COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Arizona State women's basketball (20-13) team nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent NCAA Tournament history on Sunday night. It would have surprised everyone except those within the confines of the team's locker room, but in the end it was not to be.
The Sun Devils, the No. 8 seed in the Stockton Region, led third-ranked South Carolina, the No. 1 seed, by as many as 11 points in the second half and would later come back from a 10-point deficit to take a one-point lead with just over two minutes left only to fall, 71-68 in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Sophie Brunner (20 points, nine rebounds), Reili Richardson (16 points) and Sabrina Haines (12 points) combined for 48 of the Sun Devils' points and the team received critical contributions from several others in pushing the Gamecocks (29-4) to the limit in front of their home fans, which totaled more than 8,000 on Sunday night.
Missing key personnel at various points in the season, the Sun Devils still managed to finish in fifth place in the Pac-12 Conference, which had a record seven teams in this year's NCAA Tournament and had the nation's top-ranked RPI.
Now at full health for the first time since the start of the season the Sun Devils came out and dominated their opening round game, defeating Michigan State 73-61 in game it led by as many as 28 points.
"It was a tough game today, a really tough game," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We really were right there to take it and credit to South Carolina. I'm really proud of our team. It's no secret, I didn't think we should be playing a No. 1 seed in the second round on their home floor, and I think we proved that in both of our games. This team deserved better. We competed incredibly well, and I could not be more proud of our basketball team."
Down by 11, the Gamecocks would score five straight before Haines hit a 3-pointer to put ASU back up by nine with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter. The Sun Devils still led 52-45 after a free throw by Quinn Dornstauder with 1:23 left in the third quarter.
The Gamecocks would slowly start to chip away at the deficit as they scored six of the game's next seven points to get within two, 53-51, by the end of the third quarter.
The momentum South Carolina established carried over into the fourth quarter as they used a 16-6 run to take a double-digit lead, 67-57, with 5:51 left in regulation.
Down, but not out, the Sun Devils proved their mettle as they scored the next 11 points to go up 68-67 after Haines' triple with 2:01 remaining.
A'ja Wilson, who had a game-high 21 points, put the Gamecocks back up 69-68 with 48 seconds remaining.
The Sun Devils could not convert on each of their next two possessions, but were still down only three after the Gamecocks made 2-4 FTs on their next two possessions.
Brunner's attempt to send the game into overtime just missed at the buzzer.
"This has been quite a season for this team, and again our full roster hasn't been healthy since November, and then we got it back for the NCAA Tournament," Turner Thorne said. "We were hoping for the chance to peak and make something really special, and we were this close, so it's tough."
The senior class of Brunner, Dornstauder, Kelsey Moos and Sara Hattis, helped lead the Sun Devils to 98 wins, a regular season Pac-12 championship (2016) and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Sweet 16 (2015) and the highest NCAA seed ever awarded to the program (No. 2 in 2016).
The Sun Devils, the No. 8 seed in the Stockton Region, led third-ranked South Carolina, the No. 1 seed, by as many as 11 points in the second half and would later come back from a 10-point deficit to take a one-point lead with just over two minutes left only to fall, 71-68 in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Sophie Brunner (20 points, nine rebounds), Reili Richardson (16 points) and Sabrina Haines (12 points) combined for 48 of the Sun Devils' points and the team received critical contributions from several others in pushing the Gamecocks (29-4) to the limit in front of their home fans, which totaled more than 8,000 on Sunday night.
Missing key personnel at various points in the season, the Sun Devils still managed to finish in fifth place in the Pac-12 Conference, which had a record seven teams in this year's NCAA Tournament and had the nation's top-ranked RPI.
So proud of our Team!! Thank you again to our #SunDevilNation for all your love! ???
— Charli Turner Thorne (@ASUCoachCharli) March 20, 2017
Now at full health for the first time since the start of the season the Sun Devils came out and dominated their opening round game, defeating Michigan State 73-61 in game it led by as many as 28 points.
On Sunday night the Sun Devils outplayed South Carolina for a good portion of the game as they shot 50 percent in the first half and held the Gamecocks without a field goal for the last 4:44 of the second quarter on their way to a 39-33 halftime lead. They then scored the first five points of the third quarter to take a 44-33 lead after Haines' 3-pointer with 8:43 remaining.Postgame press conference link:https://t.co/gE3wVMsQwC
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) March 20, 2017
"It was a tough game today, a really tough game," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "We really were right there to take it and credit to South Carolina. I'm really proud of our team. It's no secret, I didn't think we should be playing a No. 1 seed in the second round on their home floor, and I think we proved that in both of our games. This team deserved better. We competed incredibly well, and I could not be more proud of our basketball team."
Down by 11, the Gamecocks would score five straight before Haines hit a 3-pointer to put ASU back up by nine with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter. The Sun Devils still led 52-45 after a free throw by Quinn Dornstauder with 1:23 left in the third quarter.
The Gamecocks would slowly start to chip away at the deficit as they scored six of the game's next seven points to get within two, 53-51, by the end of the third quarter.
The momentum South Carolina established carried over into the fourth quarter as they used a 16-6 run to take a double-digit lead, 67-57, with 5:51 left in regulation.
Down, but not out, the Sun Devils proved their mettle as they scored the next 11 points to go up 68-67 after Haines' triple with 2:01 remaining.
A'ja Wilson, who had a game-high 21 points, put the Gamecocks back up 69-68 with 48 seconds remaining.
The Sun Devils could not convert on each of their next two possessions, but were still down only three after the Gamecocks made 2-4 FTs on their next two possessions.
Brunner's attempt to send the game into overtime just missed at the buzzer.
"This has been quite a season for this team, and again our full roster hasn't been healthy since November, and then we got it back for the NCAA Tournament," Turner Thorne said. "We were hoping for the chance to peak and make something really special, and we were this close, so it's tough."
The senior class of Brunner, Dornstauder, Kelsey Moos and Sara Hattis, helped lead the Sun Devils to 98 wins, a regular season Pac-12 championship (2016) and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Sweet 16 (2015) and the highest NCAA seed ever awarded to the program (No. 2 in 2016).