TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State women's basketball team had six players score in double figures as it remained unbeaten with a 106-58 win over Sacramento State on Saturday.
Sabrina Haines tied her career high in scoring with 19 points for the Sun Devils (3-0), who shot 55 percent and had 31 assists on 35 field goals. Also posting double-digit scoring totals for the Sun Devils were Sophia Elenga (16 points/6-6 FGs/3-3 FTs), Robbi Ryan (14 points/4-7 FGs), Kianna Ibis (12 points/5-7 FGs), Courtney Ekmark (10 points/8-9 FTs) and Jamie Ruden (10-points/4-7 FGs). Ekmark posted her first career double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds while Charnea Johnson-Chapman just missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
"I thought it was a good team win," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Slow start in the first quarter, but give Sacramento State State credit. That's a team that has played at Kentucky, at West Virginia, against pressure defense, against top teams.
"I'm really proud of our team's effort. We played last Sunday, we played Wednesday on the road, and today, so that's three games in one week with a road game in the middle of the week. We're really still getting our game legs because it's the first week of the season so I'm really proud of them just staying with things."
Reili Richardson (game-high 10 assists), Ryan (six assists) and Ekmark (five assists) had career-high assist numbers as they combined for 21 of ASU's 31 assists.
After trailing by as many as four points midway through the first quarter the Sun Devils closed out the first frame with a 10-0 run to take a 20-14 lead after the first 10 minutes. Haines (six points) and Ryan (six points) combined for 12 points in the frame.
The Sun Devils would take firm control of the game over the latter half of the second quarter as they outscored the Hornets 18-4 over the last 4:47 to take a 48-27 lead into the locker room. Six different Sun Devils contributed to the scoring run. Defensively the Sun Devils held the Hornets without a field goal over the last six-plus minutes of the half.
ASU's outstanding play would carry over into the second half as they shot 63 percent over the final 20 minutes in outscoring the Hornets 58-31. Elenga led the way as she scored seven points in both the third and fourth quarters to account for 14 of her 16 points in the game.
ASU's defensive effort was once again stellar. After the Hornets made 50 percent of their shots in the first quarter, they could only manage 31 percent over the final 30 minutes of the game. The Sun Devils also forced 21 turnovers, which they converted into 24 points.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday when they host Colgate at 3 p.m. Sunday's game will be the program's annual Native American Day. As part of the festivities the Ryneldi Becenti Award will be presented during the game. The award, which was presented for the first time last year, is named after Becenti, one of the all-time great players in Sun Devil Women's Basketball history.
Fans attending Sunday's game are asked to be cognizant of road closures/restrictions due to Sunday's Ironman Triathlon. Click on this link for more information.
Sabrina Haines tied her career high in scoring with 19 points for the Sun Devils (3-0), who shot 55 percent and had 31 assists on 35 field goals. Also posting double-digit scoring totals for the Sun Devils were Sophia Elenga (16 points/6-6 FGs/3-3 FTs), Robbi Ryan (14 points/4-7 FGs), Kianna Ibis (12 points/5-7 FGs), Courtney Ekmark (10 points/8-9 FTs) and Jamie Ruden (10-points/4-7 FGs). Ekmark posted her first career double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds while Charnea Johnson-Chapman just missed a double-double with nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds.
"I thought it was a good team win," ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. "Slow start in the first quarter, but give Sacramento State State credit. That's a team that has played at Kentucky, at West Virginia, against pressure defense, against top teams.
"I'm really proud of our team's effort. We played last Sunday, we played Wednesday on the road, and today, so that's three games in one week with a road game in the middle of the week. We're really still getting our game legs because it's the first week of the season so I'm really proud of them just staying with things."
Reili Richardson (game-high 10 assists), Ryan (six assists) and Ekmark (five assists) had career-high assist numbers as they combined for 21 of ASU's 31 assists.
After trailing by as many as four points midway through the first quarter the Sun Devils closed out the first frame with a 10-0 run to take a 20-14 lead after the first 10 minutes. Haines (six points) and Ryan (six points) combined for 12 points in the frame.
The Sun Devils would take firm control of the game over the latter half of the second quarter as they outscored the Hornets 18-4 over the last 4:47 to take a 48-27 lead into the locker room. Six different Sun Devils contributed to the scoring run. Defensively the Sun Devils held the Hornets without a field goal over the last six-plus minutes of the half.
ASU's outstanding play would carry over into the second half as they shot 63 percent over the final 20 minutes in outscoring the Hornets 58-31. Elenga led the way as she scored seven points in both the third and fourth quarters to account for 14 of her 16 points in the game.
ASU's defensive effort was once again stellar. After the Hornets made 50 percent of their shots in the first quarter, they could only manage 31 percent over the final 30 minutes of the game. The Sun Devils also forced 21 turnovers, which they converted into 24 points.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday when they host Colgate at 3 p.m. Sunday's game will be the program's annual Native American Day. As part of the festivities the Ryneldi Becenti Award will be presented during the game. The award, which was presented for the first time last year, is named after Becenti, one of the all-time great players in Sun Devil Women's Basketball history.
Fans attending Sunday's game are asked to be cognizant of road closures/restrictions due to Sunday's Ironman Triathlon. Click on this link for more information.