TEMPE, Ariz. – After a sixth-place finish in the Pac-12 regular season standings, the Arizona State women's basketball team will open play in the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday (8:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. MT) when it faces No. 11 seed Arizona at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash.
The Sun Devils closed the regular season with a 64-60 loss to No. 12 Oregon State on Sunday.
Donning the pink jerseys for the annual Pink Game for breast cancer awareness, the Sun Devils (19-11, 10-8 Pac-12) got out to a fast start, leading the Beavers by as many as 13 in the first half.
Robbi Ryan and Sophia Elenga both led ASU with 13 points while Reili Richardson added 11 points for the Sun Devils.
Behind Marie Gulich, who scored 30 of her 36 points in the second half, the Beavers (23-6, 14-4) outscored the Sun Devils 43-28 in the second half to win their seventh straight game and clinch a third-place finish in the Pac-12.
ASU bounced out to an 8-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game. The Sun Devils continued to build on their advantage but a 7-0 run by the Beavers made it 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. Ryan and Elenga scored six points each to combine for 12 of ASU's points in the quarter.
ASU opened the second quarter with a 10-2 run to take its largest lead of the game, 26-13. Kianna Ibis capped the run with back-to-back baskets. The Sun Devils would end up outscoring the Beavers by the same 16-11 score as the first quarter to take a 32-22 lead into the locker room. ASU connected on 48 percent of its shots in the first half and scored 10 points off of Oregon State's 10 turnovers.
After an exchange of baskets to start the second half, the Beavers used a 9-0 run to get within one point, 34-33, after Katie McWilliams' 3-pointer with 6:19 left in the third quarter.
Kiara Russell responded right back with a three to end the run. The Beavers eventually took their first lead with 57 seconds left in quarter and would maintain that advantage entering the final frame.
A 3-pointer by Ibis, who had eight points on Sunday, and a pair of baskets by Ryan helped the Sun Devils stay within a single possession the first four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Sun Devils would suddenly go cold as they went more than three minutes without scoring. The Beavers would use a 6-0 run during that span to take a nine-point lead with three minutes remaining.
ASU did not go down without a fight as a layup by Elenga and a pair of free throws by Richardson got ASU within five, 59-54 with 2:13 remaining. A 3-pointer by Courtney Ekmark and three free throws by Jamie Ruden helped ASU get within two points with 18 seconds left. McWilliams would hit two free throws on the opposite end to make it a two-possession game, 64-60 with 13 seconds left. ASU would not be able to get any closer and for only the third time this season the Sun Devils came up short at home (13-3).
ASU's contest vs. Arizona on Thursday can be seen on Pac-12 Networks. A win over Arizona would set up a rematch with the Beavers on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
The Sun Devils closed the regular season with a 64-60 loss to No. 12 Oregon State on Sunday.
Donning the pink jerseys for the annual Pink Game for breast cancer awareness, the Sun Devils (19-11, 10-8 Pac-12) got out to a fast start, leading the Beavers by as many as 13 in the first half.
Robbi Ryan and Sophia Elenga both led ASU with 13 points while Reili Richardson added 11 points for the Sun Devils.
Behind Marie Gulich, who scored 30 of her 36 points in the second half, the Beavers (23-6, 14-4) outscored the Sun Devils 43-28 in the second half to win their seventh straight game and clinch a third-place finish in the Pac-12.
ASU bounced out to an 8-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game. The Sun Devils continued to build on their advantage but a 7-0 run by the Beavers made it 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. Ryan and Elenga scored six points each to combine for 12 of ASU's points in the quarter.
ASU opened the second quarter with a 10-2 run to take its largest lead of the game, 26-13. Kianna Ibis capped the run with back-to-back baskets. The Sun Devils would end up outscoring the Beavers by the same 16-11 score as the first quarter to take a 32-22 lead into the locker room. ASU connected on 48 percent of its shots in the first half and scored 10 points off of Oregon State's 10 turnovers.
After an exchange of baskets to start the second half, the Beavers used a 9-0 run to get within one point, 34-33, after Katie McWilliams' 3-pointer with 6:19 left in the third quarter.
Kiara Russell responded right back with a three to end the run. The Beavers eventually took their first lead with 57 seconds left in quarter and would maintain that advantage entering the final frame.
A 3-pointer by Ibis, who had eight points on Sunday, and a pair of baskets by Ryan helped the Sun Devils stay within a single possession the first four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Sun Devils would suddenly go cold as they went more than three minutes without scoring. The Beavers would use a 6-0 run during that span to take a nine-point lead with three minutes remaining.
ASU did not go down without a fight as a layup by Elenga and a pair of free throws by Richardson got ASU within five, 59-54 with 2:13 remaining. A 3-pointer by Courtney Ekmark and three free throws by Jamie Ruden helped ASU get within two points with 18 seconds left. McWilliams would hit two free throws on the opposite end to make it a two-possession game, 64-60 with 13 seconds left. ASU would not be able to get any closer and for only the third time this season the Sun Devils came up short at home (13-3).
ASU's contest vs. Arizona on Thursday can be seen on Pac-12 Networks. A win over Arizona would set up a rematch with the Beavers on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the tournament.