TEMPE, Ariz. – Despite a career-high-tying 16-point performance from senior Charnea Johnson-Chapman and a 50-percent shooting effort in the second half, the No. 19 Arizona State women's basketball team came up short in its attempt to knock off sixth-ranked Stanford as the Sun Devils fell to the Cardinal 72-65 on Friday night.
Courtney Ekmark and Robbi Ryan scored 11 points each for the Sun Devils (11-4, 2-2 Pac-12), who nearly came back from a 12-point halftime deficit.
Stanford (13-1, 3-0) was led by Alana Smith (25 points), DiJonai Carrington (17 points) and Kiana Williams (10 points), who combined for 52 of Stanford's 72 points to help the Cardinal remain tied for first place in the Pac-12. Stanford was also helped by its performance at the free throw line where it made all 14 of its attempts, including 10 in the second half.
Friday's outcome represented the third instance of the season in which the Sun Devils nearly pulled off an upset over a Top 10 squad. Combined with their losses to current No. 4 Baylor (65-59) and current No. 2 Louisville (58-56), the Sun Devils have fallen to three of the nation's top six teams by a combined 15 points.
After shooting only 28 percent in the first half, the Sun Devils came through with one of their best shooting and scoring quarters of the season as they made 67 percent of their shots and scored 25 points (tied for third most of the season), three more points than they were able to produce in the game's first 20 minutes.
Eight different Sun Devils scored in the period with Johnson-Chapman (six points) and Ekmark (five points) combining for 11 points to lead the way. Iris Mbulito's layup with 5:45 remaining capped an 11-2 run and got ASU within a single possession, 36-33.
A little more than two minutes later Sophia Elenga's layup got ASU within a single point, 42-41.
A see-saw battle ensued over the last two minutes of the quarter as the Sun Devils answered Stanford scores to get within one point on three other occasions. The last of those scoring responses by ASU – a layup by Reili Richardson with seven seconds remaining – was countered by a 3-pointer by Carrington, who gave the Cardinal a four-point lead, 51-47, going into the final quarter after beating the buzzer with a shot from beyond half court.
A six-point run to start the final 10 minutes pushed Stanford's lead back to double digits, 57-47, with 8:37 remaining.
Ryan scored nine points in the fourth quarter to help keep ASU within striking distance. A 3-pointer and a jumper on consecutive possessions by the junior guard got the Sun Devils back within four points with 3:32 left on the clock.
However a comeback was not to be on this night for the Sun Devils as Stanford would not allow ASU to get any closer eventually pushing their advantage back up to eight points.
Johnson-Chapman, who tied the career-high point total she had in ASU's win over Stanford last year, also added six rebounds, two blocks and a career-high-tying three steals. The senior center pulled down five offensive rebounds, tying for the team lead in the category with fellow senior Kianna Ibis, who led ASU with seven rebounds for the game.
ASU had nearly four times as many offensive rebounds (22-6) as Stanford that led to a 20-8 advantage in second-chance points. The plus-12 difference in points was almost completely offset by what both teams did at the free throw line: Stanford 14-14/ASU 3-7.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday when they host No. 24 Cal at 5 p.m. Sunday's game will be the program's annual Snow Day. Beginning at 3:30 p.m. fans are invited to come and play in snow that will be in the Sun Devil arboretum (NE side of Wells Fargo Arena).
Courtney Ekmark and Robbi Ryan scored 11 points each for the Sun Devils (11-4, 2-2 Pac-12), who nearly came back from a 12-point halftime deficit.
Stanford (13-1, 3-0) was led by Alana Smith (25 points), DiJonai Carrington (17 points) and Kiana Williams (10 points), who combined for 52 of Stanford's 72 points to help the Cardinal remain tied for first place in the Pac-12. Stanford was also helped by its performance at the free throw line where it made all 14 of its attempts, including 10 in the second half.
Friday's outcome represented the third instance of the season in which the Sun Devils nearly pulled off an upset over a Top 10 squad. Combined with their losses to current No. 4 Baylor (65-59) and current No. 2 Louisville (58-56), the Sun Devils have fallen to three of the nation's top six teams by a combined 15 points.
After shooting only 28 percent in the first half, the Sun Devils came through with one of their best shooting and scoring quarters of the season as they made 67 percent of their shots and scored 25 points (tied for third most of the season), three more points than they were able to produce in the game's first 20 minutes.
Eight different Sun Devils scored in the period with Johnson-Chapman (six points) and Ekmark (five points) combining for 11 points to lead the way. Iris Mbulito's layup with 5:45 remaining capped an 11-2 run and got ASU within a single possession, 36-33.
A little more than two minutes later Sophia Elenga's layup got ASU within a single point, 42-41.
A see-saw battle ensued over the last two minutes of the quarter as the Sun Devils answered Stanford scores to get within one point on three other occasions. The last of those scoring responses by ASU – a layup by Reili Richardson with seven seconds remaining – was countered by a 3-pointer by Carrington, who gave the Cardinal a four-point lead, 51-47, going into the final quarter after beating the buzzer with a shot from beyond half court.
A six-point run to start the final 10 minutes pushed Stanford's lead back to double digits, 57-47, with 8:37 remaining.
Ryan scored nine points in the fourth quarter to help keep ASU within striking distance. A 3-pointer and a jumper on consecutive possessions by the junior guard got the Sun Devils back within four points with 3:32 left on the clock.
However a comeback was not to be on this night for the Sun Devils as Stanford would not allow ASU to get any closer eventually pushing their advantage back up to eight points.
Johnson-Chapman, who tied the career-high point total she had in ASU's win over Stanford last year, also added six rebounds, two blocks and a career-high-tying three steals. The senior center pulled down five offensive rebounds, tying for the team lead in the category with fellow senior Kianna Ibis, who led ASU with seven rebounds for the game.
ASU had nearly four times as many offensive rebounds (22-6) as Stanford that led to a 20-8 advantage in second-chance points. The plus-12 difference in points was almost completely offset by what both teams did at the free throw line: Stanford 14-14/ASU 3-7.
The Sun Devils return to action on Sunday when they host No. 24 Cal at 5 p.m. Sunday's game will be the program's annual Snow Day. Beginning at 3:30 p.m. fans are invited to come and play in snow that will be in the Sun Devil arboretum (NE side of Wells Fargo Arena).