AUSTIN, Texas – A 14-0, third quarter run by the Arizona State women's basketball team proved to be the difference on Saturday as the Sun Devils advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year following a 73-62 win over Nebraska.
Robbi Ryan led the way with a game-high-tying 16 points while Kianna Ibis posted 14 points and eight rebounds for the Sun Devils (22-12), who will take on Texas on Monday night for the right to advance to next week's Sweet 16 in Kansas City.
Also scoring in double figures for ASU were Jamie Ruden (11 points) and Reili Richardson (10 points). Richardson led ASU with four assists (zero turnovers) while Ruden accounted for six of ASU's 23 makes from the foul line.
The Sun Devils were plus-22 on the boards (49-27) as Charnea Johnson-Chapman led the way with 10 rebounds, the sixth time this season she has grabbed 10 or more rebounds. Also providing ASU with big contributions in rebounding were Ibis (eight rebounds), Courtney Ekmark (seven points and seven rebounds) and Kiara Russell and Sophia Elenga, who had six rebounds each. Elenga also added eight points on 4-5 FGs.
A 21-8 advantage on the offensive glass helped ASU outscore the Huskers 16-6 in second-chance points, the eighth time ASU has scored 15 or more second-chance points this season.
The two teams were tied 13-13 after one quarter and 27-27 at the half. Neither squad led by more than four points over the first 20 minutes. The trend would continue to be the main storyline past the midway point of the third quarter. Johnson-Chapman's layup with 4:10 remaining created the game's ninth tie, 38-38.
It would turn out to be the last tie of the contest as Johnson-Chapman's game-tying field goal was part of a run of 14 straight points by the Sun Devils. Ruden, who led ASU with six points in the quarter, capped the run after coming up with a steal at one end of the floor and hitting a triple at the other to give the Sun Devils a 49-38 lead with 91 seconds left in the quarter.
ASU's lead would reach 16 points after the Sun Devils scored the first five points of the final period to go up 56-40 after a free throw by Richardson with 6:59 left in the game.
The Huskers would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way as the Sun Devils connected on 16-21 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The NCAA second round game between the Sun Devils and Longhorns will take place on Monday night at 8 p.m. CT/6 p.m. PT at the Erwin Arena in Austin, Texas. The game can be seen on ESPN2 and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
Robbi Ryan led the way with a game-high-tying 16 points while Kianna Ibis posted 14 points and eight rebounds for the Sun Devils (22-12), who will take on Texas on Monday night for the right to advance to next week's Sweet 16 in Kansas City.
Also scoring in double figures for ASU were Jamie Ruden (11 points) and Reili Richardson (10 points). Richardson led ASU with four assists (zero turnovers) while Ruden accounted for six of ASU's 23 makes from the foul line.
The Sun Devils were plus-22 on the boards (49-27) as Charnea Johnson-Chapman led the way with 10 rebounds, the sixth time this season she has grabbed 10 or more rebounds. Also providing ASU with big contributions in rebounding were Ibis (eight rebounds), Courtney Ekmark (seven points and seven rebounds) and Kiara Russell and Sophia Elenga, who had six rebounds each. Elenga also added eight points on 4-5 FGs.
A 21-8 advantage on the offensive glass helped ASU outscore the Huskers 16-6 in second-chance points, the eighth time ASU has scored 15 or more second-chance points this season.
The two teams were tied 13-13 after one quarter and 27-27 at the half. Neither squad led by more than four points over the first 20 minutes. The trend would continue to be the main storyline past the midway point of the third quarter. Johnson-Chapman's layup with 4:10 remaining created the game's ninth tie, 38-38.
It would turn out to be the last tie of the contest as Johnson-Chapman's game-tying field goal was part of a run of 14 straight points by the Sun Devils. Ruden, who led ASU with six points in the quarter, capped the run after coming up with a steal at one end of the floor and hitting a triple at the other to give the Sun Devils a 49-38 lead with 91 seconds left in the quarter.
ASU's lead would reach 16 points after the Sun Devils scored the first five points of the final period to go up 56-40 after a free throw by Richardson with 6:59 left in the game.
The Huskers would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way as the Sun Devils connected on 16-21 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The NCAA second round game between the Sun Devils and Longhorns will take place on Monday night at 8 p.m. CT/6 p.m. PT at the Erwin Arena in Austin, Texas. The game can be seen on ESPN2 and heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.