TEMPE, Ariz. – Sabrina Haines scored 13 points and Sophie Brunner added 10 as the No. 23 Arizona State women's basketball team defeated in-state rival Arizona 67-54 on Sunday.
With the win the Sun Devils (17-10, 8-8 Pac-12) not only evened the season series with Arizona after the Wildcats' 62-58 win in Tucson on Friday night, but also moved back into a tie for fifth place in the Pac-12 with Oregon after the Ducks (18-10, 8-8) fell to Colorado earlier in the day.
"I thought this was a good team win," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We got everybody in the game and everybody contributed. I thought we responded well and played a lot harder today. I really liked our first half, especially defensively.
"I felt like we knew exactly what we needed to do. (The team) just needed to own what it didn't do Friday night and bring it today. I felt like that's what they did."
Haines, who also had four assists and two steals, made all four of her field goals, including a pair from long distance while Brunner made five of her seven shots to go with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. Brunner's tip-in late in the first quarter moved her past former Sun Devil Briann January (2006-09/1,302 points) for eighth place on ASU's all-time scoring list. Brunner now has 1,312 points.
ASU's freshmen guards – Reili Richardson (eight points), Kiara Russell (seven points, three assists and two steals), Robbi Ryan (six points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block) and Sydney Goodson (five points) – also had a big impact on the outcome as they combined for 26 points vs. Arizona.
Arizona's LaBrittney Jones and Malena Washington scored 14 points each to lead the Wildcats (13-14, 4-12).
The Sun Devils' defensive intensity led to a positive start as they held Arizona scoreless for the first 3:46 of the game. Quinn Dornstauder (six points), Brunner and Russell (four points each) combined for 14 points in the first quarter to help the Sun Devils build a 17-8 lead after 10 minutes.
The Sun Devils used a 6-0 run to take a 24-10 lead after Richardson's layup with 6:02 left in the half. ASU would go on to lead by 12 at the half thanks in large part to shooting 48 percent while forcing 14 Wildcat turnovers over the first 20 minutes.
Washington opened the second half with a jumper to get the Wildcats within 10, but ASU would not allow them to get any closer the remainder of the game. Goodson put the Sun Devils up by 20, after knocking down a triple with 71 seconds left in the third quarter.
ASU would go on to lead by as many as 22 after Kianna Ibis' jumper with 7:41 remaining in the game.
The Sun Devil women's basketball program celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its first Elite Eight team as several members from the squad were recognized during halftime of Sunday's game. The 2006-07 team won a school record 31 games and was the most recent Sun Devil squad to appear in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game.
The current Sun Devil squad closes out the regular season portion of its schedule this weekend when its hosts USC on Friday at 8 p.m. (televised on Pac-12 Arizona and Los Angeles) and UCLA on Sunday at noon (televised on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Los Angeles). Sunday's game will be Senior Day. Senior Sun Devils Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder, Sara Hattis and Kelsey Moos will be honored in a ceremony following the game.
With the win the Sun Devils (17-10, 8-8 Pac-12) not only evened the season series with Arizona after the Wildcats' 62-58 win in Tucson on Friday night, but also moved back into a tie for fifth place in the Pac-12 with Oregon after the Ducks (18-10, 8-8) fell to Colorado earlier in the day.
"I thought this was a good team win," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We got everybody in the game and everybody contributed. I thought we responded well and played a lot harder today. I really liked our first half, especially defensively.
"I felt like we knew exactly what we needed to do. (The team) just needed to own what it didn't do Friday night and bring it today. I felt like that's what they did."
Haines, who also had four assists and two steals, made all four of her field goals, including a pair from long distance while Brunner made five of her seven shots to go with five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. Brunner's tip-in late in the first quarter moved her past former Sun Devil Briann January (2006-09/1,302 points) for eighth place on ASU's all-time scoring list. Brunner now has 1,312 points.
ASU's freshmen guards – Reili Richardson (eight points), Kiara Russell (seven points, three assists and two steals), Robbi Ryan (six points, seven rebounds, two assists and one block) and Sydney Goodson (five points) – also had a big impact on the outcome as they combined for 26 points vs. Arizona.
Arizona's LaBrittney Jones and Malena Washington scored 14 points each to lead the Wildcats (13-14, 4-12).
The Sun Devils' defensive intensity led to a positive start as they held Arizona scoreless for the first 3:46 of the game. Quinn Dornstauder (six points), Brunner and Russell (four points each) combined for 14 points in the first quarter to help the Sun Devils build a 17-8 lead after 10 minutes.
The Sun Devils used a 6-0 run to take a 24-10 lead after Richardson's layup with 6:02 left in the half. ASU would go on to lead by 12 at the half thanks in large part to shooting 48 percent while forcing 14 Wildcat turnovers over the first 20 minutes.
Washington opened the second half with a jumper to get the Wildcats within 10, but ASU would not allow them to get any closer the remainder of the game. Goodson put the Sun Devils up by 20, after knocking down a triple with 71 seconds left in the third quarter.
ASU would go on to lead by as many as 22 after Kianna Ibis' jumper with 7:41 remaining in the game.
The Sun Devil women's basketball program celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its first Elite Eight team as several members from the squad were recognized during halftime of Sunday's game. The 2006-07 team won a school record 31 games and was the most recent Sun Devil squad to appear in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game.
Great win to honor Our Elite Squad and all Alums!! pic.twitter.com/ZKRHk4I7Wb
— Charli Turner Thorne (@ASUCoachCharli) February 20, 2017
The current Sun Devil squad closes out the regular season portion of its schedule this weekend when its hosts USC on Friday at 8 p.m. (televised on Pac-12 Arizona and Los Angeles) and UCLA on Sunday at noon (televised on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Los Angeles). Sunday's game will be Senior Day. Senior Sun Devils Sophie Brunner, Quinn Dornstauder, Sara Hattis and Kelsey Moos will be honored in a ceremony following the game.