BERKELEY, Calif. – On a night when its shots were not falling, the No. 18 Arizona State women's basketball team used a determined defensive effort and a refuse-to-lose mentality to come away with a hard-fought 54-45 win at Cal on Friday.
Sophie Brunner (14 points), Robbi Ryan (14 points) and Quinn Dornstauder (12 points) combined for 40 of ASU's 54 points. Brunner added 10 rebounds to collect her fifth double-double of the season (20th of her career) while Dornstauder added eight rebounds for the Sun Devils (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12), who outrebounded the Golden Bears (14-5, 2-5) 43-31. Reili Richardson, who was forced to miss a critical stretch of ASU's loss to eighth-ranked Washington last Sunday because of an ankle injury, came up with eight points, four assists (zero turnovers) and three steals.
The Sun Devils shot 32 percent for game, including 22 percent (2-9) from long range. What they lacked in offense they made up for in other areas as they turned the ball over a season-low eight times – while forcing 17 Cal miscues – and put together an outstanding defensive effort that held the Bears 30 points below their season scoring average of 75.4 points coming into the game.
On New Year's Day ASU and Cal needed 10 extra minutes to decide the outcome of a game eventually won by the Sun Devils 72-62 in double overtime. At a minimum it appeared the rematch would once again come down to the final possession after Cal's Kristine Anigwe scored on a layup to tie the score at 42-42 with 4:21 remaining.
The Sun Devils had other plans, however, as Brunner would respond at the opposite end with her second 3-pointer of the season to put ASU up 45-42. Brunner's triple ignited a 12-3 run by the Sun Devils over game's final 3:39.
When it mattered most the Sun Devils came up big on both ends of the floor as they shot 50 percent over the last four minutes (3-6) while allowing Cal to make only one of its final seven shots. Sabrina Haines made all four of her free throw attempts in the final 44 seconds to help the Sun Devils clinch the win.
Ryan had the hot hand in the first half as she accounted for 10 of ASU's 20 points over the first 20 minutes. Neither team led by more than four in the first half, the exact advantage Cal would take into the locker room at the intermission as it scored the final seven points of the second quarter to take a 24-20 lead.
Brunner and Dornstauder, who both had double-doubles in the first meeting against Cal, came through with clutch performances in the second half as the duo combined for 20 points (Brunner 10/Dornstauder 10) and 12 rebounds (Brunner 7/Dornstauder 5) while shooting a collective 61.5 percent (8-13) from the floor (Brunner 3-5/Dornstauder 5-8).
Friday's game at Cal represented the first of four consecutive road games for the Sun Devils. Included that stretch are games at No. 10 Stanford on Sunday and at No. 13 UCLA next Friday. With the win over Cal the Sun Devils were able to stay tied with UCLA (14-4, 5-2) for the second-best record in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils and Bruins both trail Washington (18-2, 6-1), Stanford (16-3, 6-1) and No. 11 Oregon State (17-2, 6-1) by one game.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT) when they play at No. 10 Stanford in a game that can be seen live on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Bay Area and can be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
Sophie Brunner (14 points), Robbi Ryan (14 points) and Quinn Dornstauder (12 points) combined for 40 of ASU's 54 points. Brunner added 10 rebounds to collect her fifth double-double of the season (20th of her career) while Dornstauder added eight rebounds for the Sun Devils (14-4, 5-2 Pac-12), who outrebounded the Golden Bears (14-5, 2-5) 43-31. Reili Richardson, who was forced to miss a critical stretch of ASU's loss to eighth-ranked Washington last Sunday because of an ankle injury, came up with eight points, four assists (zero turnovers) and three steals.
The Sun Devils shot 32 percent for game, including 22 percent (2-9) from long range. What they lacked in offense they made up for in other areas as they turned the ball over a season-low eight times – while forcing 17 Cal miscues – and put together an outstanding defensive effort that held the Bears 30 points below their season scoring average of 75.4 points coming into the game.
On New Year's Day ASU and Cal needed 10 extra minutes to decide the outcome of a game eventually won by the Sun Devils 72-62 in double overtime. At a minimum it appeared the rematch would once again come down to the final possession after Cal's Kristine Anigwe scored on a layup to tie the score at 42-42 with 4:21 remaining.
The Sun Devils had other plans, however, as Brunner would respond at the opposite end with her second 3-pointer of the season to put ASU up 45-42. Brunner's triple ignited a 12-3 run by the Sun Devils over game's final 3:39.
When it mattered most the Sun Devils came up big on both ends of the floor as they shot 50 percent over the last four minutes (3-6) while allowing Cal to make only one of its final seven shots. Sabrina Haines made all four of her free throw attempts in the final 44 seconds to help the Sun Devils clinch the win.
Ryan had the hot hand in the first half as she accounted for 10 of ASU's 20 points over the first 20 minutes. Neither team led by more than four in the first half, the exact advantage Cal would take into the locker room at the intermission as it scored the final seven points of the second quarter to take a 24-20 lead.
Brunner and Dornstauder, who both had double-doubles in the first meeting against Cal, came through with clutch performances in the second half as the duo combined for 20 points (Brunner 10/Dornstauder 10) and 12 rebounds (Brunner 7/Dornstauder 5) while shooting a collective 61.5 percent (8-13) from the floor (Brunner 3-5/Dornstauder 5-8).
Friday's game at Cal represented the first of four consecutive road games for the Sun Devils. Included that stretch are games at No. 10 Stanford on Sunday and at No. 13 UCLA next Friday. With the win over Cal the Sun Devils were able to stay tied with UCLA (14-4, 5-2) for the second-best record in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils and Bruins both trail Washington (18-2, 6-1), Stanford (16-3, 6-1) and No. 11 Oregon State (17-2, 6-1) by one game.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday (3 p.m. PT/4 p.m. MT) when they play at No. 10 Stanford in a game that can be seen live on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Bay Area and can be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.