WHAT: No. 17 Sun Devil WBB (5-2) vs. Southern University (2-4)
WHEN: Friday at 6 p.m. MT
WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
LIVE STREAM: https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060/TuneIn
LIVE STATS: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=233899
DIABETES AWARENESS GAME/TEDDY BEAR TOSS/PICTURES WITH SANTA
The Sun Devil women's basketball program will host its first Diabetes Awareness Game in honor of one of its own as sophomore Eva Rubin lives and plays with Type I Diabetes. Basketball has been a key part of her daily life to stay healthy and manage her illness.
The team will also hold its annual Teddy Bear Toss during halftime and Santa Claus will be at the game. Enjoy $5 tickets when you bring a teddy bear to the box office on game day and stick around to get your picture with Santa after the game.
UP NEXT
The No. 17 Arizona State women's basketball team goes for its fourth straight win on Friday (6 p.m. MT) when it hosts Southern University.
Friday's game is the third of three straight home games for the Sun Devils, who moved up two spots in this week's AP poll after last weekend's wins over Louisiana Tech and Tulsa in the annual ASU Classic. ASU plays seven games in the month of December, concluding the month with its Pac-12 opener at Arizona on Dec. 30.
Last Saturday's 80-44 win over Louisiana Tech represented the first time the ASU played at home since its season opening win over Incarnate Word on Nov. 6. ASU then traveled to Fort Defiance, Ariz., where it served as the host team for 'Showdown on the Rez,' a contest held on the Navajo reservation against No. 4 Baylor, which the Sun Devils led by as many as 14 before coming up short 65-59. ASU then went on the road consecutive weeks for games at Arkansas (W, 88-85 on Nov. 18) and against No. 5 Louisville (L, 58-56 on Nov. 23) and SIU (W, 82-38 on Nov. 24) at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.
After Friday's game ASU will go back out on the road for a game at Colorado State on Sunday (2 p.m. MT).
NOTES FROM LAST WEEKEND
• The Sun Devils posted wins over Louisiana Tech (80-44 on Saturday) and Tulsa (70-52 on Sunday) to capture the ASU Classic tournament championship for the 15th time in the last 18 years.
• ASU made 47 percent of its shots and averaged 19.5 assists in the two wins. Kianna Ibis (13.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 50.0 FG pct) was named the ASU Classic MVP after leading ASU in scoring in both games. Joining Ibis on the all-tournament team were Courtney Ekmark – 12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 50 percent (6-12) from long distance – and Reili Richardson (6.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, 62.5 FG pct).
• Against Louisiana Tech, the Sun Devils made 60 percent of their shots in the first quarter and never looked back. Ibis (13 points), Ekmark (12 points) and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (10 points) led the way on the offensive end for the Sun Devils, who would go on to shoot 45 percent for the game.
• Against Tulsa, Ibis scored a game-high 14 points and Ekmark and Ryan added 12 points each. Ibis, who added eight rebounds and two assists against Tulsa, was named tournament MVP for the second straight year. It was also the second straight year for Richardson being named to the all-tournament team. Richardson was equally brilliant on both ends of the floor against Tulsa as she had nine points (4-5 FGs) and a game-high seven assists while also contributing a pair of blocks.
• ASU's 49-point outburst in the first half against Louisiana Tech represented its most points in the first half since it poured in 52 last December against Arkansas.
COVERAGE
Friday's game can be seen via live stream at https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. It can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 15th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• ASU's five wins have been by an average of 27.8 points while its two losses to No. 4 Baylor and No. 5 Louisville have been by a combined eight points.
• ASU has held the opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 13x this season (single digits 8x) and outrebounded the opposition in all but one game.
• Kianna Ibis has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
• Guards Reili Richardson (35 assists/11 turnovers) and Kiara Russell (17 assists/three turnovers) have combined for 52 assists and only 14 turnovers. As a team, ASU is No. 13 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• ASU has knocked down nine or more 3-pointers four times this season, something it accomplished twice all last season.
• On average, ASU's bench has more than doubled the production of the opposition, 33.7-14.9.
SO CLOSE
ASU nearly upset top five teams on two different occasions during the first month of the season.
The Sun Devils had fourth-ranked Baylor on the ropes on Nov. 11, but in the end the Bears were able to outlast the Sun Devils, 65-59. ASU led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, by 11 at the half and entered the final period with a four-point lead. It was then that Baylor would punctuate its second-half comeback as the Bears reeled off 12 straight points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to turn a four-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
On Nov. 23 ASU once again found itself in position to knock off a top five team, this time it was No. 5 Louisville. ASU led by as many as six in the fourth quarter. After shooting 45 percent (13-29) in the second and third quarters, the Sun Devils shot only 14 percent over the final 10 minutes. Louisville scored the winning basket with less than two seconds left to escape with the victory.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
• ASU won the only prior meeting, 77-44 in 1981 in Tempe.
POLLS
After winning both contests last week ASU moved up two spots in the AP Poll (No. 17) and four spots in the coaches poll (No. 19).
ASU was ranked 23rd in the preseason AP poll, one of five Pac-12 teams – No. 3 Oregon, No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 24 Cal – that were ranked, marking the third-straight year the conference has had five teams in the preseason poll. Although they split their first two games, they still moved up one spot to No. 22 in the week 2 AP poll. They moved up three more spots after defeating Arkansas on Nov. 18.
• ASU was the first team outside the top 25 of the USA Today Coaches preseason poll and is currently No. 23.
• Athlon Sports had ASU 19th while ESPN.com and Lindy's Sports both had ASU at No. 23 in their respective preseason polls.
• Both the coaches and media picked the Sun Devils to finish fifth in the Pac-12.
WHEN: Friday at 6 p.m. MT
WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
LIVE STREAM: https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university
RADIO: NBC Sports Radio AM 1060/TuneIn
LIVE STATS: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=233899
DIABETES AWARENESS GAME/TEDDY BEAR TOSS/PICTURES WITH SANTA
The Sun Devil women's basketball program will host its first Diabetes Awareness Game in honor of one of its own as sophomore Eva Rubin lives and plays with Type I Diabetes. Basketball has been a key part of her daily life to stay healthy and manage her illness.
The team will also hold its annual Teddy Bear Toss during halftime and Santa Claus will be at the game. Enjoy $5 tickets when you bring a teddy bear to the box office on game day and stick around to get your picture with Santa after the game.
UP NEXT
The No. 17 Arizona State women's basketball team goes for its fourth straight win on Friday (6 p.m. MT) when it hosts Southern University.
Friday's game is the third of three straight home games for the Sun Devils, who moved up two spots in this week's AP poll after last weekend's wins over Louisiana Tech and Tulsa in the annual ASU Classic. ASU plays seven games in the month of December, concluding the month with its Pac-12 opener at Arizona on Dec. 30.
Last Saturday's 80-44 win over Louisiana Tech represented the first time the ASU played at home since its season opening win over Incarnate Word on Nov. 6. ASU then traveled to Fort Defiance, Ariz., where it served as the host team for 'Showdown on the Rez,' a contest held on the Navajo reservation against No. 4 Baylor, which the Sun Devils led by as many as 14 before coming up short 65-59. ASU then went on the road consecutive weeks for games at Arkansas (W, 88-85 on Nov. 18) and against No. 5 Louisville (L, 58-56 on Nov. 23) and SIU (W, 82-38 on Nov. 24) at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.
After Friday's game ASU will go back out on the road for a game at Colorado State on Sunday (2 p.m. MT).
NOTES FROM LAST WEEKEND
• The Sun Devils posted wins over Louisiana Tech (80-44 on Saturday) and Tulsa (70-52 on Sunday) to capture the ASU Classic tournament championship for the 15th time in the last 18 years.
• ASU made 47 percent of its shots and averaged 19.5 assists in the two wins. Kianna Ibis (13.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 50.0 FG pct) was named the ASU Classic MVP after leading ASU in scoring in both games. Joining Ibis on the all-tournament team were Courtney Ekmark – 12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 50 percent (6-12) from long distance – and Reili Richardson (6.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, 62.5 FG pct).
• Against Louisiana Tech, the Sun Devils made 60 percent of their shots in the first quarter and never looked back. Ibis (13 points), Ekmark (12 points) and Charnea Johnson-Chapman (10 points) led the way on the offensive end for the Sun Devils, who would go on to shoot 45 percent for the game.
• Against Tulsa, Ibis scored a game-high 14 points and Ekmark and Ryan added 12 points each. Ibis, who added eight rebounds and two assists against Tulsa, was named tournament MVP for the second straight year. It was also the second straight year for Richardson being named to the all-tournament team. Richardson was equally brilliant on both ends of the floor against Tulsa as she had nine points (4-5 FGs) and a game-high seven assists while also contributing a pair of blocks.
• ASU's 49-point outburst in the first half against Louisiana Tech represented its most points in the first half since it poured in 52 last December against Arkansas.
COVERAGE
Friday's game can be seen via live stream at https://pac-12.com/live/arizona-state-university. It can also be heard on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060. Veteran broadcaster and the state of Arizona's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year Jeff Munn is in his 15th season as the voice of ASU women's basketball.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
• ASU's five wins have been by an average of 27.8 points while its two losses to No. 4 Baylor and No. 5 Louisville have been by a combined eight points.
• ASU has held the opposition to 12 or fewer points in a quarter 13x this season (single digits 8x) and outrebounded the opposition in all but one game.
• Kianna Ibis has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
• Guards Reili Richardson (35 assists/11 turnovers) and Kiara Russell (17 assists/three turnovers) have combined for 52 assists and only 14 turnovers. As a team, ASU is No. 13 in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• ASU has knocked down nine or more 3-pointers four times this season, something it accomplished twice all last season.
• On average, ASU's bench has more than doubled the production of the opposition, 33.7-14.9.
SO CLOSE
ASU nearly upset top five teams on two different occasions during the first month of the season.
The Sun Devils had fourth-ranked Baylor on the ropes on Nov. 11, but in the end the Bears were able to outlast the Sun Devils, 65-59. ASU led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, by 11 at the half and entered the final period with a four-point lead. It was then that Baylor would punctuate its second-half comeback as the Bears reeled off 12 straight points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to turn a four-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
On Nov. 23 ASU once again found itself in position to knock off a top five team, this time it was No. 5 Louisville. ASU led by as many as six in the fourth quarter. After shooting 45 percent (13-29) in the second and third quarters, the Sun Devils shot only 14 percent over the final 10 minutes. Louisville scored the winning basket with less than two seconds left to escape with the victory.
SERIES NOTES VERSUS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
• ASU won the only prior meeting, 77-44 in 1981 in Tempe.
POLLS
After winning both contests last week ASU moved up two spots in the AP Poll (No. 17) and four spots in the coaches poll (No. 19).
ASU was ranked 23rd in the preseason AP poll, one of five Pac-12 teams – No. 3 Oregon, No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 24 Cal – that were ranked, marking the third-straight year the conference has had five teams in the preseason poll. Although they split their first two games, they still moved up one spot to No. 22 in the week 2 AP poll. They moved up three more spots after defeating Arkansas on Nov. 18.
• ASU was the first team outside the top 25 of the USA Today Coaches preseason poll and is currently No. 23.
• Athlon Sports had ASU 19th while ESPN.com and Lindy's Sports both had ASU at No. 23 in their respective preseason polls.
• Both the coaches and media picked the Sun Devils to finish fifth in the Pac-12.