points and 10 rebounds Reili Richardson and Quinn Dornstauder posted 11 and 10 points, respectively. Kianna Ibis came off the bench to the tune of a season-best 13 points, helping the Sun Devils to a 34-16 advantage in bench scoring.
• The Sun Devils (8-2) absolutely dominated the boards, outrebounding the Golden Eagles, 43-16 – a plus-27 margin that was ASU's largest of the season. It was also notable as ORU (7-5) entered the contest leading its conference in total rebounds and rebounds per game, averaging 42.6 coming into the contest.
SUN DEVIL WBB JUST AS SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM AS IT IS ON THE COURT
For the Fall 2016 semester the Sun Devil WBB team turned in an extraordinary effort in the classroom that resulted in a 3.63 team GPA. Every player on the roster has a cumulative GPA about 3.0, including nine players with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher.
Since the 1996-97 season, Turner Thorne's first season at ASU, the Sun Devils lead the Pac-12 in the number of first-team All-Academic conference awards (19) and the combined number of first- and second-team All-Academic conference awards (40). In 2014-15 ASU's team GPA (3.558) was No. 7 on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) 2015 Academic Honor Roll.
BRUNNER NOMINATED FOR WBCA/ALLSTATE GOOD WORKS TEAM
Arizona State University women's basketball's Sophie Brunner was one of 97 women's basketball student-athletes recently named as nominees for the 2017 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team®. The esteemed award honors an outstanding group of student-athletes who represent the sport's finest in the areas of community service and leadership among their peers.
The Allstate WBCA Good Works Team® recognizes players at all levels of college basketball whose charitable involvement and altruistic acts stand out amongst all other student-athletes participating in the sport.
Brunner's selfless and giving attitude has been on display since her freshman year when she volunteered to be a frequent participant in the Sun Devil women's basketball team's Character Code program. Since that time Brunner, who was also a nominee for the Good Works Team in 2015, has led assemblies in more than 30 schools across the Valley where she encourages youth to practice good character at home, at school and with friends.
In 2014 Brunner joined a group of Sun Devil student-athletes who traveled with Arizona State University American Indian students to Hopi and Navajo lands as part of the ASU Tribal Nations Tour. Sophie joined her peers in the endeavor to interact with tribal members, encourage higher education and wellness, and work on community service projects.
Brunner's community service efforts have also included being a leader in the Interact Program, where she performed service projects for the underserved, made holiday baskets and kits for Haiti and organized food drives. She also took part in DAWG, a drug and alcohol awareness group promoting sobriety and mentoring her peers.
FREE THROWS
• ASU was picked to finish in fourth place in the Pac-12 by both the league's coaches and media who cover the conference. The Sun Devils received one first-place vote in the media poll.
• Over the last three seasons ASU is 39-7 (.848) in non-conference games and 48-6 (.889) at home.
• ASU is 31-5 in regular season Pac-12 games the last two seasons. Prior to its loss at Oregon State on Feb. 1, 2016, ASU's 9-0 record in Pac-12 play was its best conference start in program history (surpassed last 7-0 start in 2015).
• The Sun Devils are 23-4 in road games since the start of the 2014-15 season. Last season the Sun Devils set a program record with 11 road wins.
• ASU has allowed an average of only 55.3 points per game since the start of the 2014-15 season (75 games). ASU has held the opposition to 50 or fewer points 28 times during that stretch. They are 27-1 in those contests. On average, opposing teams scored more than 15.0 points under their scoring average when facing ASU last season. In fact, only two opponents (Marquette and Tennessee), scored more points than what they averaged coming into their respective games vs. ASU.
• In the last three seasons the Sun Devils are 26-6 in games decided by five points or less and/or overtime. The most recent such game came in ASU's 73-71 overtime win at Kentucky on Dec. 11.
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 (388), 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.
Last season Turner Thorne was named the 2016 Pac-12 Coach of the Year (coaches and media), the second time she has been recognized with the honor (2001), after leading the Sun Devils to their second regular season Pac-12 championship. ASU would go on to earn its highest NCAA Tournament seed (No. 2) in program history. In 2016 ASU has also tied the program records for most conference wins (16) and consecutive wins (15) and set the program record for most road wins (11). Turner Thorne would go on to also be named the WBCA Region 5 Co-Coach of the Year.
In 2014-15 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.
In 2013-14 Turner Thorne, who recorded both the 400th win of her coaching career and her 200th Pac-12 win last season, 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.
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.
CELEBRATING ELITE ACCOMPLISHMENT
This season will be the 10th anniversary of ASU's first ever appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. Led by senior forwards Aubree Johnson and Emily Westerberg who were both named to the All-Pac-10 Team, ASU set school records for overall wins (31), most Pac-10 wins (16 - tied in 2016) and most road wins (10 - broken in 2016) With the honor, Westerberg became the first Sun Devil to be named to the All-Pac-10 Team three times. In addition to Johnson and Westerberg's accolades, sophomore guard Briann January was named All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and guard Dymond Simon was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team.
SUN DEVIL WBB ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF EVA RUBIN AND BRE'YANNA SANDERS
On Nov. 9, 2016, Arizona State University head women's basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne today announced that student-athletes Eva Rubin and Bre'yanna Sanders signed national letters of intent to join the Sun Devil women's basketball program.
"We are excited to announce that Eva and Bre will be joining our Sun Devil women's basketball family," Turner Thorne said. "Both of these young women come from great families and will not only excel on the court but in the classroom and our community."
A 6-5 post, Rubin will be coming to ASU from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks as a junior in 2016. Ranked No. 14 at her position by ESPN.com, Rubin earned Class 3A/4A All-State recognition from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association last season in addition to also being named to the All-Area and All-Conference teams. As a sophomore in 2015, Rubin helped lead her squad to a fourth-place finish in the IHSA 4A state tournament. During Homewood-Flossmoor's run in the tournament, Rubin tied a Class 4A single-game record with five blocked shots.
A 6-0 forward, Sanders will be joining the Sun Devils from Clovis West High School in Fresno, California, where she has earned first-team All-Valley recognition in addition to being named the team's defensive player of the year each of the last two seasons. In 2016 Sanders averaged 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 steals and 2.2 blocks in helping lead her team to 30-4 record and the semifinals of the Southern California Regional Open Division. She would go on to be named the league co-player of the year. In 2015 Sanders had a big role on a team that posted a 26-5 record, its third straight Central Section Division I title and reached the second round of the Southern California Open Division regional.